St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-06-21
LETTER FROM ROME.

A letter from a lady who is now
abroad, to St. Johnsbury relation,
contains the following interesting
matter which we have the pleasure
OF publishing
1--WE have been nearly three weeks
in Rome, and still have one week
more in this wonderful city. 1t
would take years to begin to know
il. This month has been worth much;
we have used every day as faithfully
as we knew how. The programme is
something ike this-rols and coffee
at eight, churches, palaces, runs,
galleries till one, rest until three,
galleries, ruins, palaces, churches TIL
seven, dinner at hall past seven, bed
at ten.
There are some most interesting
people here in this pension, and uSu-
ally there is some conversation be-
tween dinner and bed time. OF
course have been to st. Peters
several times and to the Vatican and
the Sistlne chapel. This morning
was partly spent in the sculpture
gallery of the Vatican. | have been
there three times and have seen
some wonderful statues. The
thought that they are originals ot
the ones have so often admired at
home is quite overpowTlng. The
Aradne, Apollo, Amore, LAGOON,
Father Nile and scores of Others are
in this gallery.
Yesterday went to the Vatican
on quite a different errand. | have
bought some rosaries to take home TO
Cathol friends, and carried them
to be blessed by the Pope.
Swiss guards are everywhere in
the Vatican. They are dressed in
the most impossible combinations OF
black, red and yellow. BY them |
was directed TO fine marbe-hoored
room up a great many flights OF
marble stairs. There | waited, after
having put my rosaries on a silver
salver, which was carried off by
man in red silk clothes. Alter about
fifteen minutes the man returned
with the rosaries, five OF them in all,
and | thanked him and departed.
Last Thursday spent the entire
morning in the Forum. 1t is an in
tensely interesting place, With the
help OF Mr.. Forbes book | was able
to find a great many places, the arch
OF Septimus SeveruS, the Temple OF
Vesta, Basillca Julia and others.
The place has been eXcavated SO
that one can walk about on the old
pavement of the Via Sacra, but so
little remains that 1t is hard, for me
at least, to imagine it as it was
when Caesar and Trajan and Cicero
and all the rest were fourishing
there
The Colosseum is a very satisfac
tory ruin. Enough remains to give
one something of an idea | was a
little disappointed in it however,
perhaps because the pictures | had
seen all represented it as it was in
its prime. The arena is partly exca-
waited so as to show the dens and
apartments below.
The afternoon Of the day of my
next visit to the Forum we drove to
the Aventine to visit the SantaSa-
bina. We were shown about by a
Dominican Monk, who took great
pride IN the treasures of the church,
especially the beautiful picture by
SasSoienata. | shall never forget
the reverence with which he drew
aside the curtain which covered it g.
In the cloister OF this church we were
shown the orange tree planted by
St, Domino. | bought a rosary
made OF the beans that grow on the
thorn tree. 1t is said that this
thorn tree was taken from the thorn
from which the crown of thorns was
made. 1t may be the same kind,
but have my doubts about the rest.
am sure the friend who is to
have the rosary will appreciate the
romance connected with it, and the
fact that II has seen the Pope and he
has blessed it, will make it more val.
liable.
Rome, Italy, Nav II, 1895.