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Show FRED MASS! HUNGRY ON THE STREETS OF FLORENCE Writing from Florence, Italv under date of August 14. Fred Massa of Ogden. who has been on a tour of the Mediterranean countries tells of the strange predicament in which he has found himself since the outbreak of the war He has been on the verpe of hunser, with plenty ot money mon-ey in his pockets, and out of his experience ex-perience he has derived some amusement amuse-ment as well as worry. His letter follow 8 "In order for you to know the real 6tate of affairs in Florence, I write you This war news had been going for some time, but 1 paid little attention at-tention to it until I left Rome I was made acquainted that it would be impossible for us to cross the border bor-der I had all mv reservations mad and paid for to sail from Liverpool on the 15th of August on the Aquita-nla Aquita-nla This is all right but let me tell you the funny part of It I arrived ar-rived here last night quite late and had only a few llres and spent those quite soon enough This morning I was compelled to borrow from the hotel clerk for something to eat until un-til the bank opened "Al banking hours. I was politely informed checks were not exchanged I went to Cooks & Son and to about seven different banks, but all re- I fused If you could have seen the merican consulate besieged with Americans, all with travelers' cheeks and not one could not get a cent I flashed mv F'nlted States currencv. but nothing doing. I immediately got bus? on the wire with sister, telling tell-ing her to send me 100 llres by wire al once I have nor heard from that source, but I expect the monev by night. All this to me is extremely amusing. "Of course. I have spen a great deal outside of the museum so far. but nothing on the inside. I am saving my pennies for a loaf of bread ha, ha ha, ha' "I would be walking along and laughing to myself, really enjoying the situation, when suddenly I would realize that all the Senoria and the Dagos were looking at me as much as to say "What is the darn fool laughing at0 "Oh, this Is great' But still I said to myself as 1 stood on the spot where they burned Saronarola. It might be worse; it might be worse! Fove to all. Yours truly (Signed). FRED MASSA." |