The Princeton union., 1900-08-09

rlQe, LhlS time TO the station, ana at
the end of 81 hours the steam-cars
carriages, they are universally de-
nominated in Europe) left US warm,
dusty, tired lot Of travellers, at Milan.
Venice was charming-a veritable
dream-place, and yet as we passed the
long bridge which connects her islands
with the mainland, leaving her smil-
ing serenely at her own reflection in
the blue waters, it was with a feeling
akin to relief that we found ourselves,
again upon terra frma.
Hot as it was, we could not fail to
note the pretty rural scenes through
which we were passing, cottages with
stucco walls scarcely visible beneath
their long thatched roofs, standing in
the midst of vineyards and olive
groves, ancient churches, extensive
Notifications set upon the hill-tops in
frowning defense of the town sleeping
in peaceful security below, choice bits
Of lake scenery-all bounded by the
rugged mountains whose tops now out
lined themselves sharply against the
distant sky, now faded and became
part of the snowy clouds about them.
At Hotel Pozzi, Milan, We found din
ner and large airy room awaiting US,
and we were glad to retire early that
we might be prepared for the next
days sight seeing. The cathedral, of
course, one Of the finest and largest in
Europe, is the first point of interest to
tourists. It is, certainly, a magniti-
cent structure, one that must be seen
in all it's details to be thoroughly ap-
preciated. The building will seat
10000 people and from one point of
view within the church, called the
''forest of columns,' ffty-three mas
sive stone pillars can be counted.
Three of the stained glass windows are
the largest in the world and another,
finely preserved is a beautiful ulspeci-
men of 18th century work. The servi
ces, through part of which we re-
NAMED, were imposing in the ex-
treme, many priests, much chanting,
swinging OF censers, etc.
We climbed to the roof by more than
POO steps and some of the party went
up more than as many again to the top
of the tower. From the roof is OBJ
tanned the finest view of the many
slender gothic spires each surnounted
by life-size figure representing some
celebrity, and the shorter columns
capped with carved tlowers-the botan-
ical garden, it is termed, consisting Of
several thousand flower forms, no;tvo
of which are alike.
Near the church is beautiful ar
cade containing the finest stores in the
city and certainly feminine taste
would not pass these by unnoticed and
it was no unusual happening to find
one or more of the male element of the
party gazing at the pretty laces. etc.
At the Brera gallery we saw Rubens'
famous painting of the Wharfage Of
the Virgin'' and at the church of
Maria della Grazie, Leonardo de
Vinci's renowned fresco Of The Last
Supper" The picture is defaced al
most beyond recognition, done, it is
said, by the soldiers, in the time of
Napoleon, who were quartered here
and amused themselves by throwing
stones at the painting. There are
many copies in the church, one of
them the work of Vinci's pupils.
From Milan we left by train for
Laveno on Lake Maggiore in northern
Italy, where we took the boat to Pal
lanza. The lake is very beautiful, the
water deeply tinted with emerald and
the mountains surrounding it envel
oped in soft blue haze. and villages
where palms and other graceful trees
of the semi-tropics flourish, scattered
along its shores. The eden Hotel''
standing we'll out upon shady point,
attracted US and one of the party laugh
ingly remarked that she wished it
were our "Garden of Eden" Such,
indeed, it proved to be and we enjoyed
to the utmost our night in this charm
ing place, watching. the Frightening
and fading of the sunset-glow upon the
mountains, the lights of the villages
opposite twinkling at the waters edge
and the stars coming one by one, each
finding it's counterpart in the lake be-
low. ~ r..
We saw the sun rise, too, and build
a path of splendor across the broad
lake the next morning for we had to
breakfast at half-past five and be ready
at six o'clock for q lonu davis drive