The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-05-06
The Eternal City.
Rome IN the Holy Week-The Pope's Bles-
sing the Urbi.et-0rbi-Scenes
- in Streets and Churches
Correspondence Of the Pail Mall Gazette.]

sing the Urbi. et-0rbi-Scenes
in Streets and Churches
Correspondence of the Pail Mall Gazette.l
Thursday was bright sunshineand blue
and as we came downstairs all the mar
bles and stone carvings in the court yard
were glittering in the light. A great
golden carriage went by, Git was the her
editary Captain of the Guard driving to
his post That was the first sign of the
days festive humiliation, except by the
way, some guns and bells in the early
morning. AS we drove along we passed
a whole procession of people walking
along the narrow streets towards st. Pc
tiers. Black-Veiled ladies, carriages, blue,
green, red petticoats, coal-black tresses,
children in little black wells tripping
along, swaddled up babies held to the
doors to see the sight Then brown fri
ars, white monks, black and white Domi-
Means and some strange, brown crea-
lures, penitents in huge bonnets, and
priests too, without number, all drifting
in the same direction. AS. we got nearer
to st. Angelo the carriages came thicker,
and all the pretty ladies, (they did not
however, look so pretty as usual) drove
by faster and faster. We drive on and
on down the quaint beautiful streets,
arched and wrought and carved: past
fountains where even on days like this,
the women are watching the water
flow into their pitchers, needless of the
crowd; past shrines and Mater Dolorosas
with sorrowful upturned eyes; past milk
merchants, lottery establishments, sausage
shops; past Raphaels Palace and the an
Gent Doge's barn, and iron-worked win
dows, and open shop arches full Of light
and darkness, and you came at last to the
river and the great bridge of St Angelo,
all alight in the wonderful dazzle. Some
one points out the gonfalons streaming
from the FORT and quotes the old saying
about always meeting soldier, a priest
and beggar on the bridge. The saying
is true enough to-day, as far as the priests
and soldiers are concerned, but the beg
CARS seem to have dressed themselves, and
put on uniform and velvet gowns, and to
be coming along with US to the piazza in
front of St. Peters. It is flowing with
people; they are squatting Oh the steps
standing against the great columns in
hundreds and every minute the crowd
grows thicker and closer. There sits a
row af peasant women with beautiful red
petticoats cleaning in the sun; there
stand the monks talking together, under
their umbrellas ; here are sheperds coming
up from the country with crossed barred
Italian legs. In Rome itself common peo
pie don't dress any more, unfortunately
and wear trousers instead of the rags and
ribbons we all admire. However, some
country people have not yet abandoned
their traditions There are. some dresses
yet left for US sight-seers to admire. Here
stands one of the Swiss guard in his grand
looking uniform Michael Angelo design
ed it, it is said, yellow, with stripes o.
red and black, with beef eaters cap and
halberd. We come into st. Peters, and
presently one of those grand looking
creatures bars our passage, and silently
motions us to turn back to place where
everybody is crowding around a little sa
cristy door, protected by handsome
young Zouave officer. ,
Great St. Peters is strangely decorated
for the occasion, with crimson stages ant
sorts of pens or raised stands full of tn
yelled ladies whom we have seen arriving
by every winding street and spaciou
place. Common people are strolling abou
hand in hand; numberless Zouaves inthei
blue, picturesque dresses, and again NOR
monks and priests 1t is very like th
scene outside, only the great dome over
head and the carved walls and window
about US, and many people are on thei
knees, especially around the bronze statu
of st. Peter with his key and his shinin!
toe. We persuade the officer of the guar
at the turret door to let US pass before tn
crush, and we climb the broad shallo7
steps. Figures out of the picture gale
ries meet us at every corner. Here Is
plum-colored clerk, slashed and square
toed, waiting to take the favored yeIlo'
ticket; and at the top of the stairs Val
dyke, calamity standing, velvet cloal
ruffe. gold chain, with one hand on til
sword-hilt and black silk legs This
q handsome American General who h;
been appointed Cdmerjere Segret0, al
who takes US under his protection. He tel
US that it we will wait IN a certain mario
passage at the back of the pens, whic
are also here for the use of the yelled L
dies, he will provide for Us in time ]
this secret passage we wait patientl
aud well amused All sorts Of strane
& figures Sit past the great Swiss GuaI
bearing down upon us: little uneasy Vi
let priest, with a muslin petticoat, dartt