A Venetian June

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t expanse of the broad Canal. As the prow of the slender black bark entered a narrow side-canal and pursued its way between frowning walls and under low arched bridges,-as the deep resonant cry of the gondolier rang out, and an an

s in turn a petitioner for approval, bestowed a far more critical attention upon the time-worn palaces and the darkly doubtful water at their base; while to Uncle Dan, sitting stiffly upright upon the little one-armed chair in f

r, the peculiar cut-and-dried quality which he affected when he was afraid of being found out. Careful observers are, however, rare, and we

alked with bare brown feet up and down the gunwale in the performance of their labour, progressed slowly and stolidly, never yielding an inch in their course to the importunities of shouting gondolier or shrieking steam-whistle. Here the light shell of a yellow sandolo shot by, there a black-hooded gondola crept in and out among the more impetuous water-folk. Over yond

walls and low-ar

a good substantial fact. "It's everywhere in Venice. You're always coming

smooth young brow, as if, forsooth, wrinkles did not come fast enough wit

ried Pauline. "Who cares what is on top? And besides," s

ged much, Uncle

, above the dark current, a bit of colour caught the eye; a pot of geranium on a window-ledge; a pair of wooden shutters painted pink; a blue apron hung out to dry. On a stone bridge, leaning against the iron

the darkly doubtful wa

em less real than the things you never dreamed of at all! I think I must have known that that woman in the sulphur shawl would be sta

she has always been there when I have p

ay objected. "I thought she looked rather stupid

hat Uncle Dan, gallant officer in the past and practical man of affairs to-

istent fight of a good soldier, and if, when the great cause was won, he had hung up his sword and sash and laid aside his uniform, he had yet never succeeded in looking the civilian, and his military title had clung to him through thirty years of practical life. F

u like

she put the question as if s

like it. As you say, it is very much what one expec

inst the iron railing, stood a

dome, rising superbly from a sculptured marble octagon against a radiant sky. Sky and dome and sculptured figure, each cast its im

ne, with inartic

e Dan remarked; while May

the hotel porter handed the young ladies from the gondola, the Colonel paused to have a word with the gondolier. The man was s

ore!" he

d, "I had forgotten