CHARLES WAT E ETON, ESQ. 



XV 



were sitting in the gondola. Woodcocks were lying 

 at the shop windows in great abundance. 



If you chance to be near the Church of St. Mark 

 just at the time of "Ave Maria," when the people 

 of Venice stand in the street with their hats off, 

 and say a short prayer of thanksgiving for the 

 blessings received during the day, you will see a 

 man with a light in each hand before a statue of 

 the Blessed Virgin. Popular tradition concerning 

 it is, that a murder had been committed in one 

 of the streets. After the assassin had effected 

 his deed of blood, he took to his heels, and 

 thus escaped detection : but, he dropped the bloody 

 knife, near where the body of his victim lay. On 

 the following morning, a poor shoemaker at an 

 early hour, had left his house to take his usual 

 walk ; and most unfortunately for himself, he had 

 an empty knife case in his pocket. On his being 

 taken up by the police, and his person searched, 

 this case was found to fit exactly, the fatal knife ; 

 and upon this demonstrative evidence, the shoe- 

 maker was executed. 



At a later period, the real murderer was taken 

 up, and confessed his crime. The republic of 

 Venice, then ordered, that two torches should 

 always be lighted at the hour of Ave Maria, in 

 commemoration of the innocent shoemaker's fate ; 



