Rome: The Vatican and Piazza di Spagna

Bath in the big sauce pan 8 inches high at 7:30. Expected b’fast at 8 as I heard Miss Wood tell the maid, but I got interested in reading Baedeker* and it was 8:20 before I realized the time.

Rang for the maid and breakfast came about 8:30. Studied my Italian grammar book while eating. Started to dress and Miss Wood came and invited me to go with the school girls to the Vatican. I hurried and we started at 10 A.M.

Rode in the No. 16 train to St. Peter’s, then took a carriage and rode to the Vatican. Went to Sistine Chapel. Met Mrs. Bell and had a nice chat with her. She is on crutches as she slipped and sprained her foot.

Then we went to see Raphael’s Stanzas** but there was such a crowd - this being a free day that we could not see much - besides they wanted to get back to the pension as they leave this afternoon. I came with them. We took a carriage - cost me a franc. A letter from Florence Humphrey. She has moved back to Pension Le Lune*** and is feeling better.



About 3 P.M. I started for Piazza di Spagna to see about taking the sight seeing trip with Dr. Edmiston. Went in the 14 train. Found a 10 cm. piece in the street. Shall keep it for good luck. Got $10 changed. Found the excursions were given up for the present as no on had booked. Walked home following st. car line. Read London Daily Graphic about our war with Mexico.


*Travel guide published by Karl Baedeker
**Pope Julius II Dell a Rovere commissioned 25 year old Raphael Sanzio in 1508 to paint the frescos in his four room apartment on the top floor. Three of the rooms were of modest dimensions, while the fourth one was considerably larger; with the completion of the work, the rooms became known as "The Raphael Stanze" .
***In Florence.

Arrived in Rome

Got up at 6:45. Dressed and packed leisurely as I went along. All through by 8:20. Had b’fast but porter came and said I must leave so got off at 8:50. Took single carriage and porter went with me.

Saw my trunk weighed and registered. Train full, but new cars were put on and I got a seat by the window. Five men in the coach. All behaved well. Mrs. Dickens gave me a lunch which I solemnly ate at one o’clock.

Saw the remains of the aqueduct coming into Rome.

There were clouds in the sky and the ride along the Apennines was rarely beautiful, beautiful all the way from Naples to Rome.

Got a facchino* and got my things and started in a carriage to Miss Schnabe. Found she had gone on her vacation leaving a Miss Margaret Wood in charge. She gave me a pleasant double room with a balcony looking out in the garden. She sent tea in to my room and I unpacked some of my things.

Dinner at 7:30. Put on my black silk with blue collar and cuffs. Sat at Miss Wood’s table with four other women - all English I think. Met Miss __, the English teacher Florence knew with her four girls.

Went into the reception room after dinner and read The Daily Graphic** and learned from that Pres. Wilson has sent a force to Mexico to demand apology from Huerta for insults to our flag and people. Congress voted him $50,000.

Washed my hair-terrible job as the water is hard. Slept very well.

*porter
**The Daily Graphic was a daily London paper launched in 1880 and merged with another paper in 1926. It was the first illustrated paper.

Last Day in Naples

Tired so did not sleep well. Therefore did not get up till 7:30. Had late breakfast in my room and packed my trunk till 10 A.M. Miss Ferris came in for a few minutes.

Started out about 10:45 to go to museum by No. 6 car from Toretta. Went to wrong place-finally found it-got the car - had a beautiful ride and was carried away past to end of line. Had to come back in car - got there about noon. Spent all the time looking at the Pompeian exhibits.


Stayed till 1:45 - then left and went to corner - waited for car; none came - asked several persons. Some spoke neither English nor French - point to another corner - finally discovered that cars were not running.

Took a carriage to Am. Express. 1 franc. Bought 2nd class ticket to Rome.


Read in reading room that Congress had voted the President fifty millions for war preparations against Mexico. War ships ordered there on account of insult to flag. [US occupation of Veracruz]

Bought a string of coral beads for Marion Kennedy and a thimble. Also postal cards of Naples.

Walked home from American Ex. Co. - pretty tired. No lunch. Packed my trunk. Miss Ferris came in. After dinner finished the trunk. Paid Mrs. Dickens in full.

Last chance for Pompeii

I felt quite tired when I woke but I made up my mind I would go to Pompeii as it would be my last chance. Caught the 10:30 train but could not get a seat by the window. Sat down outside the entrance gate & read Baedeker.



Made up my mind to ride in a chair which I did. The men stopped every few minutes so the distance I covered in two hours was not great. Went through the street of Tombs and also into the house of Diomedes which is a wonderful one and saw the reservoir.


The hour was up but I took then another hour and went into the new part and saw three houses. - Saw the pot over the fire and the five skeletons lying as they were found. Vesuvius is so far away that it seems as if it were impossible for it to have caused this disaster. Paid the men 1.80.


Then walked to the last house, ate my lunch at 2 P.M. Train left at 3:30 so walked to station. Train was late, did not get to Naples till 5 P.M. Then walked for an hour along the street to see the shops and people. Finally took No. 3 train and came home.

Found a letter from Florence Humphrey. She has moved again to Pension Le Lune. I lay down till dinner. A brother and sister from Canada are here. Four languages are heard at the table-French, English, German Italian. Very tired. Mrs. Dickens does not move till Saturday.

Reading "The Last Days of Pompeii" in Naples

I spent the morning looking over my trunk re.tearing up papers. In the afternoon, I was going at 3:30 with Miss Ferris to ride to Posillipo, but she had to wait for a dress maker and for afternoon tea, so it was 5 pm before we started.

We rode a short distance which proved to be the end of the car line. Then we got out and walked a few steps, but Miss Ferris didn’t like it so we got into the car again, this time in the closed part and were soon back at the pension. There we took a short walk to Toretta to do an errand and walked back.

Major and Mrs. Rogers left today for their home in Malta. They turned out very pleasant people after all and we exchanged addresses. I gave Mrs. Rogers the new buffalo nickel and the new Lincoln penny.

Came to my room soon after dinner and read The Last Days of Pompeii [1834].

War began in Mexico. Vera Cruz taken.

Naples Aquarium and Shopping (no Vesuvius)

I planned to go up Mt. Vesuvius today but Dr. S who is here and knows Naples thoroughly told me he did not think I would see the crater at all as there has been so much smoke. [Previous major eruption in 1906]. He did not believe the guard would let anyone approach near the edge. So I gave up the trip.



Miss Ferris and I went out. I went to the aquarium and spent almost two hours there. Very interesting.


Lay down after lunch. About 4, Miss Ferris and I started for the Cinematograph, but after we got there Miss Ferris did not like the advertised subject so we did not go in, went to Cook’s American Express Co. and to lots of stores. Bought a little blue pin for 4 francs as a souvenir.

Walked home alone through the Park. Miss Ferris rode.

Spent the evening in the drawing room with Major and Mrs. Rogers who go back to Malta tomorrow. Miss Claire Ferris was there too.

Letter from Miss Wilt - she has lost her fountain pen. She is well and at a nice pension.

Naples and Villa Nazionale

Had Breakfast in bed - got up late – went to the English church with Miss Ferris. The acoustics are so poor that I could not hear well.

We walked home through the Villa Nazionale.



After dinner rested in my chair by finishing my letter. Then went out with Miss Ferris.

We were going to the aquarium*, but instead we sat in the upper verandah of the café and had an ice while we listened to the band and watched the crowd. We walked home.


Wrote to Alfred after dinner. Dinner was a very good one.

Had a postal from Miss Schwabe. She expects me there Friday, the 24th.

Ultimatum sent to Huerta to salute the US flag by G.P.M. on invasion. [The Tampico Affair]
(Fact learned from Daily Graphic at Miss Schwabe’s in Rome.)

*The Naples Aquarium, founded in 1873, was the first aquarium opened to the public.