and twirl their blond mustaches with the true English lordliness . I long to see you all , and in spite of my nonsense am , as ever , your loving ... AMY PARIS Dear girls , In my last I told you about our London visit , how kind the Vaughns were , and what pleasant parties they made for us . I enjoyed the trips to Hampton Court and the Kensington Museum more than anything else , for at Hampton I saw Raphael 's cartoons , and at the Museum , rooms full of pictures by Turner , Lawrence , Reynolds , Hogarth , and the other great creatures . The day in Richmond Park was charming , for we had a regular English picnic , and I had more splendid oaks and groups of deer than I could copy , also heard a nightingale , and saw larks go up . We ` did ' London to our heart 's content , thanks to Fred and Frank , and were sorry to go away , for though English people are slow to take you in , when they once make up their minds to do it they can not be outdone in hospitality , I think . The Vaughns hope to meet us in Rome next winter , and I shall be dreadfully disappointed if they do n't , for Grace and I are great friends , and the boys very nice fellows , especially Fred . Well , we were hardly settled here , when he turned up again , saying he had come for a holiday , and was going to Switzerland . Aunt looked sober at first , but he was so cool about it she could n't say a word . And now we get on nicely , and are very glad he came , for he speaks French like a native , and I do n't know what we should do without him . Uncle does n't know ten words , and insists on talking English very loud , as if it would make people understand him . Aunt 's pronunciation is old-fashioned , and Flo and I , though we flattered ourselves that we knew a good deal , find we do n't , and are very grateful to have Fred do the ' parley vooing ' , as Uncle calls it . Such delightful times as we are having ! Sight-seeing from morning till night , stopping for nice lunches in the gay cafes , and meeting with all sorts of droll adventures . Rainy days I spend in the Louvre , revelling in pictures . Jo would turn up her naughty nose at some of the finest , because she has no soul for art , but I have , and I 'm cultivating eye and taste as fast as I can . She would like the relics of great people better , for I 've seen her Napoleon 's cocked hat and gray coat , his baby 's cradle and his old toothbrush , also Marie Antoinette 's little shoe , the ring of Saint Denis , Charlemagne 's sword , and many other interesting things . I 'll talk for hours about them when I come , but have n't time to write . The Palais Royale is a heavenly place , so full of bijouterie and lovely things that I 'm nearly distracted because I ca n't buy them . Fred wanted to get me some , but of course I did n't allow it . Then the Bois and Champs Elysees are tres magnifique .
I 've seen the imperial family several XXXXX , the emperor an ugly , hard-looking man , the empress pale and pretty , but dressed in bad taste , I thought -- purple dress , green hat , and yellow gloves .
adventures anything cafes day hope nonsense place spite thanks times