The union Democrat., 1870-07-02
The Pope-How ne Lives, What ne Fats,
and how he Spends his Time.

ana now ne Spcn0s MS atmc.
One of our Roman correspondents, who has
uncommonly good opportunities to know.
sends US the following account of the Peope' {
| daily life -
Some of your readers may feel some curios-
| ity, if not interest, as to the manner in which
the Pope lives aud passes his time. 1t is We
ry simple. entirely Invested of the pomp sur
grounding him at the great Church festivals,
and far less luxurious than the habits of the
dear Bishops of republican America.
/ Winter and summer Plus IX, rises at 3
A. NJ. After dressing, he passes half ar
hour alone in prayer, then he says mass at
A. NJ. After which he breakfasts on cup
Iof chocolate redu and dry bread. From
I A. NJ. until midday he is occupied in the ex-
animation Of State documents and the recep-
tion of ministers, each member of his cabinet
having special day on which his report
must be made, except with tke Cardinal Min
lister of State, Antonelli, who is admitted ev-
| cry, day. At 2 P. NJ, or a little before, the
Anti camera Mobile of court dignitaries on
| duty, are dismissed and the Pope sits down
to dinner. This is of the very simplest fare,
generally consisting only of vegetables, some
times with fish, rarely, if ever, of meat; no
butter or sauces of any kind. and, only when
his medical attendant prescribes it, accom-
panied by glass of country wine-ciao nos
trale.
AT 3 P. NJ. he hears vespers in his private
chapel, and Immediately afterward, If the
weather be not too inclement, goes out for q
drive, in which he is accompanied by one or
| TIVE of his clerical chamberlains, and by the
detachment of twelve noble guards who are
on duty. En- passdat, it is well to state that
these warriors, although one OF them rides on
each side of his carriage door, are merely or
namental appendages, not guardians of his
persons, for they would scorn to soil their ar
istocratic hands by any contest with malefac-
tors, and always run away or get leave of alb
sence when any @black spots'' are to be seen
along the political horizon; besides the Pope
has no need of champions among the Roman
people, who are devoted to him personally,
as any one may assure himself who has ever
seen the battiStrdda, or outriders, dash along
in front of the cortege, or who has noticed
the affectionate reverence displayed by all
classes of the natives as they discover the
numbering red carriage with its four black
horses, or the venerable Pontiff himself, at
tired in his plain white cassock and broad
red hat, distributing his blessings to the
crowd as he walks along the middle of the
street.
Par Pdrenthesc: 1t is contrary to etiquette
for any Cardinal to be seen on foot within
the city walls, SO their pedestrianism is con-
fined exclusively to the rural districts; but
the Pope always does the length of the Corso
or the circuit of Pincian hill, if it does not
rain, particularly should any of the foreign
newspapers have published reports of his fail
ing health or strengh.
After his return from his drive the Pope
takes another frugal repast, and then until
bed time-about 10 or IL o'clock-is busted
in the examination Of ministerial reports and
state documents.
Such is the daily routine of the Holy Faith
er, only varied by the private reception of
distinguished personages in the mornings
three or four times week, and by a public
reception on Sundays at O'Clock, both of
which are, as rule, fearful nuisances.
1t Is a generally received opinion that Plus
TX. is a mere cypher-"a good man occupied
solely with spiritual affairs, and abandoning
secular matters entirely to Antonelli." There
never was greater mistake in the world
The Pope is good-not even his enemies de-
ny that; but he is not only spiritual chief,
but a temporal ruler in every sense Of the
word, and few soveregns are more busted
with the affairs of state than is the sold man
of the Vatican" He does not spend very
great amount of public money, for the entire
civil list of the Pontifcal government-in-
cluding the Pope's personal expenses, the sal
aries of the Cardinals, of all the foreign di-
plomatic agents and home ministers, and of
the court officials, guards and servants of the
Vatican-is covered by the sum of $500, 900
annually.
AS q rule, Plus TX. eats alone, his domes-
tic chaplain reading aloud the prayer of the
day during the meal. Sometimes, however,
one Of the prelates on duty is invited to share
the repast, an hour of which it appears they
are not extremely covetous, as it is scarcely
up to their standard of good living. One of
them Mgr. de Merode, squint-eyed prelate,
who once played Minister Of War, used to be
a great favorite with the Holy Father, on &C
count of his wit and his talent for retailing
the gossip of the city. of which the Pope likes
to be informed; but he foreited his claims to
favor by the shocking amount of ill-nature
which he displayed in his stories, and by his
insinuations against some of bis colleagues,
whom he almost directly accused of plotting
against their sovereign's life, when he advis-
ed the renewal of the old custom of having
'taster'' at the meals, as precaution against
poison. Ills HOLINESS SrnlleQ quite mailc10uS-
ly when the proposal was made, and at once
ordered Merode to discharge the functions of
an Office which had been abolished two centu-
ries ago. Merode, of course, refused, and
was sent into the corner, like a spoiled child,
and he was told to stand there with his face
to the wall until the Pope ate bis dinner, "as
a punishment either for his disobedience or
his want of charity, his own conscience would
tell him Of, which fault he was guilty"
The presentation of private documents or
petitions requiring the Papal signature is
prevented as vigorously as possible, although
the orders are That every request of impor-
lance should be submitted to his personal ex-
animation; and many an INDECENT family has
been relieved by the private bounty of the
Pope, who has insisted that the papers stretch
ed out to him by people in the streets should
not be withheld by his attendants, who would
like . monopoly of their masters charity.
A thin shawl can be made warm by fold
ing newspaper inside of it. The paper is
impervious to the wind and cold air from out