White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-11-26
Underhills Find Stay
In Italy Exciting

In Italy Exciting
Although they found rain in Italy
this fall just as they had found it
wherever they went in Europe last
summer, Mr.. and Mrs. w. M. Underhill
seem to be enjoying their visit there
very much. Since July they have been
doing research work along the lines of
history and architecture, in England
and on the continent, and now the
time Is near for them to return home
They will sail from Antwerp early in
December on the same vessel that took
them from San Francisco to London
last spring, expecting to land on Am
erican shores again about the end Of
January.
The following letter, by Mrs. I'm
derhill, tells Of Interesting experiences
In Rome:
We have been to Naples and from
there to Pompeii It was well worth
the trip. Naples is a filthy, compar-
atively uninteresting city, though the
aquarium Is the finest I have seen and
have seen several now, and their
science laboratories are also very fine.
We stayed two days there. One day
we went out to Pompeii.. The railroad
went around the base Of Vesuvius,
which was smoking as usual, and we
could see the lava flow of two years
ago very we'll. 1t wiped out one village
if you remember reading about it. We
did not go. up the volcano, for it was
a cloudy day and we could see nothing.
Pompeii is an interesting city. The
stone streets are narrow as are most
modern streets in the modern towns
The walls are standing, and many of
the houses still show the frescoes and
painting. The inner courts of several
of the old Roman houses are still as
they were before Christ, and the care
takers have. replanted the gardens, so
that one has a very good idea of the
old city. The stone paved streets are
worn deep in places by the chariot
wheels and we crossed the same streets
on the same stepping stones of ages
ago. In one of the houses when they
excavated, there were found molds of
the bodies of five people. The archie
ologist in charge had plaster run into
them and the casts thus made are in
the room where they were found (of
course there were many skeletons
found, but in some way the lava, etc.,
made shell around these bodies).
There was a woman and child lying
together the child's skull still intact,
with the head in the womans arms;
boy about IL years old, his sandals
showing plainly on his feet; man,
large and apparently strong; and
young woman. In this room also there
were about forty of the big jars. I
have seen so many of these jars that
I am almost convinced that the story
of Ali Bahia and the Forty Thieves was
true. The jars are enormous and would
hold two men and boy, believe.
We returned to Rome, Saturday, and
were glad to get away from Naples.
It is raining more or less all the time
here, but am used to it for that is
what it has done most of the time we
have been in Europe.
Sunday, went to ST. Peters cathe-
dral and heard the Pope hold mass.
One had to have a special ticket to
get in, wear black and high neck, and
a black scarf. had the black dress,
and I borrowed a black lace scarf,
which I tied in the back and then
brought around and tied under my
chin. It made me rather conspicuous,
for I am pretty blonde, you know,
now that my hair is getting white, and
there were very few blondes there.
Walter stayed outside for it specified
that he was to wear black and he did
not have it. He could have gone if
we had only known it, but we believed
what it said on the ticket and being
foreigners, thought we had better con-
form.
st. Peters is an enormous cathedral
They had made an aisle down the CEN
ter by putting up wooden barricades
about three feet high. I went early,
and when I got to the main door, the
guard told me I had to walk down the
aisle as my seat was well to the front
on the right. It seemed to me as tho
the church was already full of people.
Those without seats were standing up
many deep along the barricade watch
ing everyone who came in. I drew
deep breath and walked that aisle for
the honor of my country, for I of
course saw no other Americans there
It was really something of an ordeal,
and am glad that I have had as
much experience appearing in public
as had before I took that walk.
The service was supposed to be at
OILS. I was there at 8:15. At nine
o'clock there was sound of marching
feet as nearly as I could tell, and I