| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding lack of letters from Aunt Amy and hopes that it is Channel delays and not illness causing it; Uncle and Aunt's visit to Mrs. and Miss Stewart; Miss Stewart can say nothing now that Amelia has spent the summer working in a hospital; this is a poor criterion as many incapables are in hospitals; meeting of the Consistory; Blake is full of gas; description of Crozier; he is a cautious man; meeting of the Presbytery; the work done by Aunt and Amelia in these matters is always taken for granted; Maria had made a splendid meal, using margarine, which they always use for cooking now; the men ate everything; Dr. Coldstream, elder from Florence, had second helpings of everything; Blake monopolised the conversation; debate regarding Dr. Coldstream's purchase of a single ticket to Rome; Blake's amusing account of his visit to Constantinople in his youth; Blake is very keen to replace Uncle in Rome; Mrs. Crozier is suffering from mosquito bites; she is depressed; Mr. Crozier has to help look after the baby, which is good, but it is because they are needlessly poor; his salary has been raised but it is still very low; sugar is scarce and expensive; Italy had no supplies and has now appealed to England for a share in the order from Havana; eggs are impossible; Miss Howard, daughter of Sir Henry Howard, ex-ambassador to the Vatican, has proposed setting up in opposition to the Y.M.C.A., to Miss Jazdowska's annoyance [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]; most of the men in the Y.M.C.A. are from Aberdeen, Buckie and surrounds; they are met off the trains, fed, bathed, and taken round the sights; Sir James Wilson has offered to do the late evening work, which pleases Miss Jazdowska though Mr. Henderson was rebuffed for the same suggestion; the Embassy are in on the work now; Uncle has been invited to help, but in a patronising way by the High Church party; second visit to the Villa Mirafiore but it is a place for fitting artificial limbs and training, not for massage; she is done with the Red Cross; military hospitals have no such regulations and Uncle could try there, though Amelia is in no hurry; Mr. Benton's foot takes all the strength she has in the Roman climate; thanks to Aunt Amy for letter. |