New-York tribune., 1905-11-19
Some C0micaI 8IWmd eps
Made 10y Tourists i'm Italy
BY a WOMAN RESIDENT Of ROME

myself Let The three davs
one morning w&rdcfirp
a-lc@sly under Mchclangelos stupcndous doe
He made for me eagerly a shipwrcclcd man
makes for plank
Is thcre anything to sec here be shot OF at
ne, giving his arm vague wave. | pointed out
of the chief objects of in crest b,t he wanted
more. guided him up the Scala Rcgia and into
the Sistine Chapel, which he thought vastly over
rated. Passing through the Vatican Picture Gal
lcry afterward, he stopped me moment before
terribly realistic canvas representing the MARTYR
dom by hanging of a party of monks in South
A"criCa in the seventeenth century He was
evidently impressed, ard turning to me remarked
with slow shakes of his head; Dear me, dear me!
Weren't people awfully unkind to each other in
those days?' | piloted him safely out into the
Piazza where he inquired what else there was to
see. l got him guide ard put him into cab
with directions to go to the Forum; but | did not
go with him.
The supreme pontiff must occasionally fird per
admitted to audience somewhat trying; n fact
several stories are afoat concerning such happen
irgs On the last mentioned occasion a couple
Cf visitors to the Vatican ascending the Spanish
Steps, and paused on the midway landing where a
large marble tablet bears record of its erection
in the reign of Louis NIII. of France and Benedict
NIV.-"Pont Mcr" "What does 'Pont lIcr'
mean anyway" asked one why, don't vou
know? Why, that means big bridge" replied
the other in astonshment, and thereupon both went
away perfectly satisfied. One can only wonder
what they thought of the myriad records all over
Rome and il its vicinity telling of the work of this
that PouHieH MaaiUnS" They must have bccn
sorcly puzzled.
| entertained party of tourists afternoon
at tea at my flat when a woman remarked to nc:
4 can't think why people waste their time going
round the Vatican and the Capitol and places, gaz-
ing stupid statues without noses or legs or arms
when they could go easily into Andreonis shop
in the Piazza del Popolo and Sc such pretty
with all their limbs complete. Really, there isn't
any accounting for tastes
1t is astonishing how eager people are to air a
microscopic acquaintance with a foreign tongue.
The American colony We're delighted last season
over the experience of a hust1ing young American
girl who of course told everyone what to do and how
to do it. She wanted ornamental cardboard
box to send some bonbons by mail, nd to get
went into Aragno's, fashionable cafe in the
Corso- unfortunately at an hour when i was
crowded by the representatives of all nations.
ia belle AUcriC2jue" proceeded to make her
desires known N what she imagined Italian.
[ should say here that q box such as he was il
search of is called 'Scartero," and "Scclfc0" is a
bachelor. In loud voice the girl called out for
'nm scalpHo-lm belLo sC1ibco." Scing that the
shopman hestated and gazed at her in arnazenent
and amusement, she repeated her request still
louder, adding as she wished he box to Be empty,
'uu bclLo scIPa1 Hudo!" Noticing some bon
bonniGres in close by, she went and
pointed to them impatient1y. "Oh yes, madam
madam means a 'SCGrtcro, ~ said the astonished
shopman in perfect Englis'. Why of course
that what | said, isn't it? rctorted The angry
girl. "Forgive me, madam, but y u said ONE
thing quite different" the suave reply And
the conversation. overheard by crowds of people,
was repeated all over Rome in a few hours.