Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-06
An Augusta Teacher Abroad---L etter No. Is

During our journey from Genoa to
Pisa we played -and-go-seek with
the mountains and sea Just as We
became comfortably settled in our
compartment, with windows lowered
10 enjoy the cool breeze, we womb
dart into tunnel, where the gases
were SO disagreeable that we We're
obliged to shut our windows. Then
as we were becoming reconciled to the
dirt and grim of our underground
railway, we would emerge into the
light and warmth, and il was so lisr,+
and so warm that once more we lower
ed the windows. We kept this IN con-
stantly, all the distance between the
Two cities In addition to the incon-
yenience of the tunnels we came near
being steamed to death by n fellow
traveller, ignorant of the meaning Of
the two italian words "fredda," and
"calda." 1t was an extremely warm af-
ternaon, and thinking naturally
enough that calda was cold. orr
friend turned the handle of the heat
ing apparatus around to calda, and
soon had the compartment at an
alarmingly high temperature We felt
wise. as we had learned the meaning
of those two words through painful ex-
perience the night before, and we
longed to turn the handle back again,
but we did not wish to hurt the feel
ings of our traveller SO we waited
until he stepped cut of the car at one
Of the stations, to cool off a bit, then
we quickly turned it to fredda. BY the
time that our unknown returned
to the car, the compartment was com
parativcly cool, and noticing the posi-
tion Of the handle, he too realized that
he had learned from experience the
meaning OF those two words.
Pisa is 81 pleasant city situated as it
is on tine Arno with it's miniature.
sailors church right on one Of it's
banks, and the steps leading down 10
the waters edge Il is q convc-
Mont city to visit. for its four important
objects Of interest. the Campaniie. the
Camposanto, the Dunno and Baptistry
are situated near ono another. In the
oldcn times, the italians did not have
the church include the baptiSmal
fount, the Lell tower and the burial
ground. They built a building fu~
each one. so today in the larger Italia.
cities we see this group Of four build
inES.
In Pisa the most striking Of the four
is that far famed wonder of the world
the leaning tower. Pictures do not By
any means exaggcratc its slant. Thu
nearer we approached it. the moro It
seemed to incline. We entered and
paid the twenty cents which entitled
lis to 50 up. l 2m glad thot i climbed
that tower. but nothing would induce
me to make that slOping ascent again.
At regular intervals there are circular
promenades supported By columns.
some Of which have 10 railing between
the columns. AS we walked around. 1t
first seemed as If we were failing
againsls the cylindrical support OF the
tower. while AZ the next step it seemed
rs If we were going to re thrown to
earth went way up to the bells and
then refused to go farther. There was
only about one foot more to be;
climbed before we stood on The vert
top Of the tower, but L was content t.
let my friend make that foot alone,
while [ tried 70 distinguish the sky
from the earth. 50 as to be allie to
be able to make the descent in safety
The view was probably fine.
From the Campanile We went 10 tn"
Baptistry. a small round building