Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-10-20

The day after the interment of Pope In
nocent y, January IS, 1868, the cardinals
met according to custom In conclave in the
Vatican. There were sixty.nine of them
Unhappy men their fate, says writer in
Chambers Journal, created much commits
Grafton among some of the ambassadors
and ENJOYS OF the European princes, who,
according to rule, visited their cells on the
day on which they were to be shut
up, to see that all was arranged in due
order, and the conclave established ac-
cording TO rule. Sixty-nine cardinals,
accustomed, most OF them, to fare sumptu.
ously, and to live in vast palaces adorned
with the finest productions of ancient and
modern art, to what wicked sojourn he'd
they to submit till it should please Divine
inspiration 10 be melciful to them, and
enable theIr sacred college to combine in
the election of new Pope Two cells,
one for himself and one for his two
attendants, were allotted to each cardinal
and there they must live, ana sleep, and
eat their meals, which have to be sent
Through thehttle wicket at the gate, till the
close OF the concIave,
The present conclave, however, was
fortunate one for the poor cardinals in
one respect. 1t had among its members
many excellent players NJ plcquet, and two
or three ecclesiastiGs OF very humorous
spirit, who aided considerably to enliven
the monotony of its confinement, which
proved In this instance a long one The
maddest wag OF them all was Maidalchni,
who, however, labored under this disad-
vantage, that he was obliged to
shut himself up every day for considera-
BILE time to paint his face and make his
toilet, in order to hide the rayages which
disease and debauchery had made in his
appearance. Maidalchini, one night dur
ing the conclave, lost fifty doubloons at
play to kindred spirit, Cardinal Medci,
when Medici said he would let his emf
hence off if he would dress himself up and
90 and announce as by vision, 10 poor old
lame Cardinal Carafla that he should be
Pope.
The joke seemed too good one not to
be put IN practice, so M3idalchini wrapped
himself up IN white sheet, put on false
beard and wig, pinned two sheets of paper
on his shoulders for wings, borrowed q
pair of green spectacles from Cardinal
friulzi, and made for himself golden
aureole, by the aid of some gilt paper ana
a saucepan, which he put upon his head.
After having completed his disguise, he
took two wax candles, one in each hand,
and got in by secret passage to the side
of Caraffa's bed Poor old Caraffa had the
CONT, and was not asleep when he saw
the phantom arrive; he understood the
pleasantly Immediately perhaps, indeed
be had been warned 80 he seized his
crutch silently, and as soon as the spectre
was near enough, laid on lustily, crying
out: 'Incorriglblc joker, it is thou, is it2
Take that, and ,Lst and laugh again. "
Maidachini did not wait longer than he
could help by CaraAa's bedside, but blew
out his candles and ran off, leaving the
door open, from which latter circumstance
the joke had more serious ending than
WAS anticipated; for poor Carafla was too
much troubled with govt to get up and
shut the door and the draught gave the
equity old man such cold That he died
shortly afterwards