Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-07-25
TOURING IN EUROPE.
The Ionia County Boys see All the
sights and Enjoying Them
selves Very Much.

selves Very Much.
Paris we found very beautiful city I
and intensely interesting. especially |
from an artistic point OF view. From |
Paris we went TO Rome stopping at |
Nice, Monte Carlo, Genoa and Pisa for
short visits Nice and Monte Carlo |
are by far the most picturesque places
we have yet visited Both are situated |
ON the mountain slope and reach down |
TO the shores OF the Mediterranean. |
The blue waters Of the sea with the |
pure white buildings of the towns and !
the green mountains back make "A very
striking picture. Genoa possesses
quite a good deal of interest histori-
cally, though we found it distinguished
principally for it variegated odors
We remained five days in the eternal
city. Modern Rome is much more cos
mCpolitan than we expected to find it.
We spent most of our time visiting
the historical sections OF the city. We
were sorry our time was so limited ms
person can put in two or three
months there and still find much OF in
terest to see. When walking among
the ruins of the old Roman Forum or
down in the catacombs and ancient
prisons, or while visiting the numerous
churches that have figured SO conspicu-
ously in Roman history, we at times
II II Toll
at the beginning of the christian era.
But on leaving these places, we were
rudely awakened from our revere by
the gongs OF electric cars and the get
out-of-the.wa shout OF the cab men.
The weather here is fine especially
in the morning and evening. The mid
die Of the day is usually very warm but
the nights are always cool. We have
been fortunate enough to keep very
well, and are certainly having fine
time. There are great many novel
and interesting sights in Italy, but
there is one little thing here that com
pels a great deal of attention which
persistently refuses to be seen, never
the-less we are painfully aware OF its
existence. ! refer to the Italian hea,
for which this section of the country is
noted. They seem TO thrive especially
we'll on American meat. At first we
would walk along the street suffering
all kinds of agony, but we found that
we were too modest, as here in Naples
is is considered good form to scratch
the affected parts, even in public. Be-
tween the heas and the people who
want to serve us, it is hard to tell
which keeps US the more busy. Fully
nine.teuths Of the tourists In Italy at
this season OF the year are Americans,
and they certainly have the best OF
care. 1t fact, the people here can't do
enough for Americans. Inside Of two
minutes after arriving at hotel every
employe Of the house from the ch0re
boy up has served us in some way or
other. We can't help being impressed
by the marked courtesy shown MS Il
gives us a feeling of importance to
have so many servants anticipating our
every want. On leaving the hotel.
when we pay our bill, the clerk will
touch hidden button and the servants
from all over the house flock to the
Office to bid us farewell They line
up in military order, salute in a very
polite manner and each gives frank
.franc) smile that is quite irresistible.
Not being able to speak French or
Italian very nuently, we have bad
numerous amusing experiences. par
ticularly at French restaurants, where
one pays for everything he looks at,
and everything that looks at him.
On the train coming from Paris one of
the passengers in our compartment was
pretty French girl who sat next TO
Will for several hours. Not being able
to speak each others language it was
rather embarrassing and irritating, es-
pecially for Will. But a happy thought
struck him. We have a phrase book
which translates number of ordinary
useful phrases into several different
languages. He was ready to try almost
anything to relieve the situation At
the end of an hour and a half, with the
aid of the phrase book and numerous
frantic gestures, he had succeeded in
finding out that the girl lived in Paris,
and that her mother was well, a re-
markably brisk conversationalist. But
there is also danger in using the phrase
book as Will discovered recently,
when, in askiog a Neapolitan flower
girl the price OF her ware, he made a
mistake and pointed to, "May | assist
you with your toilet?' 1t is needless
to say that the result OF this effort was
anything but satisfactory.
The Neapolitans appear to be dis
tinctive type. They are quite differ
ent from the people we have found In
other Italian cities. There being 50
much OF interest here and in this
vicinity, Naples has become rather a
e., l. ~