In Venice we attended the great fete celebrating
the first visit of King Humbert and Queen Mar-
gherita. It was also the first time Venice had en-
tertained a queen since the Italian union, and the
sea-queen of the Adriatic outdid herself in the gor-
geousness and the beauty of her preparations. The
Grand Canal was like a flowing rainbow, reflecting
the brilliant decorations on every side, and at night
the moonlight, the music, the chiming church-bells,
the colored lanterns, the gay voices, the lapping
waters against the sides of countless gondolas made
the experience seem like a dream of a new and un-
believably beautiful world. Forty thousand per-
sons were gathered in the Square of St. Mark and
in front of the Palace, and I recall a pretty incident
in which the gracious Queen and a little street
urchin figured. The small, ragged boy had crept
as close to the royal balcony as he dared, and then,
unobserved, had climbed up one of its pillars. At
the moment when a sudden hush had fallen on the
crowd this infant, overcome by patriotism and a
glimpse of the royal lady on the balcony above him,
suddenly piped up shrilly in the silence. `` Long live
the Queen!'' he cried. ``Long live the Queen!''
The gracious Margherita heard the childish voice,
and, amused and interested, leaned over the bal-
cony to see where it came from. What she saw
doubtless touched the mother-heart in her.
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