Catoctin clarion., 1900-08-23

to eternal heavens it's marbled walls from on,
a CLASSY bower of coolest foliage musical with
birds. A lovely blue haze is resting on
mountain and lake giving the scene mysti'
cal radiance that seems fitting the land ol
poetry, music and art. A beautiful garden
is attached to the hotel where we are stopping
with a profusion of lovely flowers, white
pa M and magnolia trees seen everywhere
The scene from the deck of the steamer ls
sublime. The lake is 30 closely shut in by
the surrounding mountains that it is difficult
to discover the outlet. The Mianese aristoc.
racy, surrounded by luxuriant gardens and
vineyards, are scattered along the hllsides OF
the lake In the forests beyond, the brilliant
green Of the chestnut and walnut contrast
strongly with the graysh tints Of the olive.
The mountain sides for many miles from
Como are terraced and mostly planted with
grapes up perhaps a thousand feet. But
Notwithstanding all these romantic surroun.
dings the people here nave practical turn
of mind The streams that pour down from
the snow capped mountains in the rear are
availed Of tor milling and other manufaciur-
ing purposes
We left Como Sunday morning for Milan
passing through beautiful and interesting
country on our route. One ofthe first things
q stranger thinks of when he visits Milan is
the world renowned cathedral; we found 1t
to be a perfect forest of marble pnnacles
with life size statues pceping out from every
niche in It's walls, with wilderness oftlacery
in beautiful white marble which surrounds
the roof, dellca,ely marked against the sky
gives to the whole structure. large and mass
i've as it is, the appearance of being light and
fragile. The interior Is grand and imposing,
Its double aisles and clustered pillars, Its lofty
arches. the lustrc of its walls all combine to
to give granduer to its appearance. l had
the curiosity to climb to the top, 3S6 steps in
all, and felt fully repaid as the view from
here Is strikingly beautiful and better idea
is obtained of the vastness Of the structure
than from any other point. The Alps, with
Mount Blanc in the distance, are distinctly
visible from this elevated position.
ullhll 10 Is Dchulllul 'lty, VIZ S'''S'o a.
carefully swept and washed at night and at
daylight there is not any dirt or dust to be
seen. There is profusion Of flowers and
trees which gives it an inviting appearance.
On Monday we went to see Leonardo di
Vinci's great picture Of the Last Supper. 1t
is very much faded and worn, though we
saw a good copy Of this wonderful painting.
From here we 20 to Rome, II hours ride
for which the price of one sleeping berth is
is $l2, rather expensive sleeping, but will
give some idea of the difference Of travelling
in our own country, We passed through
Genoa, the birthplace Of Columbus and ar
rived in the Holy City about 7 a, M. After
unpacking and getting breakfast we were
ready to see the sights. Among the first
was the spot said to have been visited by 81.
Paul. and to the old Roman forum which
contains many objects OF interest.
We devoted some time to St. Peters cathc.
lral viewing lis vast ihicl!Or and muLuih
cent decorations. The whole ofits vast walls
arches, massive piers and numerous affairs
are ghtterng with golG and ornamented and
decorated with statuary, paintings, bas relIcfs
and ric. and rare gems and notices The
tombs and monuments of nearly AL the popcs
are here, and many of the kings. The high
altar directly under the dome and over the
tomb of st. Peter, with its bronze canopy is
too magnificent to describe This alone is
estimated to have cost 81 100000 The open
court in front of st Peter with its massive
thy Of so immense a structure. We visited
the Palace Doria, the Palace Borghese and
stopped at that old temple, the Pantheon
The fact that the Pantheon having beer
built before the birth Of Chrsta as a temple tc
the heather gods gives it a historic intercs
that ALWAYS attracts the visitor who comes
to Rome. The Cloaca MaXima, the grea
sewer built by Tarquinus Prlscus and whicl
is sti used for the same purpose. The bath!
OF Casacalla are wonderful remains of n pas
magnificent building Built in 2l2 A. D ant
which had accommodations for 1000 bathers
the walls are crumbling and falling but il
sOlIlt I)ItttS hIS SlllI ~ iA'''' 81
mosaic of different colored stones IN gcomct
rc and other designs and the colors are a
fresh as the day they were laid, 1000 year
ago.
The Pope and the Roman mobiles have thu
most magnificent palaces in the world, in al
of which there are extensive galleries o
paintings and sta,uary.
, Rome is certainly city Of churchcs-ovc
300 independent Of the seven basiicas o
ca,hedrals, and many OF them arc of a char
acter that must surprise the visitor at thei
great extent and the magnificencc of thei
appointments The new cathedral of st
Paul Is magnificent 1t abounds in alabastel
malachite, black and yellow marble greer
basalt porphyry and II variety OF rich ant
rare marble in its altars and pillars, walls ant
floors, whilst its ceilings are white and gil
stucco, its walls filled with fine paintings
| and likcncsses in mosaic Of over 200 saints
: the effect of the four ranges Of granite col
umns, eighty in number, is unparalleled
Under the high altar is the tomb which tn
@ tradition Of the church, from the callice
times, had pointed out as the burial place c
St Paul. whose body, on the same authority
y is enclosed in an urn on which is ehgraye
!. the name of the apostle. Like the tomb
: St. Peter in ST. Peters cathedral, 100 lamp
, are kept burning around it night and dav
Rome is still inclosed by massiye WALL
1 and outside one can see the vast aquedut
3 which still brings the MAtCr from TiYOlY 0