Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-19
Some Comical Blu N ers
Made by Tourists i'm Italy
By A WOMAN RESIDENT Of ROME

90 to the Eternal City, many ~ q q
of them knowing little nothing 0y ~
OF art and history little moth
ing OF the associations connected
with the scenes they hurry through at express
speed Surely if they would read up little,
be it never so specifically, they would immensely
heghten the pleasure of their experience. AS it is,
they do certainly furnish vast entertainment to the
various natonalties who flock to and fro at all
seasons in Rome.
Episodes, anecdotes and incidents connected with
the comical blundcrs and "hoWlers" perpetrated
by scurrving American tourists in Rome are as
common as fountains in the city. The statues par
ticuarly both classical and Christian, have puzzled
many a traveller ever since the day when a from
Chicago inquired about the equestrian statues of
Constantine and Charlemagne under the portco
of St. Peters
His companion, plying his ignorance glanced
at the statues and said: Why, they're St. Peter
and St Paul of course whereupon the other
obstinatelv remarked: Il thought St Paul gave
up riding after his little accident on the Damascus
road
An American of considerable prominence
in Pittsburgh really not fair to give names-one
evening announced at dinner at the Grand Hotel
that she had been visiting the in the Villa
,Borghese e. Bur-geeze,' she called it,; and being
asked what she had most admired in that world
renowned and most precious collection replied
unhesitatagly: Oh, guess Rampolla and Daph
ne" OF she meant Bernins exquisite
masterpiece of Daphne flying from Apollo.
We of the American colony always get these
delightful stories retailed to us; and thought
on this occasion how the majestic Cardinal at that
time Papal Secretary of State, would have reished
being COMPOUNDED with the amorous dety-chi 10 sd?
To give personal experience of my own, | remem-
Der a countrywoman of mine coming up to me in the
same museum, pointing out the group of Leda
and the Swan with some imperiOusness, and begging
to inform her Who is the lady with the pet
bird?"
But surely the record bowler is the woman from
New-Yorl, why are these blunderers so often of
my sex2) who glanced at the famous Bronze Wolf
of the Capitol, and noting Romulus and Remus,
remarked delightedly to a companion: Oh how
cute! Just look at Romeo and Juliet having their
breakfast"
This reminds me of another delightful man who,
asked in public what his favorite among the
Roman sculptures, replied: Well, | reckon the
Farmacy Bull, Che meant of course the Farnese-
which happens to be at Naples; the Dying Golfer,
and the Apollo with the Bevcled Ear. "
a good dame went into Alinars Photographic
shop the Corso and asked to photograph
Of a certain group in the Vatican Sculpture Gallery,
representing the New Testament text, Suffer Little
Children to Come Unto Me" The courteous Sgnor
Anari replied somewhat doubtfuly that he feared
he didn't Just remember that particular group; but
when he produced book of photographs of the
statues in the gallery the promptly picked
out the great antique group of The Nile and It's
Tributaries
Every visitor to Rome is familiar with this great
allegoriCal group, in which the colossal river is
represented by a patriarchal figure, half lying,
half sitting, with a crowd of infants play upon its
huge body.
Naturally the Forum and the Palatine visitors
yield a plentiful crop of amazing bunders, and the
innocence Ito put it mildly manifested by even
fairly wel-educated people is wonderful.
An American woman was conducted last season