Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-05
A MAINE GIRL In EUROPE==LETTER NO. X

| houses have entrances OPENING M a..
canals, where there are ''hitching noat,,
| poles, decorated in ancestral 81
Tor the water carriages. Tbe-a /.
another door on the lanc-like stroo.a
| Inc gondolas are the cabs ana -
step from the hotels into one ne 49,
sWaying, black boats, crowdino ahs,
the canals, or waiting under tho coll
Shddc OF the bridges. The pondoIfar
with quick movement Of the 49,
| SENDS the light craft well out into ,h'
water. and gives shout. which aI.r.',
you OF first, till you discover il il opI,.
a 'watch-out' signal to the an,ros.t
ing boatman. At intervals arnna a.
Grand Canal, which is the Fifth Iii
nue. Oh venice, are floats. decorated n
night with torches and lanterns wbara
'iie evening before were MINISTRIES. who
enter tanned The crowd with Italian
songs RANGING or soft guitar rousic
| THESE were deserted the evening IF III
carnival, as the scene Of action was
ELSEWHERE There We're hundreds ~
sohdoias' some gay with lanterns of
queer shapes, and festooned WITH
| bunting and garlands; some had tables
ana interesting looking baskets ana
lcc-packed pals; and later on tbeso
We're the scenes of jolly spreads SOM
OF these hoats We're very handsome af-
lars, finely upholstered and caooniaa
the goncoliers in costumes of wbi,o
with bright sashes. Everybody M,
entertaining and all Venice came IN tho
party. The crowds Of people moyinf,
~ uhproKen procession, along the canal
ana across the bridge of boats. Iool,ad
snoSt-lke, as they came toward tbo
place Oh celebration. From the dis
tance, they seemed to proceed no;ca
lessly. But not SO the pondol;or-
Iney talked fiuently with each otbor
IN continuous conversation. Az thei.
language was not ours, it was diffic,,,
t. follow them. One of orr n,,r,ha',
struggled violently to stay tbe An. u
morus' out as the gondolier, thinking
sne was ILL., turned about to go back,
we SHOOK Our heads violently, and the
'"i f5oosip was taken up again. We
PASSED large boats at anchor and
beautiful yacht, flying the stars and
strlpes, on board of which was a Marty
Oh Americans, the Duchess Of Mari
porouSh, formerly Miss Vanderbilt no.
ing among the number.
Inc gondolas gathered en- massa n
front OF the great float Where tha fra
WORKS We're to be sent off. Tt was IL
tenSely interesting to look orr o,.ar
thlS great assembly Of boats. rIoca a.
Sether, the drivers" crouched do,.,,
al the stern, with oar resting in ona
hand. The Italian families. app3renth
OF all social grades, were talking With
Cdch other; perhaps a DISTINGUISHED
iooAIhS parsonage was seen. alone and
INSTANT III ms grandeur, surrounded ~
JollE parties. eNuherant with laughter
anu gay repartee, and on the sides IF
the lagoon, the crowds OF all conditions
from the Well-dressed to the ragged III
tie enid of the street OccasionaIIy =
olt OF United States ragtime music
would be heard, or some noDuIar
song. Mandoins and guitars vern
likewise in evidence. All the time the /
twilight was deepening, the moon ana
stars were shining down on the Iiphts
dotting the canals and lagoon. and tha
warm, damp air of the Adriatic WAS
giving enc a drowsy feeling that this
was midsummer nights dream. after
all Suddenly the rockets and lines or
lire from the candles went rushing into
the sky, exploding in a thousand balls
and points of light, which zic-zaggrd
through the air and fell. with a ssish
into the water. There were some mar
Vicious things shot off, which eypIod-
cd with bang and scattered light all
over the place; there were CLOVIS IF
~ fv~D Ill
ing still more spectacular appelr-
ance to the surroundings. After it was
all over, the sondoliers had the time
OF their lives, struggling 10 discntangle
thelr boats from those OF their neigh
bors. There was a swaying and bump
ing and rocking, accompanied by loud
CRIES of the boatmen, which caused sew
eral nervous Chills to creep IN and
down the backbone. 1t was only their
little way. however. and soon all was
serene and we were moving along some
OF the smaller canals. going near the
houses where mirth and explanations
told of CAV time. then silently creep
ing along the darkness of a deserted
quarter. and out into the Grand Canal.
past the hotels, where crowds We're
gathered to watch the gliding lantern
trimmed gondolas, and the merry-mak-
ers everywhere. 1t was an all-night
and till-early-morning affair, and
echoes came to us till the light Of dawn
appeared, as the Italians and Others
sang and celebrated, because the
plague was no more.
In contrast TO this night on which
revelry was abroad, an evening, when.
from a gondola far out in the wide
lagoon. we watched the sun going down.
A Venetian sunset! What brush or
pen can make us see it as it really -!
The blaze of colors which illumlned
the sky and reflected in the still water
were gorgeous at first, then gentIy
changing from shade to shade Ill only
the soft, delicate suggestion OF past
splendor was spreading over the pal
aces touching the domes OF inc
churches, and leaving the quetness am
beauty of this former Queen Oh ti'e
Adriatic to give US the message whlch
Il