Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-06-27
Letter From Frank Harris.

FUNNY THINGS IN ROME.
ROME, Italy, June $, 1901. For the
past few days we have had "doings" il,
Rome. Saturday at noon was born il
the Royal family q new princess and
they have made "ltome howl" and
howl with vengeance. Tin horns
and sore Threats we're prominent
among the features of the day. Sun.
day they had a big military review
The KING reviewed about 10000 sol.
diers and about 100000 civilians. For
about an hour wished was
ia soldier. Id liked to have been In
out of the rush, because the people
who we're watching the review were a
mass of tramping, pushing and pull
ing humanity. Man is always the
same In crowd, it makes no differ
ence if it's a butchers picnic, fourth
ofJuly celebration, or the event of vel.
coming new princess, crowds are all
alike, and when a man gets into a
push like that he's got to take his
medicine.
Sunday evening they were to have a
big celebration on the Plncio, of the
fireworks, and red lemonade sort, but
kindly rain set in and spoiled it. Ii
was postponed until the 10th of this
month.
Between you and me, am glad that
o Queen cannot have child any
oftener than any other woman. | like
to see Rome howl in moderation but
we'll, when a princess comes they gel,
altogether too earnest to suit my
dignilied taste.
Let me tell you of some OF the few
things that seem a little odd TO an
American. One is that salt and to-
bacco are always sod in the same
stores; nothing else, with the excep-
ton of postal cards and stamps There
Is such heavy tax on both that they
all seem to carry that.
When you go into restaurant to
dine you cannot buy coffee. You can
only get wine and water. It's easier
to get the WINE than water, but man
has no excuse for drinking wine in
Rome because the water is simply
great. ! have never tasted any water
like it in the world. Ii q man wants q
smoke after his meal he has to 90 on,
and get it. Can't get it in the res
taurant. When you go into restaur-
ant here you are expected to wish
everybody in the placs "a good appe-
tite." If you do not 1t is a breach OF
etiquette. When you finish you al
ways wish them "good evening""
When you are out in any park and
want to sit down on seat that is
partly used by some one else, you are
supposed to ask their permission.
When you leave you bid them good
evening. They are very polite, ex-
tremely so. ] have in fact heard PEG.
pie from the states who have been
here several times say "That when l
get back to America, the manners OF
the American people for me-" tut be-
tween you and | those people are mos,
always from Boston, and really Boston
isn't part Of tho states. It's a suburb
of Hell.
Another interesting thing here is q
game they call Mora. 1t Is played
with their lungs and fingers. A man
puts a hand behind him and then like
a shot brings it in front of him and
the other fellow guesses how many
fingers he has in sight. 1t seems easy
but it's hard game It's interesting
to watch them play it. They get Sc
excited over it that the law prohibits
them playing in restaurants. They
are handy with knives here and they
say that Mora has caused as many
deaths as any other disease It's an
old, old game because Howen or Vir-
gil or some of the older brethren have
said shat some men were honest
enough to play Mora in the dark with. .
Lottery is another lovely game they
have here. Everybody plays it. They
have five sets of numbers from one to
hundred and you have to guess three
or moro numbers before you get q
prize. When there is a death in the
family they take the age. the date OF
the month and the number of the
month and play it. When some big
person of state dies about half OF Italy
all play the same number. happened
to mention 4 ll.44 to NY .andlady the
last month as number some of our
colored people consider lucky. Well
every Friday night she goes down and
buys ticket The first time she played
she fully expected to win and she has
been staying by 4 liza ever since, but
think She is getting discouraged be.
cause the other day she asked me what
the "Indian" considered his lucky
number. 1t sort of took the wind out
of me. pleaded mot guilty" but I'm
afraid I've got to dig up new combi-
nation. She is getting restless.
Another thing, when they put out q
hand bill or poster of any kind they
always have to have the government,
stamp tax and the bill. l never saw
anything like the government stamp
Here in Italy the people are in fac,
ak am nod To daafh LIE q mon hos a.