Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-09-05

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Letter From Frank Harris.
The following letter from Frank
Harris was not written for publica-
ton but as 1t gives description of
how they do over there we publish it;
| Here | am in Frascati off in the
Sabine mountains having the time of
my life.
First let me tell of the place. It's
down in the mountains, just how far
from Rome l don't know, but on a
clear day you can see Rome real plain.
It's an Italian place of years ago and
i don't think it has changed any in a
hundred years, that is with the ex-
ceptiOn OF the railroad. 1t is up on
the side of the hill and the view one
gets of the Roman country is just
great. It's beautiful. The houses are
all the same and in fact all over Italy
in these little places the houses are the
same. Just that same pile of stone;
yet there is always something about it
that looks beautiful and if one only
has half an eye for the art in life they
can't help but be fed to the "glutton's
feed" in such a dear little place as this
is. It's q case of up hill and down
hill. There isn't any place In the
town where for 10 or 10 feet you can
dnd the same level. 1t resembles in q
way old Deadwood, that is as far as the
position of the city is concerned. One
street will be 100 feet above any other
and the different streets, or one might
we'll call them layers, make it Gar
den of Eden for painters and people of
the arts. can't describe it to you so
you can get any idea of it. That's it,
man can describe "at" nature, beauty
and art but when it comes to get to the
heart of the thing and tell you just
what makes that beauty, his pen is
just about as strong IS l3 cents in
five dollar jack pots.
But let me tell you of our crowd
just who to tell you of first don't
know. We used to have some pretty
strong combinations in Boston at
Soboski's' studio when Jim Oneal,
Rattinger, Mcpherson, Carl and other
shining lights got together, yet it
wasn't as strong as this one. Ill be-
gin with Cohan, German engineer
who is building an electric line from
Troll to Frascati, q fellow who has
been from one end of the wide world
to the other and who has had his eyes
open the most of the time, and Judge
his mouth closed most of the time.
He 10 fellow with the most wonder
full eye for beauty ever saw, and as
for an ear for music it is something
that Paderwiski would envy. He'll
set down and sing Bockfuge or
Chopin Etude and as for the operas he
knows them like print" knows the
case and he is just about the smooth
est article when it comes to criticising
y painting | have ever met and read
Well last night we talked until about
1870, tho night before until 2:3O and
he'd Jump from little poem of Long
fellow to Goeth, or from Burton to
shakespeare, or from Browning to
Dante with just about the slightest
effort you ever heard of lie knows
Dickens, he knows Tennison, he knows
Edgar Allen Poe, he knows Homer
and knows our dearly beloved Arlo
Bates. Ye Gods, where that man ever
found time to push what he has into
his head don't see. He knows music
as we'll as / do. That's not saying
much know. lie knows painting and
literature of the world like the misel
knows his gold and he knows the wide
world and the people in it; seems to
know what they think and does know
what they do. Oh, these Germans
They are certainly sound, and deep Of
is the blue of an Italian sky. He told
me of building railways in India, Of
times in Russia, of days in Africa, OF
South American explorations and Lore
only knows what all. He speaks Eng
lish we'll but prefers to speak German
when he can. So in my case he gen
lerally speaks in German or Italian tc
me aud | always answer in Italian
German or English. Strange, but
am getting 80 | can jump around ir
the three languages and not get mixed
up. AT first it used to bother me
good deal but now l am getting &c
that it is quite natural. After his two
Years contract with the German firm
is over he is thinking of going t.
America, or rather the U. S. for 6
year-a year of "dolce TO menti"-de
nothing but look around, and he hal
given me the promise to come anG
lspend month or so with me in the
west hope nothing will turn mp
because he ls such an interesting fell
low that you'll all be carried away
with him.
Another. Gill y Roig, Spanish
painter and q king of good fellows
Gill showed me painting he is finish
ing for the government of Spain today
and it's the finest thing ever saw of 6