Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-05-12
. .1aa R ONE.
II RI n p O a.
THE SANTISSINO BAMRINO.

THE SANTISSIfO BAMBINO.
Correspondence New York Independent.
ROME, ITALY, March Is, 1869.
,Wehave been presented to the Pope.
As soon as his Holiness heard that we
were in Rome. he sentOne of his most
gayly appareled messengers-whO
wasn't, however, above accepting a
trifle of Papal silver-with an invita-
ton for US to come round, Informally,
and see him on Sunday morning
The invitation, indeed, prescribed the
sort of clothes we were to wear; but
the regulations are rather to check
female extravance than to show the
taste of the Pope in costume. Gen
tlernenare presented in ordinary eYen-
ing dress, ladies in black, with walls
ana no bOnnets, and nobody is TO wear
gloves. The hour named, half-past
IL, il might have been known, would
interfere with the time of the Protest
ant services outside the city gate for
on Sunday at IL O'Clock there is a
mighty and a steady stream of the
best civilization in the city, 2 vast
proportion Ofthe Christianity of Chris
tian Rome, certainly the best dressed
portion of it, streaming down the Via
Bambino and Porta del POpOlo to the
English and American chapels, Just
under the wall. 1t might be natural
to desire to divert little of this to the
Vatican on this day.
1t happened to rain, as it has hap
pened to donearly every day in March;
the storm swept the piazza of st. Pc
ter and hOwled through the colon
nades; the striped guards shivered in
the passage; the cOachmen sitting on
the boxes Of the state coaches which
crowded the Court of st. Damacus,
took the beating rain like Christians;
it was, in short, not a good day for
'sgoing to meeting;N and yet, when
We had climbed no end of broad mar
BILE staircases-for his Holiness lives
quite at the top of the hOuse-and
been ushered by extraordinary pages
in purple into the long reception room
we found at least three hundred other
Christians there, who, it seems, did
not mind wind and weather inso good
a cause, and who had been invited in
the same informal manner that we
had. Nearly every person presented
had his or her hands full of beads,
rosaries, crucifiXes, and various trink-
cts of the toilet or for religious use,
brought to receive the papal blessing.
saw some ladies who carried, literal
ly, an armful of beads. And 1 thought
that if those who complain this is not
an age of faith had been present they
would have changed their theory.
The chamberlains separated us into
two masses, on eitherside of the room,
leaving a space in the middle; and
thus we stood in decOrOus expectancy,
holding on to our beads and waiting
for the entrance of the Head of the
Church. After the lapse of ten min
utes, a small door uearour end swung
open, and, proceeded by two purple
His Holiness quietly walk
ed in. Down went the three hundred
on their knees, except one conspi-
ciously tall American, who stoutly
showed his independence. For my
part, ] don't see why people who will
be presented at courts should not 90
through the accepted forms. If they
have conscientious scruples against
wearing a dress-cOat and kneeling,
they can save themselves all trouble
by staying at home. l have seen
stand with their hats on in
the streets when professions were pas
sing in presence of which the whole
were uncovered, and pride
on doing a very meritOri-
Gus thing. If 1 had time, l think 1
could show that it was q very uncOur-
teous thing.
The Pope walked in with brisk
old step and a CHEEKY manner, and we
heard his voice at once, as he began
in rapid and pleasant way to speak
to those nearest to him. The others
rose to their feet: those near him still
and as he passed along they
kneeled again 10y sections. The Pope
has q mild, round, smooth, benevolent
face, with pleasant eye, not devoid
of humor-at first sight a good, but
not very strong face. / have seen him
on other occasions, when his face eX-
pressed more craft. He was dressed
that day as simply as baby; a gown
of white cloth, with small cape, a sat
in sash, gold chain, red shoes, and
white skull-cap There was some
thing almost comical in the business /
like manner in which he did up the
There was 4 little haste
in il, as there well might be when
there were so many present. He was
preceded by chamberlain, who bust
led along, demanding and collecting
the reception tickets, as the officials
took up our passports on the cars; and (.
he followed, bending over the kneel- 1
ing throng, speaking all the time to z
this OIicaDd that, in French or Italian, 7
out his hand to be taken 1
and kissed. To spectator he appear /
ed not unlike an aged gardener, out /
for hasty morning walk, pOttering
along, bending over his flower beds, /
and picking out the weeds. And vet /
one might have other thoughts who /
noticed the streaming eyes of many of /
the kneeling devotees, and the pas
sionate grasping and kissing of the !
hand with the emerald ring. !
His Holiness is said to be a little /
fond of exhibiting his knowledge of
America. In response TO a lady near
US, who informed him that she was
from America, l heard him ask her
what city. Boston, was the answer.
i'Ah, yes, Boston; that is a place of
great commerce. / only mention it
for the sake of Boston people, who
will be glad, 1 know, TO learn that
their town has the reputation of being
a great commercial city at the Papal
Court. When the Pope had passed
blessed every body who need
ed it, and given every one an Oppor-
tunity to take and kiss his hand, he
retired to little dais at the end of the
room, and made a few remarks in
short, nothing else than
an exhortation, very catholic in spirit,
TO all present to lead Christian and
holy life, and to begin that day to do
so if we had not before; that We all
had one God and one Savior, from