The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-06-14
roRNINa Star AND CATHOLIC NEssEHoER.
NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY, JUNE II, 1868.
A PRHsKNTATI0N AT THE VATICAN.

from a source that never Omits an opportu-
nifty of flinging dirt on everything Catholic.
That part relating to the "rigid Puritan"
shows the unmannered Chlvinistic animal.
One of the weaknesses of Americana
abroad is to seek presentation to crowned
heads. Our ministers ut London, Paris,
Vienna, and other continental capitals are
bored to death''-to use the common ex-
pressiOn-wfth requests for introduction at
court. By European etiquette any person
presented . q sovereign must be Of suf-
at his own court. This rule works well
enough In the case Of subjects of all mon
archial governments, whether absolute or
limited, t. the number of persons entitled
to presentation is not large. But when ap-
piled to Americans it is very unsatisfactory;
to visit the White House and shake hands
with the President. Probably our repub-
ican court receives more visitors every
month than the sovereigns of England,
France, Russia, or any other tirst-class
power in q whole lifetime. We carry our
republicanism with us when we go abroad
quite as much as the Englishman carries
his insularity-and one thing that we re-
member above all others is, that we are
eligible to u state presentation at home, ana
therefore must have the same right abroad.
Woman, lovely woman-especiaily II ut
on the scent for royalty as her bearded and
bigger half. To enter the penetralia of Al
palace and gaze upon the features of It's
presiding genius she will undergo any tor.
ture of body, mind, milliner, or bank ac-
count Nay, she will even submit to array
herself after Il prescribed form, while a:
home she would laugh to utter refusal all
dictation in the matter of dress. Husband,
father, or big brother wllu may be travelling
with her is kept III lnetapl,"rical hot water
until he secures the desired invitation to
court. or is positively refused all admission.
When she has been in the presence, and ac-
tually received the hundredth part of a
smile from the august face, how perfect is
her happiness, and with what ineffable con-
tempt and scorn she ever after regards those
who were rejected! A presentation at a
RIVAL or imperial court is an event to be
talked about on all conversational many
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS for the rest of her
natural life.
Customs differ at the various European
courts, some of them being more easy of
access than others. Some admit male civil
ians in ordinary evening dress, while Others
require that they shall be arrayed in uni
form or in the prescribed costume of the
court. At the palace of Tuileries it is both
interesting and amusing to witness tho
movements of some of our aspirants to dis
the first time in their lives. Their suits
fit them uneasily; they are generally too
large or too small their swords bangle be-
tween their legs, and occasionally trip them
up; their cooked hats are announcement to
dispose of, and altogether they appear like
organ grinders monkeys in new jackets.
AS the presentation generally consists of
standing in q row while His Majesty walks
through the apartment, and hears the names
of the visitors read, as an Overseer calls the
roll of his hod- carriers, there is suspicion
in the minds of many, as with the boy who
:ol o1r biol, ot that If Ia hardly worth
while to go through 30 much to accomplish
so little.
His Holiness, the Pope, is more easily ac
cessible than most of the kingly and impe-
rial personages of Europe, and especially so
to Americans. Every little while there is
an opportunity for presentation at the Vati-
can, and it is not required, as elsewhere,
that application should be made through
the ambassador of ones country. The lead
ing bankers of Rome can procure invita-
tions, and they generally do it by whole
sale. They send lists of whatever names
are registered, and suspect they often pro-
cure few dozens of papers In blank, to be
filed up by themselves. The invitation
specifies the dress to be worn on the occa-
sion. Gentlemen must be in evening cos
tune, with white cravats, while ladies must
wear black dresses and wells, with no bon
nets. I believe the costume is varied at
times, and of late years it is less rigidly in
sisted upon than formerly.
happening in Romelast year during Holy
Week found there was to be Papal au-
dience, and, OH application to my banker,
received ticket of invitation At the APP
pointed hour-four o'clock rode to the Va
tican, and passed under the colonnade OF St
Peters to the broad stairway that led to the
audience ROOM The harlequinisll looking
soldiers called '.the Pope's Own" (Which
the American bishops have been requested
to replace by thousand good Americans,
were ranged near the entrance at the foot
of the stairway, and formed a close line
through which no one Hnproyided with 6
ticket was allowed to pass. At the head o.
the stairway were chamberlains of the
Pope's household, performing the easy
tl,nnnh neeessarY duty of finger nOSts tt