St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-06-12
Italy.
ITS LAKES AND MOUNTAINS, CHURCHES
AND CATHEDRALs.

and rose heavy and dark as we began
our ride upon the water. However, we
had a very good opportunity to get "A
general idea of the beauty of the lake
and the grandeur of its guardian noun
tains, before the rain began. The sun
set was a sight to repay us for all we
had lost by the rain. Our hotel was
close by the lake on the west shore,
aud few drops were falling. The
rainbow appeared more magnificent
than usual 1t rested its ends on the
two opposite shores of the lake and
measured the heavens with its arch,
immense and glorious. The sun shone
on the tops of the mountains and crept
softly down to the little villages nestled
along the margin of the lake. 1t gave
"a loneliness tn the green grass, lighted
the rocky sleeps with "a rich purple 10y
reflection from the still waters, and
rested softly here, there, everywhere
on snowy peaks and varied foliage.
The moonlight of the evening was
perfect and it was natures pleasant
smile. that moonlight evening on lake
Como. Next morning the sun shOne
gloriously as we went mp the hill to a
little church, for a more extended view.
As we assembled the view widened, the
tall mountains climbed higher, and
the pretty little lake lay quiet and still
at their feet. We could trace its entire
length. Yet that view was hardly more
than an aggravatiOn, for we could have
gone very much higher, if our time
had been longer. After all subtrac-
tions, the picture was fairly enchant-
ing and restful, the silent, grand old
mountains and the sleeping beauty of
a lake formed a rich contrast.
The ride to Colico ut the upper end
was fine, but not peculiar, except our
zigzag course from side to side of the
lake to call at the villages on the shore,
which, as the lake is scarcely more
than two miles wide, gave us qnite Il
long ride for so short distance. COlicO
is town situated at the point where
the lake forks, but on that part which
is called Cosmo, the east fork is called
lake Lecco, from the name of town
at the lower end of that lake.
We had about three hours to spend
at Bcllaggio on the return trip, and
visited beautiful grounds varied with
roads, paths, seats, and grottoes, at
fording us many charming views of
mountains, waters and villages, up and
down the lake A short ride farther
on the steamer, and Il railroad run in
the first ear we have been i'll whose
seats were like our American cars
only the seats do not turn, and half of
them face one end and the other half
the other end of the car brought us to
our hotel in Milan. where we were
soon resting, for travelling is tiresome
work, even when little is done.
Verona, our next city after Milan, is
a queer, quaint. tumble-down old city.
Our party of six went in two cabs from
the station to the hotel on street So
narrow that one driver had to back
himself, or rather his cab, or rather his
horse backed his cab ont of it, because
he couldn't turn round in it. | NEAR
he conldn't turn round his horse and
cab, or rather, to Toe more exact, tn,
driver couldn't turn himself and horse
and cab around all at oLce in the mar
row street.
The celebrated Amphithcatre is ;
marvel, but not so large as the Coils
cum mt Rome. The length is 5l3 feet
the width 40 feet, and the height u
walls 100 feet The outside wall, for
merly consisting of seventy-twO arches
has all been thrown down except dis
lance of four arches. Ii is not so i'm
posing nor SO gloomily grand as the
one at Rome. But the inside is in fine
repair Just now, because it is to Toe il
frequent use. The repair of seats wa.
much of the original structure remains
and from this one, we can form a bette
idea of what the old Amphitheatre o
Coliseum used to Toe before vandalism
stripped off its marble glory to bull,
little cathedrals. This one was bull
about the middle of the third century
The wonderful garden here is mos
wonderful in story, though nice enougl
in itself Here il the tomb of Juliet
though it is not the most positive thin;
in history that she ever was buried il
this one.
Never was a story of more woe
Than this Of Juliet and Romeo"
We visited it. and saw the hole in tn
end of the sarcophagus, which, tn
kindly feelings of her friends made 70
her to breathe through, the guide said
and if he told the truth, it was kind
put my hand through the hole bu
she did not trouble me, nor her pei
haps she was trying hard to breath
just then, for the breathing hole is i
the foot of the coffin.
The old church of Saint Zeno wa
interesting, in its crypt, which date
back to the seventh century, and fires
Goes dating all along the way from tina
time. 1t is pleasant to notice the va
rious designs, the quaint carvings, TIA
old cloisters and old bronze doors. Tn
church is not even fine looking outsid,
the trent is of brick, plain and old.
drive about the wall was pleasant