Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1913-07-03
A Letter From Europe.

Dear Repister-After most enjoyable
voyage of fifteen days we arrived in Ma
ples. and find that the beautiful pictures
we had always heard of were no exaggera-
ton. We spent ten hopeless, rainy, cold
DAYS, waiting for clear day and quiet
bay to 90 over to Capri TO see the famous
Blue Grotto, but finally gave up ard de-
cIded to move on to Rome, and | may
say that feel sorry for person whose
pulse beats no faster al the sight OF Rome.
We were much surprised. for supposed
we would have 10 tread lightly and rev
erently on such sacred soil, but we lind
il beautiful and modern city, with old
walls and ruins dotted all over, and IN
every direction you turn you see dome
OF something historical. BY the way, a
church Spire is not seen IN Italy. Our
first sight of ST. Peters will never be
forgotten. We visited it eight times, and
do not feel that we have yet seen It all.
II is called by some the graft mill OF the
papish days, and many OF the beautiful
sculptures and paintings in it were taken
from other places. We also visited the
English Cemetery, where so many Amer
leans are buried The cypress trees are
wonderful, and there is well-worn path
to the graves OF the poets Shelley and
Keats. We wondered why SO many
familiar American names were there, but
found by experience that il is very dit
ficult TO take a body out of Italy. An old
gentleman in party we know died sud-
denly in Naples. and they were taxed
eight hundred dollars TO take his body 10
Rome for cremation.
The Vatican is very interesting, the
sculptures wonderful, and the pictures
well selected-and to be sure very proper.
There is none OF the high art there that
you see IN other galleries, all are holy
pictures.
Let me tell you OF our visit to the GEM
etery of the Cappucini Convent. The
earth was brought from Jerusalem, and
as the cemetery is too small for the CON-
vent, when monk dies the one who has
been buried longest is elected tc make
room. The loss OF a grave is supposed
to be amply compensated by the short
rest in the holy earth, which the body
has already enjoyed. We walked down
few steps below the street level, and !
saw, TO my horror, as was the flrst OF
a party Of six to enter, around about me
skulls upon skulls, so placed one upon
another that they formed the walls OF
several chapelS. In these were regular
inches, in which were standing skeletons
OF the most distinguished OF the monks,
enveloped in fheir brown habits or cows,
cords around their waists, and a cross IN
their hands. Affairs, chandeliers, bas-
reiefs OF human joints. decorate the CELL
ings and walls-horrible felt that we
should not breathe, and called to the girls
to close their mouths. We then went up
in the church, and under an altar, ex-
posed to view, lay the remains OF Fra
Mathis, and hanging over II the magni-
ficent painting by Guido REM of the Arch
angel Michael tramping upon the devil
said TO be the portrait OF Pope Innocent
Tenth, against whom the artist had a
SPITE On all saints days they sing mass
eS, swinging incense, place lights in the
chandeliers made of bones, garlandS are
placed around the browS OF the skeleton
monks and fresh flowers in their hands.
1t is awful, and the CatacombS which we
feared, do not begin TO be so horrible.
There are three hundred and Slxty-five
churches in Rome, and we feel that we
did reverence to a goodly number, hav-
lily UGCI Iuol q llOItils IL 10 odiA
that there are AZ, 900 ecclesiaSticS in Rome,
and If is beautiful sight to see them
marching through the gardens, in their
wonderfully colored robes. Are you
surprised there are so many old maids IN
the world
Though it rained quite often, it was
never gray or gloomy, and we really
hated to leave, there was so much TO do
and see, and you could never see oil OF
Rome.
Florence was a joy, typical OF Italy,
and strange TO say never felt that | was
abroad until | reached Florence. We
were only there one week, but had the
good fortune to make the acquaintance OF
young priest living there who acted as
our guide, thereby losing no time, for we
had quite lot OF important things to see
in short time, and along with shopping,
which is most attractive, especially IN
Florence, where things were so very
reasonable and the little shops with such
wonderfully pretty and unusual things.
that had we stayed longer we would
surely have had to walk home.
We arrived in Venice at night, and 1t
was certainly picturesque. really think
that St. Marks is more beautiful than the
churches of Rome, and though we are
here to improve our minds and education,
we were glad there were so few muse
umS and art galleries, for we virtually
had mental indigestion.
We left Venice at dawn and it was
wonderful sight we could never for
get-and after a SiXteen-hour journey
we reached Vienna. We have been here
ten days, and have Shopped and done
two galleries, tried their famous bathing
beach in the beautiful Blue Danube. the
Palace OF Emperor Joseph. We also had
a most agreeable surpriSe-Mrs. and Miss
Guy, OF Washington, whom we met at
your home, came to see us, having seen
our names onCook'S register. They have
gone on to Dresden.
Vienna is beautiful and clean, and not
noisy as Italy was. We do have the
greatest time on tram-carS and in the
shops, as they do not speak French as
they do in Italy. They seem TO be sat-
isfied with their German. Just as soon
as we crossed the border we could see
the German thrift, and it was so much
cleaner. Eleanor and | are travelling
alone, and find no trouble whatever.
Everyone is most courteous, and we
have been fortunate in meeting some
lovely people, There are many English
people on the continent now, and when
we say we are Americans the shop
keepers bow and Scrape and OF course
stick in few more kronen.