Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-09
IN SUNNY ITALY.
A sACRAMENTAN WRITES OF CON-
D0LAs AND sERENADERs.
Roaming Among Temples of Florentine
and Venetian Architecture-Peo-
pie Enjoying Themselves.
BOLOGNA. July 8. 1889.

last eve az 7:30, after very beautiful ride
through the Apeninne range of mountains.
In going eighty-two miles we passed
through thirty tunnels, one of them two
miles long, but between them we caught
glimpses of the most charming landscape
thatyou could imagine; the steep rayines, all
cultivated on steps or ridges dug out of the
side hill; waterfalls, running streams, and
little villages all over the country, as far as
the eye can see. Just think, the whole of
Italy is no larger than our State of Illinois,
and yet it supports 100000 soldiers and
churches here are supported by the State,
and in Rome alone there are 10, 900 monks.
The Government has lately taken away all
or most OF their monastries, and pensioned
all the monks. While in Florence last
Sunday / visited the Cathedral, one of the
most beautiful in the world. The entire
building is made OF white and black
marble, trimmed with a red or wine-col-
ored marble, all most delicately carved
with sculpture and mosaic-work sll over
it. The baptistry, with its noted bronze
doors, each of which it took TWENTY-FIVE
years to make, and the campanila, or bell
tower, 298 feet high-over forty feet higher
than the dome of our capitol-ale all of the
same black, white and red marble. The
three are all in one piazza, like the three
IN Pisa. From the top you have fine
view of the city and its environs. 1t was
built in 1884, and is still there in good con-
dition. There are great many doves tLst
make their nests in the openings, and the
people iced them. 1t is pretty sight to
see them feeding, they are so tame, and all
OF different coiors. In Venice legacy WAS
left by someone to pay for feeding them.
We went to the Piazza Della Signoria,
where the building stands, with a tower
over 800 feet high, where the Legislature
used 10 sit. AT one corner there is a fount-
ain with four marble horses supporting a
fine statue of Neptune and Tritons, erected
on the site where Salvonarla was burned at
the stake in 1893. There are some most
beautiful pieces of statuary also in the
square, the work of the best masters.
There is very nice lot of Americans stay
ing here. which makes it very pleasant.
Many of them artists.
Florence is quite different from any
other Italian city we have seen. 1t is much
cleaner, has a better class of people. who
dress more as we do, and there don't seem
to be as many poor people here as in other
parts of the country.
July 4th.-We arrived at Venice Yesterday
at p. NJ, took gondola to the hotel, and
came through the grand canal This is in
deed wonderful city, the most delightful
we have yet visited-so calm and still.
Where not horse nor wagon in the city,
and not wheel to be seen, which gives
one who has been travelling such a restfr,l
feeling. 1t makes one feel as was described
in the old Italian proyerb, "'Tis sweet to
do nothing. What a contrast to what it
is in Sacrame nto to-day, and all the other
cities of America, with their noise and the
excitement OF a Fourth of July celebra-
ton. The parlor of the hotel here looks
out on the canal, and has two windows
with little marble balconies oyerhanging
the water. In front the white marble steps
lead down to the waters edge. Steam
yachts ply up aud down the canal passing
our hotel every few minutes, all of which
makes pleasing panorama.
We celebrated the Fourth by ride in 8
gondola and listened for an hour TO what
sounded to us the most beautiful music we
ever heard. There was a band of musi-
clans and five or six singers with colored
lanterns, in large gondola in front of the
hotel, with dozens Of gondolas around
them filled with ladies and gentlemen. 1t
sounded so sweet out on the water. Two
OF the men and one of the women had
music was most delightful. These musi-
Clans go about at night serenading. We
also went to the Square of st. Mark and
heard the band play. 1t was very CAV
crowd. There were fifty men in the band.
There was an excursion party of 500 Hun
garians on their way to Paris. They staid
over night and most of them were in the
square, and good many sailors from the
ships in the harhor. The buildings around
the square all have colonnades, like the
Palace Royal in Paris, and the people
were sitting around little tables eating ice
cream and having their wine.
July 9Th, 3 P. Nam in the beautiful
church of st. Maria del Salute. A terrific
thunderstorm of rain Just came on, and
we cannot get away. Our hotel is lust
across the grand Canal. We can see il
from the door, but we cannot get gondola
to take US over till it stops raining, so ]
will put in the time writing 10 you We
have just come from the Academy, where
we saw the painting by Titan, the "As.
sumption OF the Virgin" 1t is most beau.
titul and one of the best in Italy
This morning we visited church called
the Westminster Abbey of Venice. We
took long ride through the smaller
canals to the Palace of the Doges visited
the prison under the Palace, and went out
upon the noted Bridge ef Signs Wespen
the forenoon there and in the Church of st
Mark, which is in some respects the fines
church in Italy. The outside and interior
are furnished IN grand style, while st
Peters, at Rome, has little decoration or
the outside. ST. Marks shows a most Law
ish display of sculpture, mosaic and bronze
both outside and in. The entire ceiling il
all made of mossic-sople of il very bean
tiful. 1t wss built in the tenth and elev
enth centuries
We at last got gondola to put US acros
the canal, during a lull in the storm, anC
are now in the hotel. l. is raining hare
again, with very loud thunder.
SUNDAY, July 7th.-0ur visit TO thi
beautiful city is nearly ended. 1t has beer
such pleasure and privilege TO be able t.
come here that We have enjoyed every day
1t is beautiful day, but nearly all tn
shops are open, and the little narrow pas
sages they call streets-some not six fee
wide-are throDged with people. TIL
shops on each side are filled with the mos
tempting fruits, flowers, jewelry, glassware
wood-carving and finely-caryed furniture
The Minister this morning told us Of prison
here with 80 women in 1t, guarded b,
eighteen women. Sisters of Mercy. The
do not lock the prisoners in cells, but il
large wards, Ike hospital. They hay,
schools to teach them TO read and writ,
and make all kinds of lace and needl
work. Some 200 of them, out of 80, ar
in for murder. 1t seems so dreadful
some for killing their husbands and lovers
and some cor taking the lives of their owl
children. The system of management b
commended very highly, and said tina
most of the prisoners were reformed by tn
kind treatment they received.
have Just taken my last ride through
the grand canal on the little steam launcl
that runs every few minutes. 1t was sue
pretty sight 70 see the people on thei
little balconies. They sit for hours leanin
ont of their windows. watching the boat
and people going by. Often as we woul
pass through some street and look up W
would see such pretty face and black eye
looking down at us, or some bright Chi
dren. We went into st. Marks Square
and it was sight. There were thousand
of people promenading and the band wa
playing. Nearly all the shops closed u
about p ", so it gave the shop-keepers
half day. 1t was a strange sight, all nj
tionaliiies being represented. We wake
through the public gardens, which are ST
uated on an island, not very large, but yer
nicely laid out. We left the city at liz
p NJ for Milan. CHAs. NJ. CAMPBELL.
Wanted to Die.
James Weleh, a chronic drunk and on
of the genus "can-canners. tried to drowl
:, &, .or.or-e Ia -, ~