The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-05-17
Cardinal AptOnelli,

To the London Telegraph we are in
| debted for the following exceedingly in
teresting account of a visit paid to the
distinguished Papal statesman, AntOnelli:
At about seven O'cleck-the Ave Maria
now being rung at ski repaired to the
Vatican in company with the distin-
guished chief of an English ecclesiasti-
cal establishment in Rome, andfOund the
name of AntOnelli a magical password
through the Swiss Guards, who, lying
about the entrance hall. all clOaked and
armed, fed into picturesque groups that
would have been worthy of the facile pen
Gil of that prince among English draughts-
men,, Sir John Gilbert. We climbed the
broad flight of marble steps that lead to
the great open c~Ortille, and then an in
finity of narrower but still spacious stair
cases; we passed noble frescOed halls
guarded by more Swiss now ~ granite
tenne. with plumed helmets and brave
with all the finery of their medipaal-lOOk-
ing doublets. Their picturesque costume,
striped with yellow black, and red, was
designed by Michael Angelo. So rich
and rare is it, that every now and then, rs
| suddenly came out on Il stalwart Swiss
leaning against the portal of-sOme noble
hall, his bright halberd held lazily aslant
his. brawny shape, | tancied that | was
looking at an enlarged copy from one OF
the Meisonnier's highly finished trans
cripts of medieval life. At last we
reached Il large, dimly-lighted apartment
where servants in the ordinary plush of
~Iackey-life ushered us into a second ante
room. There we were accOstcd by an III
dividual in ecclesiastical habiliments, who
conducted us into a third chamber. mar
rover than the others, and more comfort
able, but no better illuminated; indeed,
the darkness and the hushed quietude Of
the place-everybOdy, visitors as well as
attendants, speaking with bated breath
were very noteworthy, and could not fail
to strike every stranger, whatever the
nature OF the impression that may have
been produced upon him. In the last
named ante-chamber were several of the
newly-aPpointed bishops who had come
to paw their respects to the Chief Minis
terof the Papal State. Thence we re-
paired in due course to a still smaller ante
room, the contest of them all; and here
the Cardinal came forward to meet us ard
lead us into the adjoining saactum samcto-
rum
This was a tiny. cOmfortably-titted
study, lighted only by a silver table lamp
of the familiar classic shape, well known
by the limitations of Pompeian examples
to be seen in every shop window. have
however, never seen sc eXquisitely
formed a double lamp, which, mounted
on a slender silver stem, cast quite suffic-
lent light upon the documents on which
the Cardinal was engaged. must con
fcss that not only envied him and his
lamp but also the eyes which enabled him
to work by SO meagrc an unshadcd light.
The writing table, strcwn with papers.
had no other ornament than a full-length
image of the Virgin, some eighteen inches
high. On the wall. ut the back of the
Cardinals writing chair, was a small but
los ''Immaculate Conception. the
browning glory of the Louvre. The
statesman's personal appearance has been |
made well known by photographs. He
is slight in figure. and his habito of stool'-
ing makes him look shorter than he really
is. His complexion is of that sallow |
tinge generally seen in men of strong |
nervous temperament, while his black
eyes, full of v~ivacity and fire. thick eye
brOws, aquiline nose. and broad mouth, |
are all indicative of energy and power.
The Cardinals rank was denoted only by |
the very HARROW scarlet red border Ia his
black robe, his scarlet stockings. and
small scarlet skull cap. His manner is
remarkably cordial, and he has the habit
of laying his hand on the arm Of the per-
son addressed whenever he grows special
" interested in the subject of discussion.
His Emincnce talked with the appear
ance ofcomplete freedom on all the topics
that presented themselves in the course
of i long conversation-which, however,
seemed very short while il lasted. -
and pitngcpt were many of the
veteran siate>mau'S observations"