Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-01
a very. sreatinr Latter.

T !.
A Very. Interesting Letter.
are permitted to publish the following Interest.
Ing letter from his daughter, Miss Pearl Pierce,
| VINO is now touring In EurOpe.l
Rome, Monday, June 10, 1900
don't know how to tell you of Rome.
This morning at 900 carriages were
ready and we drove to ancient Rome.
A man who has studied excavations
| for years, guided us, and stopped at
famous places and gave fine lectures.
Saw house of Nero grandfather, some
of the paintings on wall, place where
Virginia was killed, where Mark An
tony delivered his famous Grafton over
Caesar. Stood above the place where
Paul appealed to Caesar in tho old Hall
Of Justice, Palace of Caligule, and
where he was murdered, visited the
coliseum, saw the places where tho
he gladiators and wild teasts
were kept and fought. Drove out on
the Appian way and saw tho 500
Vadis" gate. 1t is all so ancient and
wonderful. Bought few photographs
and bronze mercury.
New Rome is like any small we'll kept
city. Marble everywhere. Just out
side the city gates is q magnificent
church of marble. A regular forest of
polished granite columns inside, and
many white onyx pillars. 1t is beauti-
full, and the statue of Paul with scroll
containing first words of Epistle to
Romans, is the most impressive thing
I've seen. Original paintings of
Michael Angelo, Madonna and Trans
liguration, of his last Judgment, many
of phael and Guide REM Aurora.
! can't write it all, but will try to re-.
member to tell you. Met Horace
Lozier and had fine visit.
Naples, Friday, June 90, 1900.
/ Have just returned from trip. to
Pompeii. We left by train at 500 this
morning and with an authorized guide,
explored 'ompeli. Saw houss of
Glaucus, Sallust, Forum, Temple of
sis. the well which was dug in 174s
and started the excavation. Some of
the walls with painted frescoes arc
we'll pr eserved. Many parts of statues,
paving ste mes show ruts of carts. Many
OF the bodies of man and women were
preserved in the hard lava, and when
the flesh deeayed and left impression,
they filled tho place with plaster paris,
leaving skeleton in, and the casts show
terrible agony. It's wonderful but
terrible to contemplate.
We then went to visit the botanical
gardens and to thu aquarium, where
we saw all kinds of fish life from the
lowest to the highest. Ills said to bs
the finest in the world.
have very nice room with tile
floor, which looks across the bay toward
Vesuvius. The volcano smokes con-
tinually. We can see clouds of
smoke and fresh ashes on its summit
don't like Naples. 1t is like any city
only dirtier, and 1 never saw such pow
erty-beggars everywhere,-men har.
n essed to carts, bare-footed with only
afew rags for garments, eating dry
bread as though they were starved.
feel splendidly and seem to be able
to stand so much.
Saturday, June 23
Have just come down frOme Vesuyius
and am still alive. The railroad went
straight up for about mile and then
we had tow Xix zigz,g about Is minutes
through ashes and cinders nearly knee
deep, 80 hot on top it almost burned
| our feet. One of the girls tainted and
never could have reached the top if a
gentleman from Den yer, who is accus-
toned to mountain climbing, hadn't
takenthe other end of my umbrella and
literally pulled me up. We looked In the
crater and while we were there, the smoke
puffe d up about 100 #. We could see
and hear the stones drop back into the
depths. 1t was awful.
Florence, Wednesday, June 81.
Haven't had letter for over a week
which makes me homesick.
Florence is very interesting, mostly
for pictures and art galleries. We
saw the place where 5ayonarola was
sent enced to death and where he was
burned. Original paintings by Raphael,
Michael Angelo, and Andree Delsarto.
a young lady from N. Y. City, a
gentleman from La, one from Col,
and l, went to an orchestra concert last
night and had fine chocolate ice cream.
We have the incest party. Out of the
forty, there are perhaps five I would
rather have eliminated. Am getting
acquainted with the young people,
which makes it pleasant. Bought q
marble Venus here and it is beauty.
Just after writing the courier brought
me four letters, which made me happy,
v enice Friday 30.
Star ted OF 600 this morning and
reached here for lunch. Came to hotel
in gondola. The hotels fine on grand
canal. The scenery, as ne crossed the
Apprentices, was beautiful. Tho little
mountain streams and hsmlets are so
pretty. Civilization in Italy is far be-
hind us. Lam very glad that 1 am
an American girl.
Ok carts under electric lights are
somewhat inconsistent, it seems to me.
Monday.
Venice is dream. IT'S all SO quiet
and restful, no noise of wheels and
feet on pavement. Have had gon-
dois rides every evening. The lights
from the large white buildings reflected
in the water were beautiful, and the
baeges with singers on them land how
the Italians can sing.l One night there
was a large one decorated with colored
Il liant orpc nd po1voc uao%,l