The Irish standard., 1915-10-16
The DUCHESS DIAMOND


e.Aous "do sAe 0uOFts WHY, 0eepcne6teQ
figure standing by pillar in front OF
San Marco. It was night to linger
and listen, to expand and glow in the
moonlight. From the Grand canal
came quavery foreign cries, the soft
dip of oars. glints of lights, and wisps
OF melody. 1t was a night to win one
from bed, q night dimming all day; .
Whistlerian nocturne.
The old San Marco clock doomed
ominously twenty-one times. proclaim
Ing the hour Of nine after the olden
fashion giving each hour of the twenty
four its rightful count. And with the
last re-echoing boom the piazzi band
burst into a rousing military strain,
standing in the center of the square,
surrounded by throng of night-pleas.
urers; for the Venice season was on,
and the city thronged.
The lonely-looking figure in front of
San Marco stirred, stepped out, and
strolled toward the music, slipping in
to chair before table in an outdoor
cafe.
"Cafe noir!" he ordered from an
obsequious waiter, and sat musing be-
tween the music and hilarious party
of Americans drinking champagne at
the next table.
"You can tell an American wherever
he is." cried the modishly dressed
young fellow who was buying the bot
ties, flushed with excitement and wine.
"And a man from Manhattan you can
recognize by the cut of his coat, his
cravat, smooth face. and keen eyes,"
THAT is the American eye for
money and business, I presume" !"
drawled an Englishman in the party.
I'VE have to earn ours" answered
the flushed youth. "The majority Of
our families aren't old enough to in
herit from. The aggressive American
spirit leaves its print on all of us. Do
you think you could mistake one Of US
for a wbiskered Frenchman, an oily
Italian, . stolid German, or . tight.
,trousered Englishman?"
"All this patriotism because this Is
your Independence day, presume -
smiled the Englishman.
Fourth Of July ought to make q
man think of his country. You people
shave hank holidays, Christmas and
New Years; that's all. Did you ever
tseo q regular Fourth Of July eeiebra-
stion?"
"Oh. I know; heastly vulgar, charm.
ingly Chinese: fireworks, songs.
speeches."
"Wait! Well show you Fourth Of
July celebration" As the band stopped.
the young American jumped to hia
chair ond waved his hat.
"Hurrah for Fourth Of July!" he
cried. Americans! Americans! We're
about to jolt old Venice with real
Fourth Of July celebration. Anybody
who can sing Yankee Doodle or
Dixie come over here and help. Unit.
ed we stand: This is our day. gather
around, and We may even find some.
body who knows the words tc
America
He sat down amid reproving g1ances
from the conservative members of his
party and rardonable patriotic grirs
from the others.
"Aurrah for Fourth of July! We're
coming!" came cry from the other
side of the square, and minute later
four young college fellows burst upon
the table of Americans.
welcome to our city: my names
Bowen, Belasco Bowen. Glad to see
you on this auspicious day; sit down
and quar- the sizzling fireworks drink,
pyrotechnical champagne. Forward,
Americana" He beckoned to the
crowd about the band, and q number
of recruits came.
There's a New Yorker!" cried Be
lasco Bowen, spying the wiry little
man sitting at the next table slipping
his cafe noir little excitedly. II can
tell him by his derby. Come on in;
the watered wine is f1ne."
The lonely-looking man picked up
his cup, and Joined the party, introdUc'
ing himself as Mr.. Hardy-none other
than Christopher Poe.
"Now all together!" cried Bowen
well sing Yankee Doodle and sur.
prise the natives. One, two, three!
Yankee Doodle came to town, q rid.
ing" He picked up an empty bottle
and waved it as a baton in time to the
lively Gong led by the college men sup
ported by dozen others. Passing Eu
ropeans smiled indulgently at the mad
Americans, and quite crowd gathered
to enjoy the refreshing novelty.
"Come on!" cried Bowen, as the
song came to an abrupt finish. "We'll
make a raid on all the stores aae;nd
here. and see what we can scrape ul
in the way of fireworks. Then well
hire launch and take trip on the
canal"
His enthusiasm was contagious; oi
the score of Americans only three
wished to drop out, and while the col
legians rushed of to find q Chinese
store which might furnish fireworks
Bowen banteringly persuaded Mr.. and
Mrs. Van Wentd, the chief dissenters
that their daughter Constance would
enjoy the spectacle and that it wal
their duty as Americans to go along.
BY the time the scouts. had returned
loaded with Roman candles, niger
.chasers, good old-fashioned f1re-crack
,ers, candles and lanterns, the number
had swelled to thirty. A launch and Z
|polygot cafe orchestra were hired, ant
laui6 shouts of Three Cheers fol
Uncle SAM" snatches Of Dixie" and
pther evidences of patriotism, the gay
party wound up the Grand canal, set
ting of fireworks, making speeches,
singing and doing hundred mad
nrQnkR that a1,nnkod tho afoid rounoot