Visiting San Marco; toothache

I slept badly - partly my tooth which ached a good deal and partly the noises around which woke me up. My room is next to the dining room and people come in in late trains and leave in early ones. And the doors open on the roof and the church bells ring and clang at 5.30 and the little steamer chugs up to the landing place and people go past singing and talking and laughing and I can’t sleep.

Went out a little before 10 to meet the Oudesluys in front of the church of St. Marco and they were late so I bought some corn and fed the pigeons. Hortense came up and took two snap shots of me, but unfortunately took another picture on the second film so it was spoiled. We went into the gallery at San Marco and looked at the mosaics and they are perfectly wonderful especially the figures of the prophets. Then we went behind the altar and into the treasury where I saw some wonderful book covers. They left me there as I was too tired to go any further and they wanted to do some sight seeing. Came home and lay down.

My tooth is aching in real earnest and I am afraid I am going to have an ulcerated tooth. Had to take my teeth out because I could not stand them any longer. Had a dinner of soup and hot milk brought in. The O’s went out with the young Italian whom a friend of theirs sent to call on them – and I went to bed. I couldn’t stand it there so got up and played solitaire. Finished felling* the bottom of the white skirt Helen began.

* To sew or finish (a seam) with the raw edges flattened, turned under, and stitched down.

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.

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.

Out of bed at last!

I got up about ten, but it was nearly noon before I was dressed, as I did some mending. Carried my sewing in to Florence’s room, put hooks and eyes into my new guimpe.

Used the pretty new grey bag with old rose lining that Mrs. Morse gave me Christmas.

After lunch I went out and walked an hour, going up to the next little town and back. It was the first time I had been dressed since May 5th.

I found Helen here when I came back. She brought out some calimel* and Florence and I each took half 12 tablets. I had lunch and dinner in Florence’s room.

I am reading The Price of Lis Doris and find it most interesting.

*Probably “calomel”, mercury chloride, used as a laxative and disinfectant until the 1940’s.