The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-07-29
Miss Parker S Foreign Letter
H..
NAPLES, July II, 1910.

olCCGllS.
A week ago to-day, we all appear
ed in the dining saloon wearing tn
colors of patriotism-with all flag
flying, so to speak. The Romano
looked very festive with all her fas
dressings as she made the port. We
were very eager to get to the town
as we had had a wonderful sail w
to the Straits. The African coast
was in sight, when we first came on
deck. The little mountains seemed
to slope almost into the sea, and
they looked very sandy and yellow
The peaks are quite irregular and
seem to be peeping over each others
shoulders to get a glimpse of the
sea. With Abyla opposite, we APP
preached Gibraltar, but it looked
unfamiliar as we came toward its
side instead of the end. 1t is a
wonderful rock, and one appreciates
its strength, and wonders not that,
with Englishmen, it withstood a
three and a half years siege, about
the time of our own trouble with
mother England. The rock is a
mountain, which rises straight from
the sea, and descends as straight
into the town. 1t is fortified to the
limit as on nearer approach its sides
show innumerable cuts, each of
which hides a gun with the business
end out. The English town is
walled and well garrisoned. We
drove about the town past the dry
adocks, said to be the largest in the
world, and then on to see Point
Europa, the most easterly point of
land on the continent, but to us
more interesting because it was very
beautiful, even the Notifications not
marring its attractiveness as the
rocky point shot out into the blue
of the ocean. The drive back
through the streets was picturesque
for it was but wink of the eye, an
English soldier was followed by a |
dusky Moor swathed in a white or
red tunic, from which protruded |
bare legs and sandaled feet, or an
English woman, then a Spanish
beauty with her mantilla. There
was the reverse side to the picture
with the beggars thronging every
street. Even the beggars were in
teresting as their ragged and dis
heveled state was not quite uglinesS
and their voices were most winning.
They are great fatterers and will
hand out large quantities of sweet
ness for a penny. We drove through
Spanish town, which is but another
part of Gibraltar and there we saw
and inhaled the native market with {
meats and fruits in the open air and I
Moors and Spaniards ready for
trade, but taking maps in carts dur
ing the dull moments. Donkeys
and queer carts are coming and
going. 1t is from Spanish town
that you see the sheer end of Glib |
raltar of Prudential fame. 1t is
absolutely devoid of verdure and
rises straight from a wide base on '
the ground to a pick at the top. G
We drove, then, across the narrow
piece of neutral ground, which sep 5
lrates the English possession and /
spain, and saw a bit of real Spain. v
We walked a short distance through Il
is squalid streets and down to the q
'ull ring where fight was scheduled a
or evening. Beggars and dirt are 4
is characteristic features. v
We came back on board ready Il
or our sail through the Mediterra- $
lean, and the next day was spent L
quietly getting over Gibraltar, with Z
ancy dancing on the deck in the o
Wednesday, was another u
lay on which Columbus was unpop- u
liar for this sea can be nasty even "
it is not very big. But by night, n
re were very comfortable again, 81
nth the packing all done and the a
of port early in the g
lorning. The ship life had been g
leasant but we were not sorry to IL
ave it and begin the real sight IN
icing. le
When the baggage was all off, we, o
no had been interested watchers M
the boys diving for pennies, were &c
lost anxious to defy the beggars NJ
nd see what our personally con- ia
ucted" was going to be like. OF
Iiss Howard is a professor of Ian 81
uages at one of the Geneva uni Vi
ersities, and she was standing at to
he wharf to greet US. Some Of us eli
ad expected-well most anything WI
ithout the saving grace of humor, In
for Miss Howard. We saw at pc
ace from the merry little twinkle ra
hich lurked in her eye that we 81
i'd captured a rara avis-a humor- ot
Is Englishwoman. She is bright, sh
vacious and exceedingly compe- co
mt, as she speaks French like a ca
ltive; English like a Frenchman pa