Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-03
things NOT ~ THE GUIDE-BOOK.
Little Surprises with which m
American May Meet in Florence.
R'lorence Letter.


If isn't easy to be surprised in Florence
Italy. Perhaps one might be in Duluth
Mich, or in Las Vegas, n. NJ, but Flo
renee has been poured into the ears
and eyes until one knows it almost
by heart before one visits IT. NOBODY Is
surprised by the Ponte Necchio, with It's
jewellers shops hanging backward over
the river as if they had slipped OH the
edge of the bridge and were clinging TO
the parapet. If the Ponte Necchio real
~ wanted TO astonish the people, 1t would
push those cinging shops on into the
water some dark night, and show itself
TO the morrows tourist as bare ana I'M
picturesque as they have made its old
neighbor- the Ponte allie Giraffe.
And yet. one may really have sur
prise in connection with those TWO
bridges. If you will stand on the Ponte
allie Grazie and look down the river to-
ward the Ponte Vecchio. through the
three open arches which surmount the
centre Uhe shops have lost their hold AT
this point and slipped off entirely you
will see at one side the rounded trees
of the Cascine public parb, where the
Arno makes a bend TO the right. 1t is
hard to tell why these soft tree forms
make one of the most ineffaceable MEM
ory pictures that Florence gives, but
so II is. Perhaps 1t is because they are
almost the only thing in the whole sweep
of the landscape. from the Ponte Vecchio
itself to the blue mountains with their
white villas and gloomy expresses, which
suggests America At any rate, so and
look at those trees through those arches
and you will have one OF the rare sur
prises to be experienced at Florence.
II YOU happen to stay in Oltr' Arno,
near the end Of that same Ponte allie
Grazie. you will have another SURPRISE
for every night you will hear new,
sweet. bird-song I'm the trees. on the slope
hack of the narrow strip OF houses and,
perhaps. il will be the first time you have
ever heard a nightingale sing. 1t isn't
exactly i'm accordance with that rather
finicky exclusiveness which is said 10
characterize the nightingale in common
with other singers that II should pour
forth its song In this semi-public place,
but this Is "A most accommodating night
ingale. 1t is not allowed TO have the ear
of the naighborhood 10 itself, however.
more's the pity, IL only the Italians ala
not have such a soul for music! Or II
they must sing, If they would only be 81
lent between the hours of ii i. Nj. ana
6 A. NJ In most places one would extend
that embargo somewhat, but here IN
Florence the blacksmiths and the country
wagons and the soldiers. with their prass
hands and various other waketui iistltu-
TOMS. are set going at a. NJ, so the
singers might as well commence, too An
other unfortunate thing is that they seem
10 have soul which goads them on 10
sing without ever taking any account OF
the voice they are TO do 1t with. rms, 100.
may surprise the tourist, That an ltallan
cbould need to hesitate on account OF ms
- I'm, they are not all singers, even
though their names end in ~
GREATLY MODERNIZED.
That Ponte allie Grazie, when Is ooo
wears old. and which has been so modern-
lied that IL looks as II II had peeh puii'
,-., yaar can generally furnish enter