| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding preparation for service; Uncle is to preach on the restoration of Jerusalem; mention of General Allenby entering Jerusalem quietly with the troops on foot; the dignity of the event has made a great impression in Rome; the French and Italians have taken charge of their property and the Italians are local heroes; details of British diplomatic activities in dividing up the guarding of the city between the nationalities; the Vatican is not pleased, but their opinion has changed as it is not popular; celebration of Tasso who wrote Gerusalemme Liberata; public demonstration outside the American Embassy because of the declaration of war against Austria; the public were disappointed that the consulate was not illuminated - they like display; Uncle has been trying to calculate whether or not certain prophecies with regard to Jerusalem have been fulfilled; Aunt to call on Mrs. Franza with a Miss Brownrigg, in Rome to work at the passport office; notes on historical elements of Uncle's sermon - Jerusalem under the Muslims, the Romans, the Crusaders, etc.; death of Mr. Holme in Naples; he had had a heart attack before, but he took ill during the night and as the manservant had gone home there was no one to send for the doctor until morning; oxygen was given, but he died later that day; they heard the news from Mary Elliott who was on her way to a Red Cross meeting; Mr. and Mrs. Elliott have gone to Naples for the funeral; Mr. Irving was to have asked Uncle to tell Mr. Guppy, but has not done so; Mr. Guppy is apparently avoiding his daughter and may have gone to Rapallo; Mr. Elliott has a cold, probably caught at Naples; Mrs. Holme will be lonely, as she does not get on with the Irvings - 'Ted's marriage to Janie was a mistake, but the Irvings do not see it'; Janie was jilted by a Mr. Bell, then wished to train as a nurse in Edinburgh; Ted was a flirt but proposed to her; the Irvings do not train their children properly; Ruth is doing Red Cross work; the war is not a good preparation for life as it can provide distractions rather than training for women; Hale Benton has been appointed director of the American Red Cross canteen and is looking for 100 women to join and visit the camps in pairs; Mrs. Benton would go if she could - many crave recognition for work outside the home, even though home work is just as important; Mrs. Benton's home 'hasn't even a homey feel about it'; she interferes in her husband's external activities instead; description of papier maché work to construct arm and leg splints; she is being taught how to do this, but in a rather haphazard manner; she finds that her French uniform is a practical outfit for the work, which is messy - 'worthy of any laddies' Sunday School missionary work party'; the Italian uniform has long sleeves, which become very dirty, and as they are difficult to wash they stay dirty; many of her fellow pupils are marchionesses and countesses but their manners are not what they would be at home; her use of time is rather more practical than theirs; the lessons take place in an old and beautiful palace with huge fireplaces and the walls hung with cloth to protect the frescoes during war work; there are rooms for bandage-making, slippers and vests and splints; Mr. Green has been sarcastic again; thanks to Aunt Amy for letter and pretty calendars; prices of tea and sugar; news of her patients Mathieu and Dufau. |