| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding Labour Day which passed more quietly than expected; weather probably helped; Miss Jazdowska has heard that Italy has signed an agreement with the Allies but that while Russia wants to include her, France and England do not [There were Jazdowskis associated with teaching and art in Aberdeen: James Bronislas Jazdowski, son of John, teacher in Aberdeen, graduated from Marischal College in 1856 and according to an annotation of the Search Room student list died in Rome in 1902]; Italy wishes to be sure of her share of the spoils before she acts; Uncle is developing a power of mimicry, to the amusement of Aunt and Amelia; Mr. Cotterill's visit but his complete upstaging by the Misses Fraser and Mrs. van Millingen; Mr. Cotterill aptly describes himself as a dabbler; Miss Cotterill may have to teach again in Viareggio to make ends meet; they do not know whether to settle in England or Switzerland, but have discounted Germany as the Germans are determined to wipe out British militarism; the Canadians have had their first experience of asphyxiating gases, based apparently on chloride and bromide; Germans protected by masks soaked in bicarbonate of soda; the experience has stimulated Canadian recruitment; the gas brings on either complete asphyxiation or a form of severe bronchitis; a Dr. Haldane says that ammonia might be an antidote; more disruption in the van Millingen family; Uncle is to go to Leghorn for the 'local ordination' of the missionary there, to allow him to dispense the sacraments for the mission; Aunt and Amelia will take the opportunity of his absence to spring clean the dining room; Maria's brother may be able to help by beating the carpets, but he is just over blood-poisoning; the bread is getting worse and affecting Aunt; the supply is worse than France, even though France is at war; Maria is quarrelling with her step-son who has claimed all her possessions on his marriage, contrary to the law which would allow him to claim his own mother's; Maria is taking pleasure in tormenting Fulvio. |