Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-09-24

. - Eu ~ wv GAn&\NS
cherub that she looks like; Miss G. is 8
very good imitation of ST. Cecilia (severa
have noticed the likeness). So you see
we are ale finding what art is contained
right in our midst. Mr.. III. is better than
artistic; he continually amuses us, and
makes good time for everybody near
bin.
In Bologna we saw the University,
where. for long time, women have held
the position of Professor. 1t is said that
the first one used to have a curtain hung
before her, so us to not be visible to The
class when she talked. Or. I'll. thinks
that must haye been the origin of curtain
lectures.
TO change the subject: my topic for
awhile is the Italian beggar. We have
not seen as many of them as | expected.
Perhaps there will be mSre in Rome.
But they are the most importunate, ag-
gravatlng set of people that l ever saw.
don't mean the regular beggars either,
but the lounges who live off the foreign-
ers. In Venice we couldn't move with
out three or four people almost carrying
us off. When we landed they rashed up
to take our baggage and looked so griev-
ed and injured when we refused to let
] them carry it. A woman with flowers
! followed us along and would lay hold CT
us and try to push the flowers into our
hands. Every time we got cut of a gon-
dola one or more dirty old men was there
to help us out J and receive copper.
Even the small boys would run along be-
side us for halt a mile, wanting to show
us the way, or at least get some money
out of the crowd. OF course we do see the
real beggar type--the man on the street
corner who holds out his hat and appeals
to the passers- by. In every schurch en-
trance there is one wretched specimen OF
humanity, who spends the day therd,
counting beads, shaking a coin in tin
cup, or mumbliug in whining tone.
There ought TO be law in Italy. as there
is in Paris, that beggars should be
compelled to get a license.
FRIDAY evening. July 3lst.-We're off
o-morrow, at 6 A. NJ, fer Rome, and
we've been taking sorrowful farewell of
the streets of Florence. We are all delight
ed with the place, and | feel as if | were
Just ready TO begin visit here, but we
must remember that to morrow is the first
day of August, and Rome still lies beyond
US. Mr.. and Mrs. Mains (not May at alD
will, perhaps, take the early train at the
same time we do. They have son trav-
cling in company of young men; their
leader is teacher in the Brooklyn Poly
technic Institute. They expected to meet
the party in Florence. Wouldn't it be II
joke if we should meet the crowd in RomeP
We should be sorry that we haven't been
more communicative to the father and
mother, you see? While | was writing
last night the other people went out and
had some watermelon in the old market
place where Tito met Tessa. So missed
something; yet. while the. watermelon
would have had its attractions, my imag-
ination ism strong enough to make me
enjoy to the utmost such scenes of historic
and romantic interest. We visited the art
galleries again to dav. and | was in n
dream Of ecstacv Tor ecstatic dream .as You
choose to call it, most of the time. So
much to see that is so well worth seeing.
The Venus de Medici and Dancing Faun.
were Il disappointment TO me, but the fault
is in myself, | know. 1t is great thing
to have seen them. Michael Angelo's
statues of David, two figures ofthe Medici
and the monuments bearing the carved
marble figures of Day and Night, Morn
ing and Evening. liked. We saw the
beautiful marble statue of Mercury by
John of Bologae, Yonatello's crucifix and
his bronze David. These, with the Niobe
group, are the pieces OF statuary which I
shall remember best. In painting we have
seen beautiful madonnas and holy fami-
lies by Raphael, Corregio and Murillo.
A pictured Michael Angelo, ofthe Fates
fairly haunted me this afternoon, and
some of Fra Angelico's work is simply
and perfectly exquisite. Mrs. Powers got
a copy of one OF his angels tor Professor
Powers birthday present. 1t is done in
coiors on wood, and is very beautiful in
deed. l hope you can see it sometime.
The Professor will surely be delighted
with. it for he is, to put it in a mild way,
enthusiastic over Fra Angelica.
| have found the photograph of Titian's
Flora which [ wanted, and, more than
that, I've seen the picture itself. 1t is
very beautiful, but not so much better
than the photograph as | expected 1t
would be. Pictures are better here than
we have found in some places, and very
cheap. One dollar per dozen for those
eight by ten inches in size. We took a
farewell drive TO. an hour this afternoon.
We passed the churches and principal
places we have visited so as to get better
view of them to carry away in our minds.
The cathedral here | like better than the.
one in Venice, though tis not so much
talked of. Just opposite the cathedral
is the old Baptistry, the bronze
doors of which were forty-eight years in
making. The door which faces the cath
edral is the work of Ghiberti, and Michael
Angelo said they were fit to he the doors
OF paradise. They are i'm bronze with
exquisite work in relief-scenes from Old
Testament history. figures of saints, vine
tracery, and so on. You may have seen
of them, and you get pret.
ty fair idea that Nay