Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-11-01

bronze giant, think they have seen the
original statue.
The old art of manufacturing Floren-
tine mosaies is still carried on. Won
derful designs are made from colored
marbles and other stones by patiently
selecting shsdes of color, cutting them
out and cementing the pieces together.
The workmen viii take a picture in
oils, for instance, and render it in exact
colors and design, only the polished
stone will present the more brilliant APP
pearance. A workman showed me q
round table of black marble on which
he had just finished design of wreath
ed red roses. 1t was remarkably fine.
The costliness of the materials. the long
time and labor of skilled workmen re-
CURED for the larges pieces easily make
the price run into thousands of dollars.
DISGUSTING ANTICS or TITLED FAMILY
Before leaving Florence Unjust really
say something of my first close obser-
walton of person of rank. Doubtless
had seen, without knowing it, many
who bore their titles, for they are APP
parently Haunted very little before the
general public in these DAYS in Europe,
but was compelled to observe the
baron from Austria and his family, who
stayed at the hotel. The first evening
of their arrival, the old gentleman, his
two girls of about fifteen and seven
teen, and hts wife, whose teeth were
all gone except two or three that stuck
out like tusks, talked necessarily. The
head waiter seemed hattered to stand
and answer the hundred and one ques-
lions put to him by the young ladies'.
In fact, the family took up his whole
time. The other waiter had nine per-
sons to serve and even then had to help
wait on the baron's family, 80 absorbed
was the head waiter. How long it took
us waiting for dinner | do not know.
Several times the girls turned right
around and stared at the hotel guests.
! Next morning they had bought little
puppy dog ard oh, what a fuss they
made over it. All the hotel force
gathered around and chartered about il
too. The old gentleman came in, held
the little dog at arms length, adoring
it, then drew il to bis mouth and rap
turously kissed it. The dog was taken
to the dinner table just as if il was
one of the guests, and there was rivalry
as to which of the family should feed
It. They fed il all kinds of stuff until
the dog got sick and one of the girls
was obliged to go out Of the room. All
the guests were either amused or dis
gusted. Then, and then only, did the
family seem to realize that they were
making themselves a spectacle and SUBJ
sided somewhat. One gentleman re.
marked afterwards that their behavior
even mad the dog sick. May the Lord
preserve US from rank, il they were
fair samples.
DIsAPP0HNTEB WITH ROMAN cATHEDRALs
From Florence TO rome much the
same characteristic features Of Italian
scenery and life are to be SEEN OF
Rome. ] can only write briefly, for the
~ OIL u sight-se 9ng an.-o one
Is bound to receive macy varied i'm
tpressions. The many ruins of ancient
ftohas cannot. but impress the visitor
as concrete evidence of the great pow
er, majesty and yet severity ofSthe
vanished empire. Rome today is "onIy
shadow OF its former SELF ia spite
of st. Peters, other basilicas and some
very fine more modern palaces and mon
uments. To tell the candid truth, | was
very much disappointed in st. Peters
cathedral II is an immense building,
and that, it seemed to me. compared
with other caihedrals, Is the best that.
can be said for 1t. Yes, there are fine
paintings. rich cabinet work, famous
statues, etc, and yet the effect which
II had upon me as whole was mixed
with feeling Of displeasure that 50
much masonry and 50 mpch artistic
skill should be wasted IN producing the
comparatively meagre impression. In
1 fact the churches Of Italy did not on
the average appeal very much to my
| religious taste. There is too much
gaudiness and what might be termed
barbaric splendor. Even taking Italian
churches alone, | must say that liked
the cathedrals of Milan and Florence
| better than st. Peters, although they
are much smaller. One lady remarked,
when in the basilica OF st Paul outside
the walls Of Rome, that it looked more
! like huge dance hail than q church.
| That was severe criticism doubtless,
and yet the truth is that the Italian
churches have been patterned too much
after the ancient heather temples In
fact, around the forum are number
Of churches which were made by con-
verting old temples to Christian usage.
They stand as monuments of the source
Of influence in architecture. None the
less true is it that the doctrines of the
middle ages and the ritual in vogue
then and 10 many churches today, were
adopted under pagan influence.
THE THEN AND NOW or RELIGION
The Vatican is a marvellous palace.
Every inch of the interior bristles with
some touch Of decorative art, and that
considering that the Vatican is the
largest palace 10 the world. is saying a
great deal. Having viewed the sculp-
Iure galleri 9, the art treasures, the
library and taken the long walk back
around st Peter s to the cars, il throws
one into deeply reflective mood topass
from such magnifcencet to the cold damp
subterraneous Mammertine prison, the
legendary place Of confinement Of Peter
and Paul What changes have been
brought about in the name of religion.
1t must have surely been with some
such sense Of the Inconsistency of much
modern religion that Reubens, prince
among painters, drew forth from lis
fertile brain the picture which | saw
yesterday. In the center is the wounded
Christ; behind him i8a group of plainly
clad priests, VINO with looks of deep
concern are pushing Him forward. On
the other side of the Christ are two
richly adorned princes of the church
passing him by with looks of disdain
How can a eligion be true in following
Christ OF leading men to him when its
chief expressions. whether i1 the voice
Of up piled and scuiptured marbles or
in articulate words, are fiat sdisayowals
of the life Of poverty, humility and
which he lived?
] n many Of the ancient rims I was