| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, Rome, to her relatives, on Easter Sunday, saying that Mr. Smith's Communion service was not the same as Uncle's but he preached well, Amelia played the organ, better to do it herself than to listen to Mr. Gibson, she was supposed to have started last Sunday but collapsed on Thursday and asked him to wait another week, busy days, Aunt's hands are bad and Amelia wishes they were gone, Aunt is not sleeping well and there are too many visitors, Mr. Gibson has been difficult but has at last allowed them to pay for the funeral, he wants the congregation to pay for a memorial to Uncle, which is fair, cost of the funeral, Mr. Gibson wanted the face taken off Aunt Bella's stone and reworked for both her and Uncle, but this would be a bad idea as it was Uncle's memorial to her and should not be changed, and there should be a separate one for Uncle 'as it remains a permanent memorial to him which visitors for years will seek for in its own place', Hale agrees with them, Mr. Davidson will be the treasurer for the appeal, Mrs. Benton wanted a photograph of Uncle attached to the appeal, but they refused as it was an American idea, diplomatic difficulties, Gibson is apparently anxious for them to leave so that he can have a free hand, Aunt wishes to see the stone in place before leaving, gifts to the Rossis out of Uncle's books, Gibson is not to have a say over all of them, Hale has received a 'hand desk' which he intends eventually to leave to his son Gordon, named after Uncle, little Hale has received Uncle's whistle, Mr. Davidson Uncle's Sorrento walking-stick, Gibson Uncle's umbrella, the Bentons have given Aunt and Amelia 'an artistic enlargement' of Uncle's passport photograph which is the best one of him, done by Miss Eva Barrett and put in a narrow silver frame, visit from Elise whose father is ill with boils on the back, she recommended a good valuator who has visited and done a good job, valuation of the house contents, the Committee will pay in English money which, with the exchange rate, will be a good bargain for them, the proceeds will be banked for Uncle Alec's use, the church accounts have been sorted out, but now the Board of Management minutes have to be copied up from rough notes for the last two years. |