Festival of the Cricket in Florence

Florence* was married a year ago today.

As usual lately I did not sleep well and therefore slept late. Florence came into my room at 8:15 o’clock to ask me if I did not want to go to the Park in Florence to the cricket festival.** She said it began at 4. She said she did not feel well enough to go but thought I would enjoy it, but as I was not dressed and it was late and I would have to go alone, I declined.

I had b’fast in bed and began to read Le [Lupine?] by Eugene Sue with the help of a dictionary. Then at 9:45 Helen called up and wanted me to go to the Festival and I said I could get dressed and start in half an hour which I did.

I got to the Duomo** a little ahead of Helen. We took a # 5 car and went out to the Park and walked up and down watching the people and the children and the people who sold things to eat, the men who sold toys and especially the ones who sold crickets.


There were thousands and thousands of poor crickets in boxes and pans? But especially in little cages of every hue and color. I bought one for 8 cents, also a flying machine and a clacker. We walked up and down several times there as the crowd rapidly thinned we sat down and talked about everything and everybody. Helen defends her conduct of last Tuesday, saying she acted in a conscientious manner. She apparently cannot see that she was mean and untruthful and deceiving. She said she felt ill and I begged her to put herself under the care of a good doctor, but she won’t. She seemed to have no discipline, no will power left. I tried to talk to her and advise her but it was of no use and I shall just try again. We stayed in the park until 3, then took a car back to town and then went to a tea room where I had ice cream and cake and Helen had caffe latte and cakes. I ate 5. We paid 1 fr. 20 cent. a piece as caffe latte costs more than ice cream.

Then Helen took me as guest [on a] most beautiful drive over the Viale de Colli. It was through a most beautiful country where you had a wonderful view of the city. Then we came down to the Duomo and I took the car home. The drive was Helen’s treat and cost a dollar. I brought the cricket home and let it out of the box.

Florence was here. I bought some “American molasses candy” which was rancid and awfully poor. I told her all about the day and the conversations. Some new people have come to the pension and 3 automobile loads came up and had dinner on the terrace.

I found a nice letter here from Alfred. Sat in F’s room after dinner playing solitaire and knitting.

The people on the terrace made such a noise I could not sleep till late.

*Her daughter, Florence Thurston Hincks, was married May 21, 1913 to Thomas Frederick Sanford, a professor of English at the University of California.
**the Duomo of Florence, also known as the Cathedral of Florence or Santa Maria del Fiore
**In late April or May, the annual cricket festival, Festa del Grillo, is held in the Cascine Park in Florence.**