The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-09-03

An amusing instance of the Pope's accessibility
took place at the Vatican a few days ago, when a lit
tie boy presented himself IT, the outer ante-chamber
of the apostolic apartments, and begged to be admit
ted to the presence of the Pontiff. 1t may be imagin-
ed with what surprise this request was received by
the palace servants, and how they endeavored to
make the child understand the incongruity of his
demand. Whilst the affair was under discussion, a
cameriere Segreto of his Eoliness passed through the
ante-chamber, and having the curiosity to learn what
was tie matter, referred it, as a good joke, to the
Pope himself. Pho Nino, however, gave orders for
the child to be admitted to his presence, and having
questioned him as to the reason of his wishing for an
audience, heard that the boy had an earnest desire
to study, but that his parents, unable to procure him
the necessary books, always put him off with an as
surance that the Pope would buy them for him. To
effect the realization of this promise, the boy had
made the best of his way to the Vatican, and prompt
ly informed his Holiness that the works indispensable
for the prosecution of his studies would cost ffty-three
pauls. The Pope directed the cdmertere segrefO to
give him two dollars GO pauls,) but the boy said
that he could not buy his books with that, so his
Holiness benevolently took out two gold coins of five
dollars each and presented them to the enraptured
child, who forthwith made towards the booksellers
shop, followed by an officer of the Pope's household
who had orders to observe his oyement Being
informed that the boy had really appropriated the
required money to the purchase of books, and that
he had consigned the remainder to his mother, the
Pope took interest in him, and allotted a monthly
sum for his education in the career of letters to which
he seemed so much attached.-Correspondence of the
London DAILY. Nens.
EXTRAORDINARY H&AL OF SrRENGTH.-The Troy
Times of the 9th recound singular trial Of strength
which took place in that city on Saturday evening.
between James Madison, SC the ~cast-iron .aan,v and
Professor Carl, the s.strongest man in Amen
The challenge for a trial of strength, sent by Car,
having been accepted, a large assembly witnessed the
performance. Previous to the trial Prof. Carl gave
an exhibition of magic and ventriloquism, performed
his celebrated guitar and drum solo, balanced sixteen
chairs on his chin, and performed other feats calling
for an exercise of strength, which must have wearied
him somewhat. Mr.. Madison then appeared-held
an anvil weighing two hundred and fourteen pounds
upon his breast, while two men struck it with sledges;
held an anvil upon each knee; broke a number Of
stones with his fist; bent a bar of iron 4 of an inch
thick by striking it over his arm; and held an anvil
weighing about two hundred pounds upon each arm.
while men struck upon it with sndges. Prof. Carl
then appeared, held the anvil uJm his breast, bent
the bar of iron almost double Yson his arm, held the
anvils upon his arm, &C., for q longer period than
which had been rejected by his rival, and hammered
them to pieces. signalling the performance by crack
ing In two a flag stone about large enough to serve a
a stepping-block for q door. After this he held out
one of the heavy anvils over his head for Al seconds,
lifted a sixty-pound weight upon his little finger and
swung around his head, and held two men on his
hair while he whirled them about, top-fshion, until
their feet stuck out at an agile of As degrees. MI.
Madison was then called out by the audience and re-
quested to give an account of himself. He excused
himself by saying that his rival was in constant prac-
tice while he had not broken q stone for . year. Be
ing urged to swing the weight about his head, he de-
clined to do 1T, on the score of inability, and rs Prof.
Carl had not held the aivils on his knees. In short.
he virtually acknowledged himself f whipped man,
THEeNEw CENr..Considering the interest at
tending the issue OF the new cent. and the great