Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1906-03-31
IN ROME--THE
ETERNAL CITY
KEY. FRED HILL VISITS THERE
FOR FOUR DAYS.
The Motley Mixture of Ancient and
nodern, of Pagan and Christian
See Where Horatius Held the
Bridge, but the Bridge is Gone.
On Board Steamer Rameses
Sailing up the Nile,
Feb. 20 1905.

Feb 20 1906
MY dear Mr.. Morrison:
My letter describing first impress
IONS OF Italy was interrupted by my
lylng visit to Palestine. Having now
returned safely from that part of my
Wanderings, I'll try to tell something
more of the Italian visit. think
mad reached Pisa and had described
It's cathedral, baptistery and tower.
Az nve O'Clock in the afternoon we
were en- route for Rome, the car was
cold and fierce wind could be felt
almost across the compartment. 1t
was the cold and disagreeable Tramon
tana which was blowing. We were
scheduled to arrive in Rome at little
before midnight, but Italian trains are
IN no more of a hurry than more
animate beings in that lazy cline, SO
we were delayed until half past twelve
When one comes into the vicinity of
Rome, he is supposed to stop, draw a
long breath, open his eyes and mouth
and say ''Lo this is Rome, )" or ''Behold
the Eternal City" He must see it
from the Alban hills or the Campagna
and reVel on its oft remembered Or
mentally pictured wonders. We were
saved that ecstatic tremor for we could
= see nothing but the station and the
''facchino" or porter who demanded
our luggage. 1t was not until Thurs
day afternoon that we were able to
get ourselves out in a little carriage
10 obtain superficial glimpse of this
historic city. Rome is a terrible dis
appointment at first. Either the
Imagination has dealt too tenderly
with her, or else the strides of pro-
gress which her traders and artisans
have deem making, are destroying her
ancient charm. We drove first of all
to the Pincian Hill garden and terrace,
for here the whole city can be taken
in at glance. This Pincian Hill is
the most modern part Of Rome.
Here the American and English visitor
finds his home: here the air is purer
and the houses better and the streets
cleaner. Far across the city is seen
the old tomb of Hadrian and to the
left that grandest of domes-St.
Peters. Farther yet to the left is the
Palatine Hill crowned with the ruins
of the Caesars palaces. Your idea of
the seven hills receives shock as
you see them or try to see them.
Never more than slight elevations,
the tall buildings have filled the
valleys and the distinction is
almost gone.
After this panoramic view we de-
scended to the city proper. From
the Piazzo del Popelo we could see the
extent of the Corso, the great COM
mercial artery of the city. Behind in
the Campagna gate where conquerors
came in splendor and vanquished were
driven in chains. Here we began to
see how ancient Rome has been de-
spoiled by progress. Historic palaces,
mausaleums, and temples have been
destroyed to make way for stucco
buildings, each like it's neighbor and
none possessing architectural merit or
facilities for comfort. AS we drive
thru the dark and chilly streets, we
are struck again and again with the
strange mixture of ancient and
modern, of pagan aud Christian, of
legendary and historic. One must
confess too that much of pagan in
fuence is seen in so called Christian
practice. We did little this first day
but to take a cursory glance about.
The real business of sightseeing was
to be crowded into the four remain |
ing days. Next morning we put our
selves into the care of guide and
told him to show us Rome! He said |
he would do it in four days! They |
will do anything for you there, they
are really obliging, for consideration.
OF course the chief things in Rome
are the churches. They are probably
over four hundred of them and each
is poor indeed if it cannot produce at
least one sacred relic or point to
some sacred spot within its four walls.
They are chiefly noted for paintings
by some of the great Italian masters,
These men painted some religious
scene, the canvas to be used at an
altar, to help the humble devotee to
reverence. In most of the churches
these great soul-inspiring canvasses
are now covered by heavy curtains
and shut out from the eye of the
devout worshipper and shown only
to the hasty, careless tourist who is
source of revenue for the church. 1t
seems a shame to have these works of
art prostituted to such mercenary
ends. Guido RENTS matchless ssCrucifix
ion" is thus kept hidden from eyes OF !
tho raal yuorahinnar and offered to us 8