| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, Turin, Italy, to her parents, apologising for not having written to them from Grenoble; her stay there has been a success; she has discovered that she needs to improve her vocabulary and her knowledge of literature in French, and has bought works by Molière, Racine and Corneille; she was sorry not to stay for the exams, but Aunt would have been ill if they had stayed longer; Mlle. Delord has her good points but Amelia pities the girls in her care; Aunt was quite stubborn with her; Antoinette, the Russian boarder, made their stay worthwhile as she is tending away from Orthodox worship and towards Evangelical, and they were able to help her; she is sweet but over-affectionate; Uncle has seen the Bentons, whose baby is suffering from mosquito bites; Mrs. Brock, Mrs. Morgan and Miss Jazdowska are expected back in Rome, to her disgust [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]; Dr. Brock is expected back soon as the Austrian-Italian front will have to cease action because of the snow; Prince Humbert has been allowed to visit his father at the front, a great privilege; speculation as to the ambulance unit's winter activities; Mr. Barbour wrote to Uncle to describe the motor convoy across France and their warm welcome there; the letter mentioned 'Amy' again and enclosed a note for her; she has acquired an Italian phrasebook for him as requested; he hopes to go to Rome at Christmas; he is very sensitive for ambulance work; purchase of soap powder and flannels; prices are moderate in Turin; Uncle writes about the high price of fuel in Rome and is anxious about the church expenses; Aunt Amy has been enjoying evenings at the Barclay soldiers' tea-meetings; comments on mails; Dr. Elmslie has offered to reduce mission expenses in Africa by going home; his wife is lonely but she could find ways to make herself useful; Dr. Elmslie's medical knowledge will be out of date at home, but he is suiting his own convenience; they have had nice letters from Lord Kinnaird and Lord Balfour of Burleigh [perhaps both bereaved?] and have heard that Dr. Whyte's third son, Robert Barbour Whyte, has been killed in action; death could be preferable to other fates; the wounded deserve more sympathy; accounts of some cases; suffrage is likely to be granted to women as compensation for what they will have to deal with after the war and services during it; they have sent an album of views from Grenoble as a Christmas present. |