Money, Shopping, and Tickets Home

Woke up at 6. Florence has adjoining room and we talked till time to dress. Went up to b’fast at 8. Then started off for Am. Consul’s to learn news – see if Am. Express checks were good and to buy my dress. Found that Bryan advised all Americans to return as soon as possible for fear of naval battles where the seas might not be safe. Looked up the Re d’Italia. She was such a small boat – did not like her. Am. Express checks are good.

We bought a lovely lace and net and emb. collar for 22 francs. Went to two stores, bought a cashmere silk for 11 fr. a yd., 2 extra yds. for alterations. Took my hat to have feathers extended and recurled and F. took a piece of silk there and they will dye them to match. Then we met Mrs. Zeppone and Helen and Mrs. Z. went to the bank with me and found I could get my S.F. check cashed for 823 fr. and 83 centimes which I received. Hurried home and found the little dressmaker here. Going up in the elevator saw Mr. McLaughlan of San Grinignane in the boat. Spoke to him and he thought I was Florence. I said she would be back soon as she had an appointment. She soon came in and I went down and had my dress fitted. She comes tomorrow to fit it. Went up to see the McLaughlans. Found they had come to offer Florence 2 berths in the Canopic given up by a lady who wishes to sail on the Fabre liner, the Sant’Anna.* We said we could go down at 4.30 to see her.

Lay down after lunch and got up at 3. Helen came in She came in and said she would do what we said but I said she much decide for herself. Went to Cook’s, found they expected more berths on Canopic. We put our names down, first choice. Then Mrs. McL. came in and the one who had two Canopic tickets to sell. She had half promised them to someone else and she was frantic when she found we had taken them. Got talking to her afterwards and found she was a Mrs. Addison who knew Alice Blaney when she was a little girl. She felt very bitterly, but was more reconciled when she found that Florence was really sick. Was talking to her at Am. Consuls when F. came alone. The Consul had sent for her. Someone had cabled her money, but the consulate was closed. We went home. I washed out some things and F. lay in my bed. Then dinner and we came downstairs again. F. and Helen very tired and went to bed.

The news in the papers is very bad. Germany is defeating the Allied armies. It is said she has taken the low countries.

*In 1914, the SS Sant’Anna was one of 11 ships, including eight liners owned by Fabre Line. It was commissioned for the transport of troops, and later torpedoed in 1918 near Bizerte (Tunisia) with 2,000 passengers.