Venice

Venice, Italy
July 23, 1919
USS Blakeley
US Naval Forces
European Waters

Dear Mother,

We got here from Spalato early yesterday morning after an all night run, and I had to stay aboard yesterday, so get liberty from 10 this morning til 9 o'clock tonight.

This is some place -- the others have just been wide places in the road when you compare them to Venice. The people are well-dressed, have wonderful manners, and are really good looking. Besides you can get good eats, and that is one thing I surely missed since we have been over here. Am going to try and get a small cameo ring before we leave. They are much cheaper here than anywhere I've seen.

We are to leave for the States in less than a month, so I ought to get out and be home before the first of October.

Have just been through the San Marco Cathedral, and it's more wonderful than I ever thought -- gold inlaid and covered with precious stones throughout. The guards say they are priceless and I believe them, for they are larger than I ever saw.

I will have to make a note of this for I can't afford to waste my shore liberty.

Whiteside and I are ashore together, and are now going out and get some more chow, then get a gondola and go around the city some.

We can't very well play the Aaron Ward baseball like we wanted to before they went back to the U.S. They leave tonight so we will just count them defeated, since we beat the team that won from them. Anyway, I don't think we could play very well on water -- not having practiced up in water baseball.

Will write a longer letter when I get to the ship.

Love to all of you,
Your Son,
Heywood

(Postmarked Benezia, Ferrovia, July 24, 1919)