Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-05-09
FRANK HAROLD WRITES
OF BLOT ON GA. ABROAD

at the time. We were shown his stu
dio in Florence.
One of the most beautiful places
| saw in Florence was the Chapel of
the Princess" which is in the Church
of San Lorenzo | don't think it is
especially famous but it appealed to
me. 1t is roun6 about 100 feet in
diameter with walls of every kind
of marble and the ceiling is covered
with exquisite paintings. 1t was used
by the Medici.
We saw the old Monastery Of San
Marco. It's pictures, cloisters and
cells were very interesting. Sava-
narola was imprisoned in Florence
and did lot of writing while in
prison. We were shown his cell. he
was quite a character in Florence,
and was executed by being burned
in the public square in the city. Ask
Alice if she knows who he was. And
also tell her to lock up Victor Eman-
uel. Every town we've been in has
square, a street or the most conspic-
uous monument dedicated to him.
Caesar, Napolean or Washington
haven't a thing on him.
Where Dante Stood.
The old bridge across the Arno-
the Ponte Veccio-is where Dante
stood to watch his sweetheart go by,
though we are told he did not know
her and never spoke to her. Don't
you remember the famous picture of
him standing on the bridge watching
the girl. The bridge has shops all
along both sides and resembles Ven
ice very much.
There is such fine opportunity
to see good opera in Italy and ! am
trying to take advantage of it. In
Florence | saw La Tosca and Lohen-
grin. You see so many children at
the opera. The country seems to
believe in raising the children on
this class of music.
Florence is filled with tourists
We ran into innumerabe parties Of
girls seeing Italy. After tho life at
Oxford where we do not see much of
girls, it IS a pleasure TO see them
even though we may not know them
well enough to even speak | spent
a very enjoyable evening recently
one of the galleries. They were
Virginia people and were stopping at
Dne of the finest hotels in Ror1c and
they asked me to a meal with them.
We knew several people in common.
This country is in very unsettled
condition on account of the war. All
IF the cities we have seen are more
1r less upset Florence has Social
st and anti Socialist propaganda |
posted all over IT, We were there
on Good Friday. 1t was holiday
md the main square was filled with
an immense crowd of rough looking
italians and following bomb throw. |
ng the day before in Miian, we look
I'd for trouble.
Mona Lisa Hotel.
The little hotel at which we hap
)ened to stop in Florence had n very
interesting history which we only
leard about as we were leaving. 1t!
S named the Geoconda, what the
French call the Mona Lisa. ! saw a
picture of the Mona Lisa on the wall
md made some comment about it to
he proprietor and he told me the
tory Of the place. 1t seems that
When the noted painting, Mona Lisa,
vas stolen few years ago the thief
brought it TO Florence and stopped
1t this hotel for a year and half
i'll the time having the painting hid
len in his possession. At the end of
hat time he offered it to a Florence
merchant who reported him to the
The painting was found
n tray with a double bottom and
he hotel made a young fortune for
/ time displaying the picture
Most of my letter so far has told
gou Of Florence. You must not think
that have not enjoyed Rome just
Is much because have enjoyed
every minute in both places
Rome is d wonderful city. Il is,
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