Year: 1867

In one of the Art Galleries of Vienna
hangs picture of Venetian life, by the
painter Francesca Mayez. which excites
| peculiar interest in the visitor. 1t is an in
terror apartment in the ducal palace, where
three aged Senators evidently the famous
Council of Three, are holding one of their
secret sessions.


One Of them, a tall, proud figure, with
the finely chiselled, intellectual dark face
familiar to US in old Venetian portraits, has
risen in excitement, and with stern ges-
ture is addressing young man and beau
tiful woman, who sinks fainting on the stone
floor.


She is supported by an official who seems
to deprecate the harsh manner of the Senator.
A notary, behind the table in the rear of the
| group, is making q record of the proceed
ings.


The story on which the picture is founded
is contained in French romance of the
seventeenth century, and though no authen-
tication of it has been discovered in the
Venetian archives, it probably rests on a
tradition then current. If not, it is no less
true reflection of the character of the time
in Venice, when, amid the gay pageant of
its fourishing and gorgeous life, rose that
dark. mysterious tribunal-irresponsib
remorseless, irresistible as fate, which held
in its unseen hand the whole power Of the
republic. The story runs thus:
| Valencia was the daughter of the Senator
Grandenigo, by birth, therefore, one of the
first ladies of Venice. She had all the rich
beauty of her countrywomen, with this re-
markable distinction, admired in proportion
| to its rareness, that her hair was the love.
do oh tbo -
gold, and was so abundant that it fell in
heavy shining waves below her knees
A beautiful Italian woman of nineteen
could not be without a lover, and Valencia
had already yielded the first bloom of her
heart to the young patrician Leonardo
Whether from necessity or the mere caprice
of youthful fancy, the attachment was kept
secret from their respective families, and
the young pair met only in the palace of
Leonardo's bosom friend, Antonio Foscarini.


Even he was not entrusted with the name
of the lady, who stole, closely veiled, into
his house, nor had he ever been favored with
glimpse of her face. But the glowing
eulogy of her charms, to which he was COM
PEELED to lsten-especially the description of
her wonderful hair-excited his Imagination
all the more, and the idea fastened itself in
his mind that in those golden threads lay
some magic power which had enthralled his
friend, for heretofore Leonardo had been in
sensible to female attraction.


For time the course of true love ran
smooth. Then, suddenly, as if the earth had
opened to him, Leonardo disappeared, and
in few days after his lifeless body was
found in one of the canals which vein the
city of the sea.


A deep wound in his breast showed that
he had been the victim of assassination
Valenzia's grief had all the stormy violence
of first great sorrow. But far more pro
found was the afliction of the friend, who
sincerely believed that the mortal stab had
been given by jealous rival.


Leonardo Leonardo l' he exclaimed,
as he gazed on the bloody corpse, " the ac.
cursed blonde locks are answerable for this
deed ~


From that hour an unconquerable aver
sion to blonde hair took possession of him,
which grew into monomania 1t was the
fashion of the day in Venice for ladies to
bleach their dark hair by the use Of chemical
preparations, and so strong and undisguised
was his contempt for the practice as to OBJ
tain for him the name Of the Blonde Hair
Halter.


His relatives, anxious to divert his mind
from these morbid recollections and fancies,
urged him to marry.


He was one of the handsomest of the
young patricians of Venice-his figure noble.
his face full of intelligence and feeling and
he had further passport to the favor of the
ladies in his singular devotion in friendship.
and his corresponding Indifference to them
selves. Admiration, sympathy, pique, con.
spired to render him an object of transcedent
interest to the fair sex.


His friends led him from one CAV circle to
another, in the hope that he might unawares,
find himself in the meshes of the blind little
god. 1t was all in vain. AT length the
father settled the question by an arrange
ment with the Senator Grandenigo for
marriage between the two families, and
Antonio found himself pledged to the con-
nection entirely without his knowledge or
consent. But such marriages of domestic
or state policy were the rule in Venice. and
his heart having no tie elsewhere. he sub
mitted without remonstrance. Preparations
were fastened, and the wedding dav was
appointed.


Valencia had yielded with less reluctance,
nay, even with degree of mournful pleas
ure.


She well knew Antonio, although herself



tachment to the first Leonardo was tender
bond. His inconsolable grief for one dearest
to her, had given him sacred place in her
heart. Her own lot, moreover, was full of
discomfort and chagrin, her father being one
of those stern and cruel men whose iron
rule turns the palace into detested prison.
After the death of her lover she had wish
ed to bury her sorrows in convent. but the
old Senator, who regarded his daughter
simply as an instrument of family aggran.
dizement, had peremptorily and harshly re-
fused his assent.


Life with the honorable, gentle and true
hearted Antonio seemed to her crushed
spirit blessed escape from this bondage
and thus it happened that she not only as.
sented without objection to her fathers plan,
but became most anxious to win the affec-
tions of her bridegroom. Knowing too well
his morbid prejudice to blonde hair, she
dared not reveal to him at once the secret Of