I soon found that in spite of official and personal protest to the contrary we were considered quite important personages, and the elaborate hospitality we were offered kept us busy at nearly all hours when hospitality is at all in order. There were teas and luncheons, dinners and receptions, and functions of every description, and we met a great many renowned and interesting people, both Roman and foreign. Mr. W. T. Stead, the correspondent for the London Times who was lost on the Titanic , was one of them. Then there was Mr. Laffan, proprietor of the New York Sun , and Mrs. Laffan, and Dr.