| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding weather, torrential rain and thunderstorm; Uncle's odd sensitivity to cold; he wears heavy flannel underwear in August; coal has gone up in price and so has sugar; she is suspicious as there is no reason for short supply and high prices; the poor are finding things difficult; Uncle has been helping Signor Taglialatela bring his Canadian wife and mother-in-law out of the country - he is pastor of the Methodist church; he is not well but is of military age, so health certificates had to be provided; Mrs. Rundall complicated matters by driving in an open cab and catching bronchitis; Mrs. Taglialatela says she has been in Rome five years and constantly in trouble; Miss Chiellini has been telling Aunt of Mr. Burns' continuing problems - his wife is useless and selfish, will do nothing for their baby, and servants will not stay with them; Mrs. Burns and her mother have ruined his life; the Chiellinis are well but Mrs. Dawes Rose looks poorly; neither of her granddaughters has been trained for anything but now they are poor and the elder one wants to work; Henderson of Leghorn has resigned, and this will lead to business at the Presbytery and consistory next month; Henderson feels that Miss Cooke was badly treated; Irving agrees; Crozier has asked for his salary to be doubled; this is unlikely to happen; he and his wife cannot afford a servant so she cannot attend the services; he is much older than she, so she has poor prospects; Mr. Henderson has not helped the perception of the financial situation there; Milne Rae has finally seen through Blake; visit to see Mr. Green; she will take a couple of lessons a week with him, for the sake of having permission to practise on the organ, but she has warned him that Uncle wants her to continue with massage; Mr. Green is so interested in her work over the summer that he is not even sarcastic; she is to enclose cuttings from the Daily Mail that Aunt bought at Aix; pleased to hear that Mr. Wright's call has been unanimous. |