Trip to Fiesole

Woke up a little before eight. Breakfast in bed at nine. Studied the Italian grammar most diligently for an hour or more.

Washed some pieces. Mended stockings. Then went into F.’s room to work on my black silk dress. The skirt does not hang evenly. I tried it on. Florence changed it a little and I sewed it again.

Helen came up and we went to Fiesole, Florence, Helen and I. We went into the Cathedral and then into the Greek theater and the old baths. Florence took me in, a franc apiece. I saw the old Etruscan wall and we wandered all over the ruins.


The theatre has a wonderful situation looking out on the hills of Florence. We saw the ivory admission ticket that was given to the gladiator Euporus 62 B.C. after he had won 15 times, to admit him to a seat in the theatre. It was given to him by the Roman Consul. We spent a most interesting afternoon looking at the museum, theatre, etc. Helen had seen it several times and wouldn’t go in.

We met a Mrs. Hubbell w. her sister and daughter from California. It began to sprinkle so we came back to the Luné while Helen went home. The Directore told us of the dreadful news of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland yesterday morning and many people drowned. It was in the Italian paper. It positively makes me sick.*

It rained hard. Played Sequence with Florence and she beat me dreadfully.

*In the early morning hours of May 29, 1914, the Canadian Pacific ocean liner Empress of Ireland was cruising the St. Lawrence, headed for Liverpool. Travelling the opposite way was the Norwegian collier Storstad, weighed down by a full load of coal. Each ship had spotted the other, but a sudden fog obscured both. A collision sank the Empress of Ireland in just 14 minutes with more than 1000 passengers losing their lives.

First Italian lesson, hats, and sightseeing in Florence

Woke up quite early, had my bath, and rang for breakfast by eight. The breakfast had not come so had to wait. Read my French book a while. Was dressed by ten and went into F’s room. She is feeling somewhat better. Helen called me up on the telephone and I said we were going down today.

Signorina Bianca Carli came before F. was dressed so I went down and talked to her in French and began my first lesson in Italian. Florence did not take. I read the words over and we talked a little until twelve o’clock.

Florence went right down to the doctor’s after lunch, but I was not ready. Missed a car so was late in meeting Helen at Dr. Dunn’s. There were six ahead so I did not wait.

Helen took me to her milliner’s. She is going to fix my feathers and perhaps my hat by trimming it so I can wear it this summer.

Then we went down to the Duomo and took No. 8 to the end of the line, Piazza Michelangelo. I was so tired I could not go to see the two churches so we sat there and rested there, looked at the statue of David by Michelangelo and at the wonderful view of Florence and then came back to the Duomo where I took the car for the Luné.


After dinner, Florence stewed cherries and taught me Italian while I knit. Then we played Sequence and F. beat me all to pieces. Florence likes Dr. Ginguioli. He wants her to go to the Pestellini* as soon as she can. He thinks he can help her very much.

* Nigel Nicolson in “A Portrait of a Marriage”, describes his mother, Vita’s stay there in 1908 on her first visit to Florence: “They stayed at the Villa Pestellini, an ochre-coloured house with loggias and terraces and a cottage in the garden, and descended each day to the city…” In 1912, she went with Rosamund to Florence and stayed in the cottage at the Villa Pestellini.

Sewing, walking, and card games

Breakfast in bed. It rained a little in the morning and looked so cloudy at lunch that we decided to give up going to the city. Tried to call up Helen on the telephone and could not get the Montebello so wrote her a postal.

Had a nice letter from Hazel and a note from Percy, also four cunning pictures of John. Hazel said they were going to send me $40 next month but it is not owing me till August. She also said she was not satisfied with Percy’s condition.

Received also a nice letter from Alfred. Wrote a letter to Hazel about the money.

Florence made some hot tea and I went in and took my sewing. Then we went out and took a beautiful walk through the hanging vines along the Via Barbacane.


Stayed downstairs in the salon for a while after dinner then came up and played Sequence with Florence and she beat me.

Shopping and doctors' visits in Florence

Read a little more Eugene Sue with my b’fast.

Florence came in to say that the Russian count who had the room next to hers was going and that the proprietor said I could have his room as the same price. I looked at it. It has light furniture. I did not like it so I am to have the next with dark furniture. I fussed around my room all the morning washing gloves and the 3 veils.

After lunch got ready to go up town or down town with Florence.

She went to the U.S. Consulate* and got two powers of attorney; had to pay $2 a piece for them. We also went to P.O. and sent off a money order for $2.50 to get our English daily paper.

Then we went to her ear doctor, Dr. Tito, and she asked for her bill. Then we went to several shops to get a parasol for me and I bought a gray one for $1.60 that will do but that I do not like. You cannot buy ready made things in Italy and I think it costs as much to live here as in the U.S.

Then Florence went home and I went to the dentist’s. I waited half an hour and saw him five minutes.

I have more doubts about these teeth being suitable or successful, but Dr. Dunn says they will give me better service than what I had.

Got back to the pension about 6. Found Florence here. Her foot troubles her greatly. We sat out on the terrace before dinner and in the salon afterwards.

Got talking to the two sisters and nurse of the woman with spine trouble. Then we came upstairs and played Sequence till eleven.

*Located at 9 Via Tornabuoni

Going Hat Shopping and to the Dentist

Slept better.

Florence came into my room at 8:15, found me in bed and said she was going to have her lunch sent up and could get it cheaper if it came with Helen’s so she went down to see the manager about it. He said she wasn’t coming and then repeated what Helen has said and done.

Florence was furious and insisted upon bringing the manager into my room and having him tell [truth]. Then she called up Helen who hedged, said she thought it wasn’t right to come under the circumstances, appealed for advice and finally when Florence told her to do what she wanted to, decided to stay at the Montebello.* So Florence ordered her lunch to be brought up. I got up, washed out some h’chiefs, ripped the feathers off my hat.

We decided to go down town after lunch, buy our hats, go to the bank, see about letters re. hunt up a dentist. We had quite a little time about getting Alfred’s check for $306.94 - cashed but we did finally.

Then I left gloves to be cleaned and we did numerous small errands and then we hunted up Dr. Wm Dunn.** There were lots of patients in the waiting room and at first the girl said we would have to make an appointment, but when she heard it was an accident, she said she would take the plate and the broken tooth and show him and then she came back and said he would see me in an hour.

So F. and I walked down to the New Market to buy an outing hat. I picked out the one I wanted and then had to hurry back to the dentist who advised me to cut off those three roots level with the gum and have a plate made. Said he could give it to me by Saturday whereas if I had all my teeth out, it would take a month before the gums would heal enough to have teeth {adher}. So he ground down the 3 teeth and made an impression of the bite.

Found my way back alone. Florence came in soon after. She had brought 2 more veils and the two cheap hats. Florence’s feet hurt terribly all the afternoon and evening. It is the gout in them. After dinner sat in F’s room. Played solitaire awhile myself and got it finally.

*Via Curtatone 2
**Dr. Dunn, a dentist, is mentioned in the 1886 Baedecker as being on Piazza S. Maria Novella 24.

Hat shopping in Florence

Slept poorly. Think it is indigestion. Had bread and milk for breakfast.

Finished T. Teinbaum so Helen could take it. She came in before I was dressed. She can’t make up her mind whether to come up here and join us or not. Finally said she would - then went down and beat the price down to 7 frc. a day for a sunny room and then told him 7. Said she would not stay if she did not get her room at the same price and she made such a muddle of it, that she decided she would not come, but she did not tell us of her discussion and we were expecting her tomorrow.

We went down and had lunch and then Florence said, “Let’s go to Florence and buy our sun hats - it will do us good,” so we started off. It cost us a franc for car fares because we got into the right bus going in the wrong direction but we saw lots of the city. Hunted and hunted for a store where they sold old laces till we found it and then Florence bought 5 v. 2 3 ???. Mine cost $2.50.

One is for my hat trimming; an interesting old Italian and his son have the shop and they go all over Italy buying these things. These things were worn by contadini* women and thrown over babies for christening. They are most interesting. I shall use mine for a little shawl.

I also bought a little blue delft bottle for 50 cen. We stayed there till six and then had to get back for dinner. I ate only soup and bread and milk because I was so tired.


Played several hands of Sequence with Florence and beat her. Then I played solitaire alone till eleven like a fool. We looked at our purchases and divided them. I had final choice. We went out to walk right after lunch and got caught in a shower or at least it began to rain, but not heavily till we got into the house. No letters.

*peasant

Still under the weather in Florence

Did not sleep well. Had breakfast at 9:45. Got up at 10 - dressed, washed out several things, mended a lot of clothes.

Unpacked most of my trunk, the things I would need.

Went to lunch - a good one.

Sat in Florence’s room most of the afternoon. I was sewing and she pressing down the lace collars to dry that she had washed this morning.

Finished a slipper. Afraid I bound it off too tight.

Showed Florence how to play Solitaire.

Went to dinner.

Taught Florence how to play Sequence.

The missionary nuns came with a lot of embroidery lace and leather ??? I did not buy because I felt too poor.

It rained all day.

Read T. Tanbaum till late.