St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-04-10
Gbe Californian.
81. John-bury, T.ur-day, Apr. 10, 1890
THROUGH ITALY AND EGYPT.
Another Interesting Letter From Capt.
GriswoId's FaciIe Pen.

Dear CALIFORNIAN: We have reach
ed the second stage of our journey
toward the rising sun and are revell-
ing in all that Oriental life brings to
us in this truly unique city. Our par
ty when we left London consisted of
the writer and two others, one an
English clergyman and the other an
American from Washington. Our
acquisition thus far, with the excep-
ton of three ladies, are of the same
calling but as each has the same OBJ
ject in view, sightseeing" we har-
monte splendidly. Our route to
Calais was very commonplace there
we met people of another tongue and
newer experiences of travel set in.
The few moments allowed us for re-
freshments were busily occupied with
pantomimes and eating; however
got along very well, taking all the
walters brought me, and accepting
without murmur the change paid
me.
We reached Paris at 7.15 p m
where we remained till the evening of
the day following. Reserving our ac-
quaintance with the city till our re-
turn, we went about only to make a
few purchases, but noted on the way
its strong resemblance to American
cities When on the following morn
ing we were awakened by the guard
changing the foot warmers at Culoz
and our eyes first caught sight of the
snow-capped Alps we realized truly
that we were away from home.
Quaint little villages nesting at the
foot of towering peaks, and pigmies
of houses hugging the steep cliffs to
avoid being dashed into by the rapid
" running train; miniature gardens
set out with vines and trellises; now
the track leaves the western slope
and extends across a narrow stretch
of plain only to turn again from the
mountains on our right until hemmed
Ill on all sides it makes straight up
the heavy grade to MOdane. Thirty
minutes for refreshments and on we
go A short distance from the sta
ton the track turns on itself through
a circular tunnel and enters the
Mount Gents" 1t is a marvel of
engineering, ascending grade some
tWo-thirds of the way, descending the
remainder; 75s miles in length, 26
minutes passage. In building, the
work commenced at each end and
met III the middle within less than
One-half yard. 1t was built in II
years, the contractors making a good
thing, being favored with a subsidy
from the French government for 81
greeted with a driving storm of
snow, reminding us truly of old Yer
mont. The run down the mountains
from 1000 feet elevation to the plains
of Piedmont was very picturesque
The road skirts along the side of
mountains, now on the edge of preci-
pices hundreds of feet in height;
through tunnels, % in number; while
as far as the eve can reach every foot
of soil is covered with trcllises for
vines.
We reached Turin early in the after
noon and after lunch strOlled through
its straight streets which cross at
right angles; visited its principal ca
thedrals, squares, monuments, etc.
in the evening attending
fine rendering of Lohengrin at the
theatre Regio. The next morning
we left for Bologna, breaking the
journey by two hours stop at Pia-
cenza, a walled city of 35, 900 in
habitants. AS my companion and |
walked through its narrow streets
paved with cobble stone, with par
allel blocks of granite for vehicles to
run on we were the Conserved of all
observers" You note inches in the
walls of the street courses containing
an image of the virgin with lamps to
burn before it. On the front of one
of the buildings in the principal
square was a sun dial giving the
hours of the day; another, the days
of the months and solar declinatiOn
a large globe showing the phases of
the moon. Very many barber shops
had for signs the old time brass
plate fitted for the neck and held I'M
der the chin while shaving. 1t was
beautiful afternoon and everywhere
the indolent inhabitants were taking
a siesta in the warm sun. We reach
ed Bologna at 6.
Bologne is an interesting city of
$50, 900 inhabitants and $50 church
es; noted for its lofty arcades, old
palaces and cathedrals You walk
along the streets sheltered the entire
way by spacious cOlOnnadeS, the pill
lars of which on no two buildings are
the same. 1t also boasts of two
leaning towers of brick-One 800 feet
In height and four feet out of perpen-
dicular, erected in 11O9, the other
1913 feet high and leans 10 feet, erect
ed in ITO. The Academy of Fine
Arts contains very many fine pictures,
the most noticeable perhaps being
Raphael's St Cecilia. Three miles
out on a high eminence stands the
handsome pilgrimage church of St.
Luke, erected in 1871, so called from
an ancient picture of the virgin, said
to have been painted by St. Luke.
An arcade extends the entire way
That portion by which you ascend
the hill consists of $50 arches and
was 63 years in building The church
is small compared with the average,
but very fine in its finish. Calling a
young man to us from behind an
iron fence that separates the chancel
from the body of the church we stated
the object of our visit was to see the |
picture of the virgin. He Immediate |
ly conducted us by flight of steps
TO the front of the upper part of the
altar and bade us wait for the priest,
who would show it. In a few min
utes he came in, rObed himself. and
after saying over a'prayer, unlocked
the gilded doors and there before us
surrounded by framework of pre-
cious stones was a small head of the
Virgin and Child. He informed us
that it was painted bv St Luke at