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24 December 1903 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Thursday. 24th [December 1903]. I ran out in the morning to call on Bss Reinelt & found her very worried & depressed. An attempt at extorting money from her is being made. She has been threatened by socialists & large demands are being made on her purse– Poor thing—she is well frightened & worried—tho’ her spirit is roused & she will not give a 1d of money & has put the whole business into the hands of the police here & in Austria. She does not dare to speak of it all to any of her Italian lady friends here & it was a relief to her to tell me about it. She even cried & I had some trouble to cheer her. Directly after lunch I went off with Mme Wiel to the Italian Hospital & we sent on our maids Baker & Mathews beforehand with a Christmas Tree for the poor children in the surgical ward kept by Dr Cavezzani. We also went the round of the men’s ward & Mme Wiel gave each patient a garment as a Christmas gift. The children were overjoyed. The nuns had kept them all in their beds both for warmth & as being more easy to manage them! Each child got a musical instrument & the noise was deafening & they were delighted. Nela & I dined very early & then went down to the sailor’s Institute for the Entertainment provided there for the Merchant sailors. The Prinseps came & greatly helped. One of the Captains took the chair. There was supper given—singing & reciting till past 11. One funny episode was an irrepressible sailor who had had some drink. He started to recite 75 verses forgot it at abt 10th verse & wanted to begin all over again. He was not quite drunk & could not be turned out but interrupted often– | |
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