The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-08-07
HENDERSON, N. c., THURSDAY, AUGUST Z 1902

idea, the hotel representative meets
moment we are his guests. After a
rest, our afternoon walk shows us to
be in the famous Campus Martius,
the training ground of those far
famed legioneries. Straight ahead
stands the Pantheon OF Marcus
Agrippa, now the church OF Santa
Maria della Rotunda. In spite of
restoration it still looks much as one
would expect from building of that
age. So it is we are reminded time
and again. at one time by building,
at another by a monument, as for
example the column of Marcus Aure-
Illus, again perhaps only by name,
that it is historic ground on which
we stand. At this point the city pre-
serves it's old self to remarkable
| degree. Three narrow, crooked
streets without sidewalks and almost
| without beginning or end must find
their origin in the days when the
overgrown city had thrust it's market
| trade into this suburb which had
hitherto known only the soldiers step.
life, if Rome may be said to have such
| a centre. The famous Corco of Hum
! bert the First crosses this district.
This street is the favorite evening
/ promenade Of the city, and is crowded
| during the early hours from end to
end with fashionable carriages, less
| pretentious cabs and even street
omnibuses. Onlv the electric car is
excluded. The pedestrian must fight
bis way through this confusion at the
risk uf life or limb. If it happens to
be the day for the music we will find
the plaza Colonna crowded with
music lovers. II fortune favors we
may find scat at one Of the numer-
ous cafes and enjoy wine, music
and the throng all at once. In Italy
every one drinks wine as Americans
drink water, but there is not one fea-
ture Of the American bar. The choice
tables are on the sidewalk and not
once have | met with the screened
doors. During three weeks in Rome
| have not seen one drunken person.
Could Henderson say as much for her
self?
| Can one find in this festive throng
any characteristics Of those sturdy
! Romans of whom Cato is to- be the
immortal type? At casual glance,
no; yet if we but stop and think, am
sure we may. What is more true
than that the Roman who cared for
his social standing dared not engage
in the mercantile business? Today
there is only one firm in the city
which has made princely success in
has not outlived the prejudices of his
fathers. The factory chimney is the
least conspicuous object in Rome.
Again | am sure that the bore, who
was immortalized by the pen of
Horace, is not yet dead, and the old
system of clientage has borne fruit in
church and State. And so instances
might be multiplied. With all her
pantheon of gods, the old city never
had more priests than today. They
are present at every turn wearing the
badges Of their orders at all times.
know not which outnumbers, the sol
dier or the priest. Between the two
the people have all that they can
carry. Yet it must be confessed that
the burden appears an altogether
willing one.
Perhaps the most characteristic
feature of the city is its churches. 1t
has been said that they are more
numerous than the dwellings, and
the statement is not difficult Of belief
to one who walks the streets. My
guide enumerates more than forty
dedicated to ST. Mary alone and some
where I have read that there were
more than eighty. When those are
added that bear the names of the diff
fsrent saints, the number increases
at a wonderful rate. The enthusias-
tic student OF Roman archaeology
owes a peculiar debt to the church,
since it is practically true that "nly y
those monuments have been pre-
served which were in one way ur
another connected with religious
, uses. The Colosseum itself had al
ready given up two-thirds OF its ma
terial before Pope Benedict XIV, for
babe further depredations. OF these
, churches of course the great basilica
} of St. Peters easily leads in interest
for visitors. In spite of all that has
= been said and written of it, few are
prepared for it's grandeur when ac'
4 tuallv seen. Yet, | must confess
: that some of the palmer churches, as
e St. Pauls outside the walls, are equal
$ ly as impressive to me. But the
e names of Bramante. Angelo ano
r others have secured St. Peters from
e all fear of rivalry from any quarter
, and it was only feverish dream tha
z lead younger state to hope that sh'
). might offer magnificent home tt
o the Pope when he had been latel.
# thrust out of his temporal power il
u the city of Rome.
5 l find that in my haste my note
J, have grown much more rapidly thar
e l dreamed, and may as we'll stop a
a one point as another since l hav
5 made no pretense to logical essay
:. With best wishes for you and tn
:, GOLD LEAF. shall leave Rome in
It day or two for Athens.
= Yours sincerely,
d w. F. GILL.
f. Rome. 14th July. 1902.
n The business man who doesn't ad