The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1910-12-09
TRIP TO EUROPE.
Austrian Tyrol. Venice. Florence
snd Rome.
lslxth Letterl

cert at which the singers were dressed in
the garb peculiar to theirdistrict. Wha
delicious harmony and what charming
dancing. July 26 we arrived at Tob-
larch from which point we took three
days coach through the Black Doimite
mountains Of Austria. What wonderful
roads winding up and down the noun
tains the government has built, enabling
the traveller to view the majestic scenes
4 from the heights and the depths. The
ride was enchanting and refreshing via
Missurini, Cortini, Karer See, to Bozen
The train landed us at Venice July 80.
But it was learned that in this land of
beauty there are many poor people and
our driver told us it was impossible for
for him to support wife on the wages
he received. The many hideous shrines
detract much from the wonders OF ma
ture and speak of the superstitions in
which the masses are immersed.
We landed at Venice per train on July
80, and instead of taking the street car
for our pension (hoteD, we rode up the
street in a boat. For Venice, as all
readers knSH@f, is unique city in that it
is built in the water. We visited the
famous churches, St. Mare being Justly
famed for its 10000 square metres OF
glass MOSAIC; fed the pigeons, of which
there are hundreds to be seen every day
on the plaza; and took gondola ride at
night out to boat on which italian
singers sang their sweet strains.
Our next stop was at Florence. But
spaceforbids more than just mentioning
the noted places visited: Santa Mari
del Fiore, Holy Cross, Baptstry with
its 12huge bronze doors giving IL scenes
from the Old Testament and which |
Michael Angelo called the Gates Of
Paradise; the monastery OF St. Mark,
where Savaronola, the courageous
preacher, lived and into whose cell we
had the privilege Of entering. We also
went to the cemetery and saw the tombs
Of Theodore Parker and Elizabeth Bar
ret Browning. The Petit and Uffizi
galleries were visited and also the Palace
of the King an Boboli Gardens. But
We must hasten to Rome.
Aug. we arrived in the most interest
ng city of all-Romel A city most
yet filled with very antique
elics. Here is the Pantheon, best pre-
erved of the structures built nearly 19
ago, with its walls % feet
hick, its dome diameter 132 feet and
the tombs of Victor Emanuel
L., and that Of Humbert l., assassi-
ated by the Paterson, n. j., anarchist
n this building | was ask ed to write my q
anne in book favoring the unifcation
I Italy and the separation of church !,
nd State, which | was glad do. Not
lr away is the Forum-that 10-acre a
lie Of ruins of temples with three grand
iumphal arches near, that Of Titus !
aving been erected so A. ID. in memory :
the destruction OF Jerusalem. What D
range thoughts pass through the mind a
! one views these masses OF marble. u
ding little further we come to the
,liseum, the greatest theater in the
orld, said to have held 81 900 people.
hat tales it tells of the sacrifice OF hu-
an lives in combat with wild beasts
thousand said to have lost their lives
the feast Of dedication that last 100
lys.
We went through the catacombs-
ose underground sepulchers, where so
any Christian martyrs were buried.
lighted tape is given one as he starts I
rough the cellar-like passageways, fol-
wing monk who guides and explains. :
IN you imagine what one thinks as
is journey is made? And going out
e Appian way, whence Paul is said to
We gone to his execution, the mind is
rried back 50 many centuries that it
sms more like dream than a reality.
| entered the grounds where the
oostle Paul is said to have been exe- r.
ted, | plucked green twig and placed
upon the bronze brow Of the Apostle
the Gentiles. iii
We visited numerous churches, but
, three great ones are the Lateran, III
Paul's and St. Peters. The head
the Apostle Peter is said to be buried
the FIRST, his divided body in the other | |
0. The same is said Of the Apostle |
uls Near the Lateran church we saw
rsons On their knees praying theirway !