The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-01-25
FALL OF CAMPANILE

"i tell thee" returned old Jacopo,
ENORMOUSLY, and with the same impa-
| tient gesture he had often used to the
ST. Marks pigeons when they grew too
| familiar; .I tell thee, thou canst not
| have the girl! One thing | swear to
| thee-my Tessa shall no man have I'M
| less he dwell within sight of the Cam
panile'
| AS he spoke he glanced affectionately
at the great bell tower browning ST.
Marks Under the benign smile of the
| golden angel poised on it's graceful
| height had Jacopo in his long-gone
youth pledged his troth.
| To that dead Tessa had he first told
| the story of the Campanile-how Doge
| Pietro Tribune had begun it centuries
ago, how the loggia had been meet
| ing place for the naughty mobiles Of
| Venice.
So we'll had he told it that she sug-
gested to him the occupation OF guide,
and under her inspiration he had sue
ceeded beyond his hopes. He grew to
| be a great favorite among all tourists,
and to many nationalities he repeat
ed. never wearying, the history of the
bell tower Though a man of no edu-
cation, he was strongly tinged with
the poetry of his passionate country.
| Suddenly turning, he plunged into
the alley and disappeared from view.
! Hardness was left to wander disconso-
| lately through the piazza, and to pom
der on Tessas gentle but firm assur-
ance that she could not marry without
| her fathers consent.
LAS if our trees and some of our riv-
ers weren't worth thousand bell tow
ersl" he muttered, Wrathfully.
Then suddenly he grasped the arm
of a bystander, ard, pointing eagerly
to the Camnanile, demanded in his
usual curt italian if that had always
been there
That proved &c be crack yawning
in the Campanile Itself. III his surprise
and hcrrer the Venetian overlooked
the sHght to his dignity.
''Signore, no., he said, anIiouely;
'the authorities must be informed.
The authorities were informed, and
q careful inspection resulted in the dis
covery that this supreme treasure of
| Italy was in danger. So, al least, said
tie city magnates, but old Jacopo re-
fused to believe.
when thy bones and mine have
been a century deeayed," he said,
scornfully, to Hardness, 1.-The Campa-
nile will stand there
The Monday following the discovery
of the crack he was persistently lin
gering near the Campanile, though
much irritated by the presence OF Tes-
sa's lover, who continued to urge bis
suit.
That the Englishman had found this
flaw in the tower annoyed the guide
bitterly, and he turned the deafest OF
ears to all the young mans pleadings-
so deaf, indeed, that at first he took the
ominous cracking sound rising sharply
from the tower for an explosion else
where in the city.
But at Hardness cry he wh1rled
around and faced the awful sight OF the
Campanile crashing down toward them
both
In full reach of the sinking angel he
stoop gaping. Then two powerful arms
lifted him lille feather and the Eng
lishman ran for both their lives.
Jacopo suffered the young sailor to
lead him home, still with the stunned
air of one who could not understand
, what had happened. He made no an
swer to any question, except to say
stupidity that he was not hurt, and. in
| spite of Tessas anxious ministrations,
refused all food for nearly two days,
/ lying languidly on his simple pallet.
/ Hourly Tessa saw him fading but at
+, last, with flush of his old energy, he
sat up and called the girl and Hark-
/, ness to him.
81 said you should marry no man
who did not dwell in the shadow OF the
tower, Tessa mio," he said, quietly;
'but where may such man be found
now? Shadow, indeed, the Campanile
throws no longer, and the lowest build
ing in the city is higher than the labor
of the masters Never again shall thou
and I, my daughter, let our boat drift
in the blue waters of the bay and
watch the setting sun lay crown of
splendid rays on the bright angel
that angel who for countless years has
watched the white sails of the Venetian
craft come and go! Never again-but
| grow confused! Wed her, Inglesi,
since she loves three! 'Tis the old
marvel-how maids heart is stronger
than her native land!"
His mind began to wander.
The old voice trailed off into dying
whisper, for other doors had opened,
and through them Jacopo had passed
Illustrated Bits.