Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-02-24
LErrpns raom AnnoAp.

of the loveliest days bAye spent IN Europe,
u perfect day the sun b4lght sky clear, roads
dry and the cold wind only warming TO us In
the effort to walk against It. Then In the
pretty sheltered spots ON our way we frequent
ly stopped to drink In the beonty Of the scene,
growing finer The higher we rose. From the
top of the high hill can you catch glimpse
of the glorious prospect In imaginstion2 AL
around the horizon the mountains rise up
boldly, Sometimes we could distinguish six
chains extending their heads one above tue
other, The broad valley below is completely
enclosed within the mountains, and on lis fiat
surface the city Of Florence spreads itself We
could easily distinguish in the distance the
principal campaniles, CHURCHES 9pd public
buildings, the Cascne and the Arno. Ii was
hard TO realize that It was December day,
when we picked the roses that hung over the
stone walls. The road is beautiful one,
winding up the long hill, with stone walls on
each side, passing now and then pretty vii
Ia, or an orchard, or Il grove of evergrccns.
This village Of Ticsolc at the top was former.
" the principal city, large and llourshng but
in 1910 the Florentines conquered the hill
people, and then it began to sink into insig-
nifcauce. There are still some spots of inter-
est there. an old church Of tue llth century,
with some curious old Eiruscar pillars in the
crypt and farther up another church that oc-
| cupics tue site of temple OF Bacchus, and
outside stands a marble altar used for his
worship. The old woman who showed us the
church, tried To make us believe that the walls
| were the ycritable old walls built in the lst
century, but Bdedeker only must be trusted,
not these dried up, superstitious, old custo
dians. Still higher up stands q Franciscan
Monastery, and, us they de- not allow women
10 visit it, though II during push of ours
| that opened the door of the little church, but
the rich harmony of u curious old ergan with
in was too tempting, and we quietly stole in
to listen After Il three hours rest or less, and
IA hearty meal of beef steak, We began the de-
scent. The sun sci in all its glory behind one
of the mountain peaks before the foot of our
hill was reached, and / counted all the colurs
of the rainbow in the clouds
Our interesting Monk, DIR. Issavcrdcns,
whom you remember We met at the American
Convent in Venice, has called u see us; We
consider it quite strange and romantic Thing
for monk Ia call on three ladies ! lie is u
man of much information, speaks English re-
markahly well, seeing he studied il only six
months, aud the only practice Of il has been
with tourists that huye visited his island lie
tells us of his old mc-Smyrna, and much
about Greece. He is away from Venice on u
trip of fifty days, visiting all the Armenian
converts of Italy 10 study up documents for
| the book he is now wri,ing-"Armcnan RI.
cords in Italy" liowells, in his "Ventian
Life" makes pleasant mention of him, you
will see.
On Wednesday morning, Dec 9th, TO our
surprise, we found the ground had heavy
covering of snow, very unusual circum-
stance here, they say. To me it wds pretty
sight, pleasant reminder of home But to
the Italians it is anything but agreeable con-
clude, as the next day the Lung -4rao was fill
ed with men clearing ii away and carling it of
to throw into the river.
We have our American church open now
on Sundays, and It seems very homc-ike there
in pretty room in palace, with a congrcga-
ton OF Americans entirely. Rev. Mr.. Thomp-
son Dutch RciormetD breaches for us until
Sabbath school man. Two Sundays since he
organized II Sabbath school for us at O'clock
Z. NJ, with three teachers and four scholars -
In the forenoon the English service is read
and the room is always full. In the afternoon
| is held n Presbyterian service; last Sunday
r. NJ, DIR. Thompson preached 10 toO people
commencing promptly and sustaining the Ser
vice with dignity 20 the end! Would you not
call that Yankee spirit and perseverance,? And
as coun,rywoman Of his your humble ser.
want played and sung alone every verse Of the
hymns!
The severe weather prevents our going Ia
the galleries, the stone floors being bad for the
feet, but the churches which are always open
and easy of entrance, We go into frequently
the Duonlo especially seems home-like and
hospitablc and has an atmosphere Of its own,
so one does not catch cold there. In one ol
its trancepts to-day framework Of wood
with glass windows, covered all the seats and
inside the priests sang their ycspers W.
went lately to the church of "Agnissaut" CAL
Saints. Two years ago We coull not hav,
gone right through into the court Of the Mon
nstcry-inlo the midst of the cioslcrs-twt
young ladies. The walls of The arcades ar,
covered with beautiful ircscOes. 4 peculiari
, ~ of Floreniine churches is that they aboun(
in chapels and altars. On each side of th,
nave of this church are five altars, dedicated
to diff rent saints. and one 10 the Arch-angc
Gabriel: each of these are decorated will
gifts. Over each is a painting representing ii
respective saint, with gay red curtains aud sill
ver-cloth drapery looped back so as 10 partl,
conceal the picture.
have not told you of the grand "rGw" ",
had with our naughty boy in the kitchen, bu
as this is the Iliian part of our house keeping
must tell you Of il. iIe announced TO II
that he would not stay for 90 francs o monl
unless we promised to keep him len months
and us we would not do that, he would no
stay out his agreed time of fifteen days an
, demanded francs day for the short time h
, was with us, at which small payment we dc
!, murred and offered instead his proper wage,
|, AS that did not satisfy, he left promising {
call again. A friend assisted A. in talkin
ITALIAN with him, and was repeatedly attaeke
Il