The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-07-20

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CHAPTER i.

hisnt was tne snort WHY, ueep-Sheste
figure standing by a pillar in front o
San Marco. 1t was a night to linger AM
listen. to expand and glow in the moon
light. From the Grand Canal cam
oars, glints of lights, and wisps of mel
ody. II was a night to win one from
bed, a night dimming all days, a Whist
lerian nocturne.
The old San Marco clock doomed omi
nously twenty-one times, proclaiminl
the hour of nine after the olden fashion
giving each hour of the twenty-four il
rightful count. And with the last re
echoing boom the piazza band burst int,
a rousing military strain. standing in tn,
center of the square. surrounded by
throng of night-pleasurers; for the Ven
ice season was on and the city thronged
The lonely looking figure in front of SaI
Marco stirred, stepped out, and strollet
toward the music. slipping into a chai
before a table in an outdoor cafe.
Cafe n0ir," he ordered from an OBJ
sequious waiter. and sat musing be
tween the music and a hilarious party
Of Americans drinking champagne at the
next table.
You can tell an American wherever
fellow who was buying the bottles
flushed with excitement and wine. "Anc
man from Manhattan you can recog
nize by the cut of his coat, his cravat
smooth face, and keen eyes"
That is, the American eye for money
and business, l presume?" drawled ar
Englishman in the party
We have TO earn ours" answered the
flushed youth. THE majority of oul
families aren't old enough to inheri,
from. The aggressive American spirit
leaves its print on all of U.S. Do you
think you could mistake one of US for a
whlskered Frenchman, an oily Italian
a stolid German, or a tigat-trousered
Englishman?"
"All this patriotism because this is your
Independence Day. 1 presume" smiled
the Englishman.
Fourth of July ought to make a man
think of his country. You people have
bank holidays, Christmas and New
Years; that all. Did you ever see a reg
ular Fourth Of July celebration"
oh. I know: beastly vulgar, charm
ingly Chinese; fireworks, songs, speech
es-"
WYATT! Wen show you a Fourth of
July celebration" as the band STONED
the young American jumped to his chair
and waved his hat.
Hurrah for Fourth of JULY" he cried
Americans! Americans, We're about
to jolt the old Venice with a real Fourth
OF July celebration. Anybody who can
sing Yankee Doodle or Dixie come over
here and help. United We stand, This
is our day. gather around and we may
even find somebody who knows the words
to America
He sat down amid reproving slances
from tho
party. and pardonable patriotic grins
from the others.
Hurrah for Fourth of Jury We're
coming" came a cry from the other side
Of the square. and a minute later four
young college fellows burst upon the
table of the Americans
welcome to our city: my names Bow
en-! Belasco Bowen. Glad to see YOU on
this suspicious day; sit down and quarf
the sizzling fireworks drink pyrotechni-
cal champagne. Forward Americans, he
heckoned to the crowd about the band.
and number of recruits came.
There's a New Yorker,r cried Relasco
Bowen, spying the wiry little man sitting
al the next table slipping his cafe noir a
little excitedly. 81 can tell him by his
Dunlap derby. Come on in, the watered
wine is fine"
The lonely looking man picked I'D his
cup and Joined the party. introducing
himself as Mr.. Hardy, though his right
ful name was Christopher Poe. and he
was prominent as a banker and society
man in New York
Now. all together" cried Bowen
well sing Yankee Doodle and surprise
the natives One, two. three, Yankee
Doodle came to town. a-riding-'" he
picked up an empty bottle and waved il
as baton in time to the lively song led
nv the college men. supported by dozen
others. Passing Europeans smiled indul-
gently at the mad Americans, and quite
a crowd gathered 10 enjoy the refreshing
novelty.
Come onr'>cried Bowen as the song
came to an abrupt finish. Wen make
a raid on all the stores around here and
see what we can scrape up in the way
OF fireworks. Then we'll hire launch
and take a trip on the canal"
His enthusiasm was conta gious OF the
score OF Americans only three wished to
1rop out, and while the collegians rushed
Dn to find Chinese store which might
furnish fireworks, Bowen banterinsly
persuaded Mr.. and Mrs. Van Wendt. the
chief dissenters. that their daughter Con-
stance would enjoy the spectacle and that
L was their duty as Americans to go
along
By the time the scouts had returned
loaded with Roman candles. nieper-
good oldfashioned firecrackers. |
candles and lanterns the number had |
swelled to thirty, launch and a poly |
ylot cafe orchestra were hired and amid |
shouts of Three Cheers for Uncle Sam" |
snatches Of Dixie" and other evidences of |
'atEiotism the gay party wound up on the |
Grand Canal, setting off fireworks. max
ng speeches. singing and doing a hundred
mad pranks that shocked the staid re-
'pectable Venetians plying back and forth
n their somber gondolas and made matter
Tor ambitious reporters and CORES
,ondents.
The canal rang with uncorked patriot
SIN and those who had been longest from
lone were widest in their demonstra-
ions.
As the gay ride drew to end Belasco
Bowen gathered up the r"1Ia. ming Roman
andes and. picking his way to the bow,
teadied himself in the rocking boat,
.rasped a stick of punk from Mr. Van
Vendt's hand and touched on all the
arSles IN a bunch
He lurched awkwardly with a dip of
he boat and a shower of sparks scattered
ver Constance Van Wendt.
Sdress!" she cried cringing back.
rantically fighting of the sparks
A dozen hands few to her aid and the
parks were instantly extinguished. Be-
asco Bowen apologized sincerely and, no