Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-31

violin-m aking-out of cigar boxes
and the construction of air.
planes, and wonderful feats in
soap-bubble blowing, and map
drawing. Here we cooked with gas
and lighted our rooms with cleo
tricity, and were protected from
mosquitoes by cotton screens upon
the posts OF our beds.
From our windows we saw the
roaring Mediterranean, and the
glimmering lights of Monte Carlo
across a small bay Taking our
luncheons, we went by rail to this
gambling place and wandered
about the lovely grounds-but were
never permitted to enter, because
We were not dressed we'll enough.
In the evening we returned home,
and the next day we took the same
route, only going a little farther
to Cam and then again 10 Nice
and Marseilles and Mentone, al
ways saving hotel bills by going
home to sleep and carrying our
luncheon. We we're melted to great
economy because we knew econo-
my meant a prolonged stay. If we
made our money reach long way,
the financial head at home would
still be glad to be rid Of us.
Red Cloth Reappears.
How wonderfully the studies
progressed here on the blue Medi-
terranean! But we desired to be in
Rome for Christmas. and there
we're many places to visit on the
way-7San Reno, Genoa. Carrara,
Pisa. At Genoa the red tablecloth
returned, but not the free-and-easy
meals So we quietly provided our
own eats whenever we chose. At
one of these feasts the boy plump
ed himself down into an ancient
and decreplt chair. which immedi-
ately crumpled under his weight.
Out came the bottle of cement and
soon the spindling legs were at
tached again to the senile chair
and it was propped up in corner.
had a mission in this hotel, and
must have netted the management
as much as a regular tourist. say
in the years since the time of CO.
lumbus. We never paid for broken
furniture. but fixed it better than
new with our glue-however, upon
leaving we never looked back, but
pressed on with eagerness.
The day before Christmas we
saw the walls of Rome, caught a
glimpse of the Coliseum. San An
gelo, Saint Peters, the Tiber-O
Joy! at last in the city of the seven
hills! the eternal city of Rome!
Now the educational part of the
journey was commenced in earnest.
Some subjects were temporarily
dropped and others taken up. AL
ready we have covered a full years
school work, with the added
knowledge gained by studying art
and literature and biography and
history and geography right on the
ground Not of the least import
ance was the education distilled
and acquired through conversation
at meal time, at dish washing time,
on wash day, while the darning
and patching we're progressing and
the blacksmithing and fiddle MAX
ing, and soap bubbling, and kodak
printing,
In the evening If we were not
going out to a theater or lecture or
art gallery the boy was most jubi-
liant If he had a copy of Popular
Mechanics, and a letter from home
and a good story on hands. The
letter was read aloud with glee-
nobody missed us. nobody cared to
see us, we could stay as long as we
pleased, the longer the better. The
home folks had never been so hap
by in their lives, able to sleep of
nights and eat regularly, without
apprehension of bad news. All the
family burden of the unruly Off
spring was nicely adjusted to the
shoulder of another. The family
were much interested In consider
ing the vast width of the Atlantic
and of North America--and incl
dentally were shaving and denying
themselves to earn money by the
sweat Of their brows to educate a
thankless boy-and to keep him
away in Europe.
On these home evenings, with
not the least bit of malice. we
would compute the difference Of
time between Rome and San Diego
just nine hours. At as we were
singing Where. o Where, Is My
Little Dog Gomez" or Nearer My
God to Thee" the boy coming in
with Nero, My Dog Has Fleas,"
his father and stepmother had not
yet breakfasted. Then he would
go to bed and l would read him to
sleep, perhaps being obliged to
make him get up again and clean
his teeth and wash his hands. Be
tween the sheets again with BEAM
ing countenance he would say,
We're in Rome!"
Shakespeare and Sleep.
Have you a boy? II so you've a
precious jewel--a great RESPONSE
bility, a JOY!
Then I'd read Shakespeare or a
thrilling boys story. till my bad
boy was almost asleep-then he'd
brighten and say. I'm hungry"
I'd get bowl of bread and milk
both of Us so glad! Then his teeth
had to be cleaned again. This
time I'd just bring the brush and
tumbler and hold the basin for
him, both laughing. and without a
thought of the folks at home with
out their breakfast and shaving to
keep us in Europe! Purposely,
you must conclude. the boy filled
his mouth with water AMI then
burst out laughing right there
in front of him holding the basin.
Myself and the bed and himself
were drenched--for his mouth had
capacity. But, oh. it
was heaven to have boy as
though he were your very own!
So, l ask again, "Have you boy"
If so. turn heaven and earth and
hades and Europe to keep him
good and TO make him man
men.
We haunted the old Forum,
and resting in the Coli
scum, watching the excavators I'M
covering rich mosiacs, bits of stat
uary. vases, coins. We walked out
by the old ruins and aQueducts and