Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-08-15
IN SUNNY ITALY.

Leaving out the most personal parts OF
the letter, it is as follows:
NAPLES, ITALY, June Is, 1905
My Dear Ones at Home
Thursday, June 10
''See Naples and die " take off my
hat to the man who first said that
Such beautiful DAY it was rs we
steamed up the bay, where we landed
with tenders. After the customs in
spection we went to the Hotel Bristol
with Mr. and Mrs Fitzpatrick and their
son, who came on to meet them. This
hotel is situated ON high elevation,
and the view rs we saw it The first
night, | shall never forget az long rs
live. The moon was up, on The bay
Mt. Vesuvius was putting away. and
occasionally great jet of fiery lava
and ashes would squirt up high into the
air from its cone. The red, moulten
lava was streaming down the sides in
two great streams. 1t looked as though
ing. Across the bay was Sorrento, with
its many lights, and the island of Capri
still farther on. say again, "See
Naples and die"
the city to get our bearings and met
many of the Romantic people buying
corals at the shops. Such beautiful
beads, too. We had an Insight nto the
way the people here live-dirty, filthy,
so many of them. One woman was
combing her hair in meat market,
and the children go about partly max
ed. The natives live in little rooms
just off the streets, and we could see
that one room was often pressed into
service as kitchen, bedroom, parlor and
place of business. Some COWS, too,
were on the sidewalks, being MIXED
right there and the recepticle was a
glass or cup.
The artistic nature of the people is
evident everywhere. Where there is a
nook on the street there is a beautiful
statue. Beggars thrive; at every turn
they run after you and children learn
to say money along with their
Italian. 1t is often the only English
word they know. The hotel being one
of the best here, we took it upon our
selves to dress for dinner. A seven
course dinner was served, but that isn't
saying much, for this Italian cooking
will be the end of me yet. | think |
was born to be tea or coffee tester.
| wish, often, | could swallow things
and forget them fast. The water is not
fit to drink, so we have the privilege of
paying 2 francs 40 cents for quart of
plain mineral water. We would give
this and more for drink of cool we'll
water, if we could have all we wanted.
Friday, June 16-Capri and Sorrento
AT nine O'Clock this morning we took
the boat across the bay to Capri. We
reached there at twelve, and | confess
it With chagrin, | was sick as / could
be all the way. the ocean voyage of
twelve days was nothing compared
with the trip across the Bay of Naples.
1t had its compensations, however, for
we saw the famous Blue Grotto, and
far be it from me to put down on paper
description of it. We had to get out
into row boats and a great swell of a
wave floated us into the small opening
into the cave. We had to lie fiat in
the boat to get in. The roof of the
cave is studded azure and the reflection
it gives to the water is wonderful in its
beauty.
We lunched at the small town of
Capri and then went by steamer on to
Sorrento, the lovliest place we have
yet visited. There, Marion Crawford
has his villa and we saw his yacht in
the harbor flying an American flag
1t looked good to us. Had dinner and
spent the night at Grand Hotel Victoria,
facing the bay, and once more from
the high cliff we saw by moonlight the
Bay of Naples and dreadful, threaten
ing Vesuvius. After our dinner, served
in the most approved fashion, an
Italian orchestra held forth on the
terrace just outside. We sat and
listened to it long into the night and
thought of you when in this land so
far away we heard the strains of
yankee Doodle" and the "Star
Spangled Banner" We were enter
tanned by some Italians, who danced
the Tarantella, a characteristic dance
OF the country 1t was good.
Saturday, June 17-Meta, Positano,
Prajano, Amalf, Minora, MAORI,
Vietri, Cava and Pompeii.
We learned to pronounce all these
words today, for, from Sorrento, we
drove through and saw all these in
teresting places. This is the famous
drive, noted all over the world for it's
wonderful scenery and beauty, and we
saw it. But let me whisper in your ear
that in its own way, Colorado will take
| the blue rikJon at scenic fair, if /
were Judge. But the Amalfian drive
| would be close second. 1t is strangely
| beautiful. The water at times is blue,
| part of it is lavender, then a copper
streak runs along, this, in contrast with
the undulating hills with pink and
white cities nestled in the pockets,
makes the whole picturesque beyond
description. The road follows along
the bay. We see it always Many of
the Romantic people were doing as
we were. 1t was good to see them a
moment in passing. If you could only
see how lemons, olives and oranges
grow here The odor, as we passed
the groves, was delicious. We came to
trees, too, with fruit that looked
strangely familiar and on picking it,
found it was Johannes Brod Julie
and | most had panic in the dis
covery The place is full of surprises.