It did rain about 9 so I gave up my trip to Florence where I was going to spend the day with Helen. I had breakfast in bed. However it cleared off at 10 so I made up my mind to go. Dressed and got to the Montebello to find Helen. Waited an hour reading the papers. Helen came in at one and we decided to have lunch there instead of going to that queer place under a palace.
Then we went to the Pension Crocini* and I engaged a room at 6 frs., 2 frs. extra for light, beginning next Tuesday. Then we went to a store to look at some dresses and didn’t like them and we wandered around the shops, finally ending at the Cinemattograph. It was called “La Tormenota” .We had to wait outside till the end of the act and then went in and saw the whole thing which took two hours. People leaving and entering every 10 minutes or so. It was a highly dramatic, sensational and emotional melo-drama, but I enjoyed it, the novelty of the situation immensely. Helen walked down to the car with me.
Got home before the first bell rang for dinner.
Played Sequence with Florence after dinner and beat her.
Had a very lengthy letter from Percy about that wretched old furniture situation enclosing exchange of letters between Florence, Hazel, and Percy. I am so sorry that there is this tensity of feeling between them.
*In the 1928 Baedeker, pg. 169, Pensione Crocini is at Lung Arno Guicciardini 9. As well it is listed in Artistic Guide to Florence (1910) on the Lung Arno Guicciardini.
Saturday, June 6
Friday, June 5
Hat shopping, dentist, & Montebello
Did not get to bed till midnight, but slept better. Had breakfast in bed, also half a cup of cherry and apple that Florence cooked in her room. Studied Italian till 10. Dressed -finished my black dress - I always make my bed and pick up my room to help Elena. Got ready to go down town with Florence.
We did not start till 2:30 and missed a car, walked to San Gervasio. Went to bank and Florence lent me $20. Went to milliner to see the Pomeranian Pug. It looked very well indeed. Added a bunch of flowers on the side and paid $2.50. She turned the hat inside out and varnished it.
Went to Dr. Dunn's but I could not see him. It was too late.
Then went over to the Montebello and found Helen in. She looks badly and said she had a pain in her side. She had some delicious coffee and cream and bread and butter and cake. Then went down and got my hat, also cups for a maid, and a pair of gloves. Helen walked to car with me. Walked up from San Gervasio.
In the evening played Sequence and beat Florence. Mrs. Oudesluys and her daughter came in for a while. They showed us some of the pretty things they had bought. Florence is feeling better. Dr. G. wants her to go to San Pellegrino to the baths there.
Postal from Margaret. Our English paper has come!!!
We did not start till 2:30 and missed a car, walked to San Gervasio. Went to bank and Florence lent me $20. Went to milliner to see the Pomeranian Pug. It looked very well indeed. Added a bunch of flowers on the side and paid $2.50. She turned the hat inside out and varnished it.
Went to Dr. Dunn's but I could not see him. It was too late.
Then went over to the Montebello and found Helen in. She looks badly and said she had a pain in her side. She had some delicious coffee and cream and bread and butter and cake. Then went down and got my hat, also cups for a maid, and a pair of gloves. Helen walked to car with me. Walked up from San Gervasio.
In the evening played Sequence and beat Florence. Mrs. Oudesluys and her daughter came in for a while. They showed us some of the pretty things they had bought. Florence is feeling better. Dr. G. wants her to go to San Pellegrino to the baths there.
Postal from Margaret. Our English paper has come!!!
Thursday, June 4
Fiesole and San Girolamo Monastery
I did not sleep at all well last night. Finally at 5:45 I sat up and wrote a long letter to Uncle Hugh about ourselves and about his 3rd manuscript which we received about two weeks or more ago.
Finished my letter about 8 and took it into Florence's B.R. to read and then came back and slept for 3 good hours. Got up just in time for lunch. After lunch studied Italian awhile and got ready to go to Fiesole.
We got there at 4 and went into the straw shop to look around and then we went to the monastery of San Girolamo where the Blue Nuns live. I was just fascinated with the place. It was so beautiful and the acting Mother Superior, Mother Martha, said we could go all over the place and have tea and go into the chapel and see St. Florina, the Martyr who died when he was twelve years old.
We went all over and I was delighted with it. We had tea with thin slices of bread and butter and Sister G. took us over the house to see the cells they made into rooms for boarders.* We said we would stay to Benediction, the evening service at 6 o’clock.
While we were waiting who should come along but Helen with a Mrs. Fisher, a boarder at the Montebello who was very pleasant. They soon went in and we went into the service which was beautiful with the sweet voices of the sisters singing the chants.
We saw the waxen form of the martyr and after the service walked down a steep road to San Domenico** where we took the car for Le Lune. We had dinner out of doors. After dinner we had a game of Sequence and I beat.
It was a beautiful day. Florence paid all the expenses of the trip and gave me four beautiful postcards of the convent and a pamphlet about it with views of the walks re.
*The Blue Nuns until the 1980's ran a guest house at the monastery.
**The little hamlet of San Domenico di Fiesole (148m/486ft above sea level) is only about half a mile southwest of Fiesole and right on the boundary of Florence, with a panoramic view of the city. Its San Domenico Church (1406-1435; rebuilt in the 17th century) has a richly furnished interior, with a beautiful altarpiece by Fra Angelico (c. 1430) in the first chapel on the left.
Finished my letter about 8 and took it into Florence's B.R. to read and then came back and slept for 3 good hours. Got up just in time for lunch. After lunch studied Italian awhile and got ready to go to Fiesole.
We got there at 4 and went into the straw shop to look around and then we went to the monastery of San Girolamo where the Blue Nuns live. I was just fascinated with the place. It was so beautiful and the acting Mother Superior, Mother Martha, said we could go all over the place and have tea and go into the chapel and see St. Florina, the Martyr who died when he was twelve years old.
We went all over and I was delighted with it. We had tea with thin slices of bread and butter and Sister G. took us over the house to see the cells they made into rooms for boarders.* We said we would stay to Benediction, the evening service at 6 o’clock.
While we were waiting who should come along but Helen with a Mrs. Fisher, a boarder at the Montebello who was very pleasant. They soon went in and we went into the service which was beautiful with the sweet voices of the sisters singing the chants.
We saw the waxen form of the martyr and after the service walked down a steep road to San Domenico** where we took the car for Le Lune. We had dinner out of doors. After dinner we had a game of Sequence and I beat.
It was a beautiful day. Florence paid all the expenses of the trip and gave me four beautiful postcards of the convent and a pamphlet about it with views of the walks re.
*The Blue Nuns until the 1980's ran a guest house at the monastery.
**The little hamlet of San Domenico di Fiesole (148m/486ft above sea level) is only about half a mile southwest of Fiesole and right on the boundary of Florence, with a panoramic view of the city. Its San Domenico Church (1406-1435; rebuilt in the 17th century) has a richly furnished interior, with a beautiful altarpiece by Fra Angelico (c. 1430) in the first chapel on the left.
Wednesday, June 3
Looking for new lodgings again
Went to bed last night about one, so slept over and did not wake up till 8:30. F. B. H. came in to my room, asked me if I would like to walk over to the Pestellini to see the manager and see when she could get in, so I hurried and had b’fast and dressed. Helen came in just as I was ready. She brought up her Italian grammar for me. Then we three walked over to the Pestellini. Said she would let F. come just as soon as she had a vacant room. I thought the place was a beautiful one. Helen did not go in, but went back to town. She said they sent the hat up and she took it. We walked back to the Le Lune.
After lunch F.B.H. lay down and I talked to her and finished knitting my blue slippers – one of those I did three times. And I had to rip out lots of places. At 3:45 we took our work and went out and sat under the trees. The Baltimore lady and her daughter sat with us. Mrs. Oudesluys read aloud from The Beauty of the Sting while the rest of us sewed. I put the ribbon on the bottom of my black silk dress and hemmed it where it had been let down. It took me four hours to do.
Miss Hannay lent us her London paper telling about the terrible disaster. It was so needless.
After dinner we came upstairs and Mrs. O. read the paper while I sewed and Florence ripped a flower out that she had made in the contadino veil she wants to send Mollie.
Yesterday I met one of the Princess Irene’s passengers, the one from Denver, Colorado who always wore a blue veil. They have been to Greece and Constantinople. She said they had had a delightful trip. They had met Miss Witt and Miss Peet a number of times since they had left the ship. A nice letter from Margaret. Read Uncle Hugh’s* manuscript over the second time. It is the third section.
*Hugh Young (b. 1830) was married to Anne Carolyn Thurston who was the younger sister of Jennie’s father, Richard Bowers Thurston. He was writing his autobiography.
After lunch F.B.H. lay down and I talked to her and finished knitting my blue slippers – one of those I did three times. And I had to rip out lots of places. At 3:45 we took our work and went out and sat under the trees. The Baltimore lady and her daughter sat with us. Mrs. Oudesluys read aloud from The Beauty of the Sting while the rest of us sewed. I put the ribbon on the bottom of my black silk dress and hemmed it where it had been let down. It took me four hours to do.
Miss Hannay lent us her London paper telling about the terrible disaster. It was so needless.
After dinner we came upstairs and Mrs. O. read the paper while I sewed and Florence ripped a flower out that she had made in the contadino veil she wants to send Mollie.
Yesterday I met one of the Princess Irene’s passengers, the one from Denver, Colorado who always wore a blue veil. They have been to Greece and Constantinople. She said they had had a delightful trip. They had met Miss Witt and Miss Peet a number of times since they had left the ship. A nice letter from Margaret. Read Uncle Hugh’s* manuscript over the second time. It is the third section.
*Hugh Young (b. 1830) was married to Anne Carolyn Thurston who was the younger sister of Jennie’s father, Richard Bowers Thurston. He was writing his autobiography.
Tuesday, June 2
Shopping in Florence
No letter from any of the children.
Had b’fast in bed and studied my Italian while doing so, washed my stockings and gloves re - Florence came in and pinned my black silk dress where it ought to be to hang straight. The English Type - the mother with a cap and her daughter, left this morning, also the German family - the woman who was so horrid to her little girl.
Florence and I went downtown. I carried down my plant and a lot of medicines to the Montebello to make it easier when I come to move. Then Helen and I went back to Munsterberg, the druggist, where we met Florence. She went back with me to the milliner’s but she did not have my feathers ready. She thinks she can fix my old one by turning the inside out which is not faded and facing the faded part with blue silk.
Then we went to the new market and bought some filel lace to go with the dress F. has given me and some Cluny* edging and insertions because it was cheap. Florence brought a trunk for $16.60 - a steamer trunk.
We did not go to look at the rooms. Helen seemed to be possessed to have me go to the Jennings Riccioli** instead of to the one where the Hubbells are. Florence was tired and had to go back while I went around to try to find a book from which Elena could learn English.
Then Helen saw a hat in the window and liked it. It was $4. Helen got her to take 3.60 and paid for it, and then suddenly remembered that other hat that she had ordered from the little milliner and wanted her money back which the other would not give. Helen got mad and threatened her with the American consul, but the girl would not give in. Finally she went off without the money or the hat either. I said I thought she would have trouble but she would not listen.
I spoke French for they could not understand each other, caught the 6:40 tram for the house. After dinner taught the Oudesluys to play Sequence. Miss Pete’s people are not going to leave so F. can’t go.
*Cluny lace-lace made from coarse thread used to edge household linens
**Jennings-Riccioli, nº 2 de Lungarno delle Grazie, was the model for the fictional Pensione Bertolini in Forester’s “A Room with a View.”
Had b’fast in bed and studied my Italian while doing so, washed my stockings and gloves re - Florence came in and pinned my black silk dress where it ought to be to hang straight. The English Type - the mother with a cap and her daughter, left this morning, also the German family - the woman who was so horrid to her little girl.
Florence and I went downtown. I carried down my plant and a lot of medicines to the Montebello to make it easier when I come to move. Then Helen and I went back to Munsterberg, the druggist, where we met Florence. She went back with me to the milliner’s but she did not have my feathers ready. She thinks she can fix my old one by turning the inside out which is not faded and facing the faded part with blue silk.
Then we went to the new market and bought some filel lace to go with the dress F. has given me and some Cluny* edging and insertions because it was cheap. Florence brought a trunk for $16.60 - a steamer trunk.
We did not go to look at the rooms. Helen seemed to be possessed to have me go to the Jennings Riccioli** instead of to the one where the Hubbells are. Florence was tired and had to go back while I went around to try to find a book from which Elena could learn English.
Then Helen saw a hat in the window and liked it. It was $4. Helen got her to take 3.60 and paid for it, and then suddenly remembered that other hat that she had ordered from the little milliner and wanted her money back which the other would not give. Helen got mad and threatened her with the American consul, but the girl would not give in. Finally she went off without the money or the hat either. I said I thought she would have trouble but she would not listen.
I spoke French for they could not understand each other, caught the 6:40 tram for the house. After dinner taught the Oudesluys to play Sequence. Miss Pete’s people are not going to leave so F. can’t go.
*Cluny lace-lace made from coarse thread used to edge household linens
**Jennings-Riccioli, nº 2 de Lungarno delle Grazie, was the model for the fictional Pensione Bertolini in Forester’s “A Room with a View.”
Monday, June 1
Trip to Fiesole (2)
Woke up at 7:45, but felt pretty tired so did not get right up. However, soon called for hot water, took my bath, and had breakfast with half a cup of F.’s stewed cherries. Before I was dressed, my Italian teacher came and I spent two hours working as hard as I could. Paid her 5 fr. for two double lessons and carfare.
After lunch, finished my letter to Margaret, a sort of family letter. Then Florence and I got ready and started for Fiesole. We went into the cathedral* first of all and looked around. We found it was a fiesta, prayers to get sent out of purgatory with a procession, so we decided to stay and see it.
First though we went to see a house that Florence very much admires belonging to some old Italians. They are very poor, but they own this place and rent it for $25 a month - 4 bedrooms upstairs, two living rooms down, and a beautiful garden and a glorious view. We saw two of the old women.
Then we went back to the church. Some kind of a service was going on in the choir but the people paid no attention to it, but wandered in and out at their own sweet will, old women and young, old men and young boys, girls, babies, even dogs.
Finally it was nearing the time for the procession and people came in and used the church as a dressing room all the time the service was going on.
They began to leave the church crowding into the open square. We went too and went on the grass in front of the archbishop’s where we watched the procession form**, march, turn, and march back into the cathedral again. It was certainly a medieval sight. It was very, very interesting, the elevation of the host, the walking of the archbishop under the canopy held by 6 priests.
The piazza was filled with life, light, color and music. I felt as if I were taking part in a musical opera.
After they had all gone into the church, F. and I took the next car back to the pension. Leaving Fiesole at 7. Miss Hannay lent us her London paper and we read all about the disaster to the Empress of Ireland. It was right in the mouth of the St. Lawrence.
* Fiesole Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Romulus of Fiesole, is Romanesque.
**Probably for Pentecost as that was the date for Pentecost in 1914.
After lunch, finished my letter to Margaret, a sort of family letter. Then Florence and I got ready and started for Fiesole. We went into the cathedral* first of all and looked around. We found it was a fiesta, prayers to get sent out of purgatory with a procession, so we decided to stay and see it.
First though we went to see a house that Florence very much admires belonging to some old Italians. They are very poor, but they own this place and rent it for $25 a month - 4 bedrooms upstairs, two living rooms down, and a beautiful garden and a glorious view. We saw two of the old women.
Then we went back to the church. Some kind of a service was going on in the choir but the people paid no attention to it, but wandered in and out at their own sweet will, old women and young, old men and young boys, girls, babies, even dogs.
Finally it was nearing the time for the procession and people came in and used the church as a dressing room all the time the service was going on.
They began to leave the church crowding into the open square. We went too and went on the grass in front of the archbishop’s where we watched the procession form**, march, turn, and march back into the cathedral again. It was certainly a medieval sight. It was very, very interesting, the elevation of the host, the walking of the archbishop under the canopy held by 6 priests.
The piazza was filled with life, light, color and music. I felt as if I were taking part in a musical opera.
After they had all gone into the church, F. and I took the next car back to the pension. Leaving Fiesole at 7. Miss Hannay lent us her London paper and we read all about the disaster to the Empress of Ireland. It was right in the mouth of the St. Lawrence.
* Fiesole Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Romulus of Fiesole, is Romanesque.
**Probably for Pentecost as that was the date for Pentecost in 1914.
Sunday, May 31
Sunday service at the American Church
Was dressed before I rang for breakfast.
Left the house at 9:45 and went to the Duomo and walked from there to the Pros. Ch at the Lung. Am.* I met Helen and we went into the church. We stayed to the Communion Service. I enjoyed both services very much.
Got home at half past one and had my lunch. I intended to go down to the Pros. Church at 5 to hear the pastor, Rev. James Blake, give a talk on the portraits, self-painted, of distinguished artists but it poured so I did not dare to go.
Instead I wrote a twelve page letter to Margaret and told all about the cricket festival on Ascension Day, May 21st. Sat talking down stairs for awhile after dinner before coming up and sat in F.’s room, cooking cherries.
Mrs. Oudesluys from Baltimore came in and talked a long time and gave F. lots of addresses in Munich.
Sat up writing my family letter till midnight. Asked M. to send the letter on to California.
*St. James Church, Protestant and English, and on Via Bernardo Rucellai near the Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci.
Left the house at 9:45 and went to the Duomo and walked from there to the Pros. Ch at the Lung. Am.* I met Helen and we went into the church. We stayed to the Communion Service. I enjoyed both services very much.
Got home at half past one and had my lunch. I intended to go down to the Pros. Church at 5 to hear the pastor, Rev. James Blake, give a talk on the portraits, self-painted, of distinguished artists but it poured so I did not dare to go.
Instead I wrote a twelve page letter to Margaret and told all about the cricket festival on Ascension Day, May 21st. Sat talking down stairs for awhile after dinner before coming up and sat in F.’s room, cooking cherries.
Mrs. Oudesluys from Baltimore came in and talked a long time and gave F. lots of addresses in Munich.
Sat up writing my family letter till midnight. Asked M. to send the letter on to California.
*St. James Church, Protestant and English, and on Via Bernardo Rucellai near the Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci.
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