Intel y necessary on account of lack of 
food. In fact, the Doges had issued a 
decree that on the morrow the city 
should surrender unconditionally. 
All was gloom and sorrow, and the 
populace stood around in groups on 
the San Marco discussing the situation 
and bewailing their fate, when lo ! in 
the eastern sky there appeared a dense 
cloud rushing upon the city with the 
speed of the wind. At first consterna- 
tion reigned supreme, and men asked 
each other : "What new calamity is 
this? 1 ' As the cloud swiftly approached 
it was seen to be a vast number of 
Doves, which, after hovering over the 
San Marco Place for a moment, grace- 
fully settled down upon the flagstones 
and approached the men without fear. 
Then there arose a queer cry, "The 
Doves ! The Doves of San Marco ! " It 
appears that some years before this a 
sage had predicted stormy times for 
Venice, with much suffering and strife, 
but, when all seemed lost, there would 
appear a multitude of Doves, who 
would bring Venice peace and happi- 
ness. And so it came to pass that the 
next day, instead of attacking, the 
besiegers left, and Venice was free 
again. The prophet also stated that, 
so long as the Doves remained at Ven- 
ice prosperity would reign supreme, 
but that there would come a day when 
the Doves would leave just as they had 
come, and Venice would pass into 
oblivion. That is why Venetians take 
such good care of their Doves. 
You will not find this legend in any 
history, but I give it just as it was 
told me by a guide, who seemed well 
versed in hair-raising legends. Possi- 
bly they were manufactured to order 
by this energetic gentleman, but they 
sounded well nevertheless. Even to 
this day the old men of Venice fear 
that some morning they will awake 
and find their Doves gone. 
There in the shadow of the famous 
bell-tower, with the stately San Marco 
church on one side and the palace of 
the cruel and murderous Doges on the 
other, we daily find our pretty Doves 
coaxing for bread. Often you will 
find them peering down into the dark 
passage-way in the palace, which leads 
to the dungeons underneath the Grand 
Canal. What a boon a sight of these 
messengers of peace would have been 
to the doomed inmates of these mur- 
der-reeking caves. But happily they 
are now deserted, and are used only as 
a source of revenue, which is paid by 
the inquisitive tourist. 
Venice still remains as of old. She 
never changes, and the Doves of San 
Marco will still remain. May we hope, 
with the sages of Venice, that they 
may remain forever. — Leber t, in Cin- 
cinnati Commercial Gazette. 
ior 
