| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her parents, regarding the pattern of days during the heat and the scirocco; storms; slight earthquakes at Florence, the Abruzzi, Trieste and Croatia; men previously judged unfit are now being called up; 'a caterpillar balloon with its curly tail is balanced over Monte Mario'; the Austrians are trying to force their way through at Trentino; their aim is Vicenza, Verona and Venice; the country is full of spies because Germans have not been expelled, only Austrians; references to fighting in German East Africa; thanks for letter and cheque sent from Zomba; details of her accounts; income tax has diminished Aunt's annuity, but the same has not happened to Aunt Amy; sorry that they are not going home, as it would have given Uncle some say in the appointment of his successor; he is now worried that Dr. Fairweather wants Rome; his schedule has changed since he arrived; Uncle should never have mentioned his retirement as it has led to speculation and he cannot afford to retire as yet, as Uncle Alec's expenses have gone up; he has concluded the business of buying the land next to Aunt Bella's grave in the Campo Verano; he has also been helping Signor Grampini with his burial ground - it is expensive to die in Rome; church accounts; Uncle's attempts to increase the congregation for Dr. Fairweather's visit; Amelia feels the list should be classified into various groups, so as not to mislead; Uncle now realises how useful visitors were in previous seasons; he is engrossed in church and Bible Society work; he is vague about Amelia's ambitions; he is still uncertain about letting her work, even though he tells Mrs. Brock in no uncertain terms that Amelia has work planned; Amelia feels her demands are reasonable now she is almost thirty; Aunt Amy was a failure because of her dependent nature; she complains of the summer plans; at about the same age her mother elected to go to Africa by the north route on her own; Dr. Fairweather's visit; he came only as a sightseer so all their preparation for an inspection was pointless; Uncle is to go to Leghorn shortly and everything else is almost ready for the summer; Mr. Sutherland has recommended her to a lady in charge of a military hospital in Grasse, but the scirocco is bad there and she has to decline; he will now try to find her work at Château d'Oex, where he will spend the summer, or failing that at Berne; she has written to Mrs. Grant Duff, wife of the minister to Berne, though she would rather go to Château d'Oex; Uncle is still trying to impede her; Aunt is very supportive; search for olive and pepper seeds, but olive are grown from cuttings (and not at this time of year) and peppers are not grown locally; speculation as to whether peppercorns from their own garden would do, but they cannot find out until the autumn; Dr. Fairweather is to take some medlar seeds home with him and send them to Mrs. Daly; she is also sending them a summary of a medical article given to her by Florence Polkinghorne [not enclosed]; thanks for letters and details of military matters; new Daylight Saving Bill; reference to quotation from Hazell's Almanac, and to Lord Monson and his son who has had scarlet fever and needed both ears operated on; no news of Mr. Cotterill who was foolish to go to Africa; Mary Slessor's biography is very interesting; Dr. Fairweather says that Scott, late of Leghorn, will probably retain the title 'Rev.', though he has annoyed the committee; parents' travel problems; father is now no longer M.P.; she is to enclose recipes. |