The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-05-22

beyond the pulsating blue of the ! broad Atlantic, in the northern part of the Adriatic sea, lies the most unique city in the world, dreamy, tran quil-Venice. In my early childhood there was awakened special interest in Venice within my mind, because 1t had been the home of Othello, 'the Moor of Venice,' and of Antonio and of Shylock, who to me then were as really historic char acters as were the stately old DoSes Of whom read and heard. This interest was deepened by my first instructor in music, who would frequently play that brilliant composition, '"The Carnival of Nenice,'' thus intensifying everything of a romantic nature with which had as- sociated Venice. It was a city of love, poetry, tragedy, carnivals end music, ac- cording to my conception of it, and, so young was I when I began to think of been out of my boyish mind. I can truly say with Byron,
 "I loved her from S1y boyhood; she to me Was an airy city of the heart,
 Rising like water-columns from the sea; Df joy the sojourn and of wealth the
 mart,
 And .. Shakespeare's art,
 Had stamped her image in me-"
 I had come to Venice from the south of Italy, travelling over broad plains. through vineyards, groves of lemons and olives, over swamps of rice, crossing rivers, and passing many small towns from whose churches I could now and then hear the soft tones of church bells calling to prayers. On and on, until with gratitude and gladness looked upon the wonderland and the lagoons of Venice. where hands of countless fairies in the instant ages had builded the strange city. now standing dimly white against a radiant twilight sky. tinged with all the colors of the stones of the New Jeru- salem.
 In the long ago Venice was an inde- pendent, in,perious republic; a mighty power in tho kingdoms of the world and the proud mistress of the seas. But she Is now the hoary city of historic mem ories, honored for the distinguished parts she played in the splendid martial and intellectual dramas of continental Europe Venice now sleeps, and dreams of former fantastic glories that can return no more
 Over It's narrow canals, in gorgeousy decorated gondolas, beneath canopies of gold and crimson. have noiselessly sailed emperors kings, queens, popes, doges and innumerable lords and ladies whose titles and deeds have been preserved for us upon the pages of history. In the halls of these marble palaces which line the water highways there have been wit messed such scenes of splendor such mag nincence of apparel and such fiery blazes of sparkling Jewels as existed only in those far away Ntimes and in the fancy of the stories of the Arabian Nights.
 ,Those days are gone. but beauty still is
 here;
 not die, Nor vet forget how Venice once was dear. The pleasart place of all festivtty,
 The revel of the earth. the masque of
 Italy"
 Venice is nearly 2OOO years old. It's original settlers were men who had been nriven from their homes into the marshes tagoos of the Adriatic, by the invasions of the ferocious Huns, who had devas- lated the whole of northern Italy, laying waste many of the most populo'ls cities Refuges from Concordia, Vicentia. Vero- ta and other provinces sought protection In the marshes and insignificant islands of Inc sea- And here, like the water fowl < ihey built their nests among the sea- ', wavea, flying from him whose boast 1t vas that the grass ne'er grew where bnce his horse had trod." The fugitives here. on hundred isles. founded Venice. " aA republican form of government was *luly created Consuls or tribunes re- k>ained at the head of the government hnflt the year 697; in that year their 2, powers were transferred to one person. kEho was called the "doge" or duke. His lower was undivided as it bore upon civil, Ecclesiastical and military affairs. One l6hdred and twenty-six doges occupied laAhe ducal throne through the centuries. Many of them were rulers of great ability ihshose influence was felt and recognized