Duomo Service, Jennie's View of Priests, and Visit to Orologio

Helen and I went to the Duomo to see the big service in honor of the ascension of the Virgin. The archbishop was there – a lot of priests re. – the organ and two choirs of men and boys and a large congregation filled the church. We had good seats in the choir. I enjoyed the music very much. The service itself seems tawdry and cheap and I cannot see how a self-respecting man can be a priest and go through such a farce. After the service was over, we wandered around a while and came home and had lunch - then lay down.
I got up and was dressed shortly after four to take my lesson in reading the Italian newpapers. Then I wrote a family letter to Margaret – telling her what we were doing and asked her to send it to Uncle Hugh and so on to Alfred. Mailed it on our way to dinner. We went to the Orologio* and had a rather poor dinner – enjoyed seeing the crowd of people.
I sat up and wrote off the ?? that I had gathered from the Italian papers and that Mr. Betham had translated for me. Wrote a note to Florence in the morning and mailed it when we went to the Duomo.
*An area of Milan

Checking boats home and a good dinner

I slept very well and the pain in my back is better. I think it is sciatica. I found Helen feeling very poorly. She had had a bad night from heat and indigestion. She stayed in bed all the morning. Mr. Betham came in and I had another lesson on the paper. Then I wrote a note to Florence. – at one I started out to mail it. Stopped at Thomas Cook’s and found a postal card from Florence at Florence. She feels the heat very much. She is at the Crocini.

Went to the P.O. and then to the Am. Consul’s where I was told that the Carpathia* was to sail Aug. 31st and that probably normal conditions would ensue. Bought some supplies and came home. Tried to buy some felt roosters for my two babies, but they asked too much. We had lunch at 3 and cleared away the things. Then I slept an hour and a half. Then Helen and I got dressed and went down to the public gardens where we walked around and watched the children and then went to a restaurant in the park and had chicken, spinach and macaroni and very good too. Sat in the park till nearly 10 P.M. and came home and read two short stories by Conan Doyle. Helen feels better tonight. Poor ink.

*The Carpathia was a Cunard ship which had been involved in the rescue of the Titanic’s passengers in 1912. On September 5th, 1914, it was fined by the Italian government for transporting emigrants without a license.

Milan

I think I was too excited over my Italian lesson to sleep well. Made arrangements with Miss Betham for hot water to wash my hair and had a fuss with the two sisters over the towels as they said they never gave but two a week. However, they ended by giving me two clean ones. They brought the water in ¾ of an hour late so I could not go out this morning as I had planned. After washing my hair, I washed my nightdress and other things and mended my stockings and made a little pincushion and stuffed it with pieces of F.B.H.’s old cotton gloves. Helen went out to get milk and rolls and we had lunch and then we went to the Piazza Reale and went through the King’s apartments which were very fine. We went into the Duomo a few minutes where three frightened homesick Americans accosted us. I left Helen with them and went home to take my Italian lesson. Read several columnists in today’s paper.

Then Helen and I went out an took a nice car-ride – no. 26 – by the Giardino Pubblico, got back in time for dinner which was so-so. In the evening, we went to a moving picture show which was poor – got home about 10.40.

Bought some baume analgesique to run on my back which has ached ever since I was in Venice. Nice letter from Florence written in Oregon July 16 – Alfred, Mr. O’Conner, Julia and Laura Hainer were going into the High Sierras together.

There is no fresh news of the war. Italian papers are filled with German brutalities.

Sightseeing in Milan -- thinking about whether to leave

Slept very well. Had b’fast in bed and had a good time studying the Italian adverbs. It must be the reason they are so unstable, they have so many adverbs to slip around in – a great many mean the same thing.

Mended my white skirt where it reamed out. It was after eleven before I was ready to go out. We went to Cook’s. No letter – to Am. Express Co. – no letter – then back to Cook’s to see if there were a telegram; found a letter from F.B.H. saying she was all right and going to the Crochini.

Went to Am. Consul’s. No news. Saw an assistant who said don’t be frightened and don’t get into that horrid crowd of frightened Americans. If you have money, stay over and enjoy yourselves. We bought some peaches and came home and had lunch. Then lay down; I had a fine nap. Went to Cook’s and found that the trunks were all right, did not have to be opened.

Then we took a train ride to Sempione. We went by Napoleon’s arch and by a beautiful park. Got back in time for dinner. The brother was there. The two sisters and the brother drank two big bottles of red wine. The dinner was very nice – vegetable soup, string beans, chicken with browned potatotes – cheese and peaches – about two francs.

Then I took a lesson in reading the Italian papers. They do not seem like real news, but like reading a history. I hope the Germans and Austrians are thoroughly beaten. I detest them.

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.

Verona to Milan

Got up at 6. Finished packing – had b’fast at 7.15. We got off at 7.40 and rode to station. We had seats by the window 3rd class. There were two sailors from the Lake of Garda near us. I got talking with them and one of them showed me his wife and babies’ pictures. I had a great time trying to tell them how we ate corn ??? in America.

We had several different traveling companions on our way to Milan which we reached about 12.20. Left our things in deposits and started in a tram for Cooks’ – no letters there, then went and got a simple lunch - 25 cts. a piece in a 3rd class place, but we have to be economical.

Then looked up the first pension given in Baedeker. Miss Betham Via Brera 5. They had closed their pension and were going away when the war broke out – now they don’t know what to do. At first they – two sisters – said they couldn’t take us, but finally said they could for 3 fr. 1 ½ apiece room and caffé latté in the morning – we didn’t decide to take them and went to the consul where Helen got a certificate of citizenship.

The consul had just arrived from America. He said not to be afraid and to get what pleasure you could and no need yet for people to go home. An Italian company is sending vessels back and asking $100 for steerage. A battleship has sailed from U.S. with $2,000,000 in gold for Americans.

Then we posted two postals to Florence in Firenze and went to Bella Venezia hotel where they wanted 11 frs. a day for pension –so then we came back to Via Brera 5, took the rooms and left our things there. Then went to station on tram and got our things and Helen rode back with them. She wanted me to, but I felt tired and cross and wouldn’t. Found Helen here when I got in. I was so dead tired and my back ached so I went right to bed. Helen came in and heated the milk and I had hot bread, milk for supper. Helen had malted milk, rolls and peaches. I slept very well indeed.

Visiting churches in Verona

Slept very well – did not wake up till 8.30. We were very lazy and had breakfast before we dressed – then dressed slowly. It was 11.30 before we started out.

We went to the P.O. first and got our last Daily Mail – July 31st. Then took a train to St. Zeno Piazza – we went into the church* which was closed but I lent the sacristan the morning paper and we glanced around the church. It was very interesting and I studied it out with Baedecker, but I’ve forgotten already what it looked like. The old doors with old bronze reliefs were most interesting and so were the two lions that supported the front pillars of the portico.

Then we went outside the city gate near by and saw the old fortifications and the dried up moat. Then we took a train and went to Piazza San Trino way the other end of the line. It was a beautiful ride and all for two cents. Then we came back as far as our street the “four ??” “Quattro spade” and got home about two.

Then Helen and I got lunch – eggs and peaches and hot milk for me and malted milk for Helen. Then we took a nap and at 5.30 started out again – we went to the Duomo and across the old Roman bridge Pietra and to see the remnants of the Roman theatre and to San Giorgio [in] Braida and then came back to the hotel where I saw the proprietors and paid our bill in full.

Then we had dinner at 8 P.M. and came up to pack our things.

I cannot find out much about the conditions of the war. It seems that one of the Vanderbilts is here and has chartered a steamer and takes back 440 Americans among them Pres. Buller [Butler] of Columbia Univ**. The boat sails the 12th.

*Basilica di San Zeno **Nicolas Murray Butler, President of Columbia University, 1901-1945.