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were three Italian gentlemen in Constantinople negotiating with Turkey
for armor plate - Mr. Allesandro Mariano Amadori, Mr. Ambrogetti, and
a friend. Mr. Amadori was a charming, highly educated Italian from Rome
who spoke seven languages. For many years I kept in touch with him, exchanging
Christmas and New Year's cards. It became a lifelong friendship. More
about this friendship later.
Claude and I were arrested on suspicion upon our
arrival in Constantinople. Mrs. Darling's statement that the visas we
obtained in Paris were all we needed to enter the Sublime Port of Constantinople
was incorrect. They should have been obtained in Athens, the last place
we visited where there was an American Consul. After we had been to the
customs office and had our luggage passed, we were whisked off to a jail
on the other side of the city. We were there only a few hours as we sent
a call to our American Consul who sent a handsome young attaché
to see us. When he found we had rooms engaged at the Pera Palace Hotel,
we were released and sent in a cab to the hotel. Many people had read
about our arrest and wanted to meet us. We were asked to join The Lonely
Club, which we did. The Lonely Club was composed of a number of men of
different nationalities, most of whom were in Constantinople on business
- like Mr. Darling and the three Italians who were trying to sell armor
plate for Turkey's proposed warships. __________________ sister of the
Sultan.
A Mr. Clulow from London took a great fancy to
Claude and me. He had a private mouche (spelling?). This was a boat run
by two Turks ________ which had room for four people to go on short trips.
He took us to Asia Minor, _______ in Adriatic Sea _________ Brouspa (spelling
?), and the blue mosque in Asia Minor. We were so highly entertained that
we rarely had to use a cab. We spent two weeks in Turkey instead of one
as we had planned. We left by train for Vienna, passing through Budapest
which was beautiful and interesting from the train. When we reached the
Hotel Sacher, there was Mr. Amadori! He sent me a lovely corsage, a deep
red rose with blue gentian. He took me to the noted coutouriere Ungar,
where we saw beautiful fashions on handsome Austrian models. Mrs. Amadori
frequently ordered her best gowns from Ungar, so they were very attentive
to me. The next time I met Mr. Amadori was in Sicily in 1903, and then
in Rome in 1934. It was a wonderful friendship. We went to Germany, Belgium,
and Holland, doing the usual sightseeing quite thoroughly, and then to
England. We sailed from the Hook of Holland to Dover. Neither Claude nor
I was seasick on the English Channel. We went directly to London where
we had very attractive lodgings on Albemarle Street. Some St. Louis friends
had been there. This gave us a taste of English life, and the pleasant
private service that is to be had in London. We did very heavy night-and-day
sightseeing in London; then went to Stratford on Avon, Stonehenge. Stoke
Poges. Windsor Castle, Kero Gardens
Claude had to return to Princeton in September
so we hurried the last part of our trip. I went with him to Southampton
to see him off. We sailed on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse. I never felt
so small or lonely as I did watching that huge ship leave port.
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