Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-18
MILDRED RUSSELpS LETTER.
EEsEATH THE ITALIAN SKY.
9he JcsvreyNse Rene riessresaae Towns
~ 20. WAY A ftosa In tho r,ber. &c.


bat it cleared up as We start
CO in the carly morning. and enabled
as 20 zee the surrounding country,
which Is naturally pretty, and made
more 80 by villages dotted here and
there among the hills, villas awaiting
themselves Of every advantage of beau
tihl and sheltered position, and castles
built rather for pleasure residences than
for purposes Of defence.
As We came nearer the higher noun
taIns they were cnveloped in thick fog,
which lifted occasionally and showed
us their snowy peaks and purple slopes;
and as the fresh, green vegetation lay
in sunshine in the valleys below, we
were afforded most enjoyable piano.
rama Of lights aud shades and blended
eoloring. Some Of the fruit-trees were
already pruned and the land put
through its spring cultivation, so that 1t
WAS difficult for us TO realize that 1t
was only the beginning of January.
The country soon became wilder and
varied with
SEVERAL OLD TOWNS
pcrched high up on the rocks as if de-
Tying the fury Of the elements and the
wrath Of all possible enemies. Among
them Cortona. q compactly-built place
Of moderate size and glorying in untold
ages Of existence. is no longer dread
foe 10 strangers. but. as becomes the
dignity Of her years. has a well-settled-
down look and courteous greeting for
all corners. especially antiquity lovers.
Lake Thrasymenc took advantage of the
had weather TO beautily herself, and
lay like widespread quiycrlng
sheet of emerald fringed with
tall. waving reeds. and the deep
blue mountains capped in feccy
white haze stood out boldly behind as
if DESTROYS 70 protect so valuable
level. In one Of its three islands there
is monastery. and the town of Cas-
tylione is built on part of the shore
which juts into il. Still it has a very
solitary appearance. and might almost
pass for deserted by all except by the
spirit Of beauty. 1t began to rain in
torrents as we passed through dreary
track of minhabited hilly land, looking
partly like waste of ruins and partly
like a rabbit-warrcn. and was ridged and
ciiss-crossed in every conceivable dl-
rection as if by heavy rains, furrowing
il from time immcmOrable. We came
next 10
ORvIETO. A STRONGHOLD
Of the adherents Of the PopcS in the time
of their temporal sway. and the last
town Of note before Rome was reached.
Ii has turned its once celebrated for
ress into pleasure grounds. but the q
gantic tula rock on which the town Is
placed still retains one side almost per-
pendicular and in unmitigatcd baroness.
We kept a StIICl watch for first SIGHT
of the Tiber. IN order to realize we were
really on the road 10 Rome, and we saw
that turbulent stream rushing and tear
ing along faster and faster as we went
on our way. At first It's tributaries
from every rise of ground seemed TO con-
tribute threads of gold to widen bright
and cleaning band which wound IN and
ont and disappeared. and constantly
appeared again: but soon the threads
developed into torrents. pouring down
like waterfalls. and the river itself was
more like heavy mass Of yellow mud
than stream. As we approached the
low-lying land of the Campagna the
watar was out like a lake. The tops
of tic fences were only just visible. the
cattle had taken refuge on the higher
ground. and the few human beings yisi
BILE were struggling to secure them
selves FROM the danger of an inunda-
ton. At Monte Rotonda. three quar-
tiers of an hour from Rome. the cars were
stopped on account Of the line being
damaged by the rain, though fortunate
~ the delay only lasted couple of
hours. and as il still rained in torrents
there Was nothing for il but to sit
quietly aud wait till the line was
mended.
TIE SIN SET
ike a ball Of fire Just before we reached
Rome. and the waning light as we en-
tered only allowed US to see the dim
outline of the skeleton ruin of the Tenn
pie of Minerva. and the ease with which
we gained our luxurious hotel Savorcd
of Paris as much "a of any other place
in the world 1t was some days before
the Tiber sank to its usual level. The
pantheon was three feet in water, and
the lowest parts Of the city, near the
river. were flooded, and caused great
anxiety lest the overflow should be
greater. for the rain continued some
days. Rome presents many va
red aspects externally. according to
the parts Immediately under view.
Some of the streets are wide
and resemble those of Paris and Lon
don. and have large hotels. fine shops,
tramways, and numbers Of persons
dressed Ia ti0RCGisc walking up and
down. The Corso. the ancient Via
flaminia leading from the Capitol IN
the heart Of the city through the Poria
del popolo and into the Campagna. is
the most crowded from , to o'clock.
and during these hours the Queen and
most Of the Roman ariSt0cracy pass
through il to their afternoon drives. ii
is also fayorite promenade. and
crowds Of people sauntcr along il, 50
that il is often difficult to walk or drive
at more than ioot'S pace, The ruins
present the appearance of the
GHOSTS on \ GIANT cry
Of the dead; in the Forum Romanun
they are so close together that il Is diff
ficult to picture to ones self where the
crowds stood. This forum is oblong.
and is entered by descending flight OF
steps to its level. which is considerably
below the modern surrounding streets
The ground is Strown with pieces of
marble columns. statues. and on!a-
ments. and in different places cluster.
Of solitary columns and arches rise, aai
ground plans show themselves and eI-
able the visitor TO mark the site Of the
most celebrated buildings. The Senate
House, around which so much interest
clings, is still unexcayated, and lies UNI
der convent, but parts Of the Via Ss-
era, where Horace and other loitererS