| Description | Letter from Amelia Nyasa Laws, 7 Via Venti Settembre, Rome, to her relatives, regarding Uncle's selfish plans for At Homes again; visit of Mrs. Dawes Rose and her grand-daughters; the elder, at 19, refuses to go to church because she cannot sit still; their father is a pastor and their mother unsuited to be a pastor's wife; visit of Mrs. Ashby; her son is at the front with Dr. Brock as interpreter and Italian teacher; only three of the ambulance unit volunteers speak Italian, Dr. Brock, Dr. Ashby and Trevelyan, who is a historian; a school has been moved to the Borghesi but is not yet habitable because the drain pipes were ordered from England and the ship was sunk by a submarine; the ward at the ambulance unit funded by British donations has the best of everything; the Bentons called to take back their baby book, an American custom; the Conklins had one for each of their children; Mrs. Gill is keeping the boys' books for their future wives - no one has anything but marriage in mind; Mrs. Gibson was in church, but her husband is at Siena and Florence; foreigners have been turned out of the Pistoria district as there are munitions factories there; Miss Jazdowska and Mrs. Brock are expected back soon [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]; they are both to stay in the rooms downstairs until Dr. Brock comes back from the front; the Wisely Braggs are back: she is selfish and her poor husband is having to look after her; she may have to go into the Blue Nuns' hospital; the Chiellinis have moved to the Via Liguria and are still renting out rooms; photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Burns, whose war bridal robe is silly and makes her look very young; they will suit each other well; Mr. Boyd of the Continental Committee is to call: he has been sent to establish the Guild Tent at Malta and is now ill from working among the wounded; there are 15,000 wounded in Malta; Uncle and Aunt called on Mrs. Rowat and her daughter - the daughter is not happy in her marriage; Mrs. Rowat intends to go to Viterbo even though it is not the season; Mr. Piggott is back from England where his daughter, Romola, has died; she had cerebral anaemia and a weak heart; Selby Brock is off to India again; his wife is Mr. Piggott's grand-daughter but was not mentioned; Miss Forster Walker has sent a card from Aix and is returning to Rome; she has been to Brittany, visiting relatives; Uncle and Aunt visited Mrs. Mattoli who is becoming more paralysed; her husband is now an army physician - it is as well she does not know of his conduct; Dr. Thomson has sent double his usual subscription and a nice letter; the Continental mission is doomed; Uncle is concerned about expenses; fuel is a problem; baptism of a child of English father and German mother; visit from Mr. and Mrs. E. Holme on their way to Naples; Mrs. Alan Holme (Etta Elliot) was with them with her two children, who meet with approval; Mrs. E. Holme has had three ear operations and is deaf on one side; Ethel is in India; Victor Elliot has just died in France; Mr. Guppy's property seems to have gone to his young wife; Ernesta has now been employed as maid, a heavy looking country girl but a good worker; she seems to get on well with Maria, though Uncle thinks her not good-looking enough to answer the door; Mr. Boyd's visit - nephew of Dr. George Robson - a 'simple thorough Christian'; thanks for letter and enclosures; more calling up of troops in Rome. |