Sightseeing in Milan

I slept well and feel better, but my back still aches. Had b’fast in bed and then my bath. Studied Italian grammar hard for an hour. Helen went out and came back about one. She got 200 lire in her letter of credit at the Bianco Cos??? No letter at Thomas Cook and Sons from Florence. She went to the consul’s and had the error in the date of her registration certificate changed. He had written it to expire at once. Helen said it was posted in Am. consul’s office steerage passage to America $150.

She went out a second time to get milk and rolls and we had lunch in my room. It cost us each nine cents – milk, an egg, rolls, cake, no fruit. We have the greatest time over our money. We settle up every night before we go to bed and often two or three times a day – one pays for the other, or buys food re. – Lunch was not over till after three. Then we both lay down.

We went out about 5.30, went to the Piazza del Duomo and took a car no. 10 and rode to the end and back and then we were looking for a restaurant that Miss Betham told us about and lo! There was Dr. Giglioli, jolly, nice as ever – asked about Florence and admired our going to a cooler place – Said he thought Italy would remain neutral – Said he thought this war was all the fault of Germany – that England would beat Germany on the sea – that Germany would beat France on land and that Russia would eventually beat Germany and Austria for she was the only great nation that raised all her own food. –

Dr. G took us to a quiet restaurant where he goes and Helen and I sat out of doors and had a quiet dinner. Then we sat awhile and I tried to read an Italian newspaper. Then we walked about and at nine sat in front of the caffé Biffe and listened to the music for an hour and had an ice. Met the Misses Betham coming back – we chatted for a while upstairs. We are to have dinner with them tomorrow.