The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-11
GOSSIP ABOUT THE POPE.
How His Holiness Spends His Days.

There nave Deen 80 many Cohtrau'e
tory reports as to the private life OF the
Supreme Pontiff at the present time,
that a few reliable details will probably
be interesting to your readers. Plus
TX. is now in very good health. de
rises at seven all through the year, and
SAYS mass in little chapel close to his
bedroom. being assisted therein by a
secret chaplain bearing the rank OF
Monsignore. At eight he takes a cup
of chocolate, and remains talking In the
saloon, adjoining his bedrohm, with his
secret cham berlains, who are also priests.
II it is not a day OF audience. he confers
with his Secretary OF State, Cardinal
Antonelli, upon political affairs,
although he has not had much to
trouble him in that way lately. Next
in turn comes the Cardinal Vicar,
Patriza, upon Church matters.
ON AUDIENCE DAYS
the Pope likes to show himself in the
midsi OF his court and SURROUNDED by as
i'm posing a retinue as possible, and his
own simple white dress contrasting with
the various and brilliant costumes,
chiefly scarlet, produces superb effect.
AFTER THE AUDIENCE,
or the conference, which generally lasts
two or three hours, the Pope descends
the private stairs leading to his gardens
and walks there until two clock. DE
is preceded by two OF the guardia mobile,
at his side walk the chief ma or domo,
and behind collow two lay chamberlains,
wearing a costume of the moyen age,
knee breeches, shoes with buckles, blue
pompoint, black cloak and black cap
with black feather.
DINNER.
At precisely = o'clock Plus TX. dimes
in q room between his library and the
salon, and two laymeu, OF a certain
rank, serve his repast, which is brought
in to them from the kitchen by the
assistant chamberlains, who are paid at
the rate OF thirty crowns or collars per
month. The dinner is very frugal, in
accordance with the doctors prescrip-
tons and the wish Of the Pope himself,
tot he is not a gourmand. 1t consists
Of soup, little boiled or roast meat,
some potatoes, cooked with butter. and
halt glass OF pure red wine from the
"Castelli Roman" The whole dinner
costs only thirty sous, or one franc and
a half. The wine is bought as required,
or daily, the Pope having no cellar.
OF all the persons who feequent the
Vatican, the Pope is the smallest eater.
AFTER DINNER.
In accordance with the advice Of his
doctors 10 keep away sloth 10y taking
two walks every day, Plus x, after a
short afterdinner nap, goes out again
with the same attendants, and some.
times accompanied by Antonelli, or
the fsnatical General Kanzler. He
returns home before sunset, and reads
vespers with a chaplain, who then
leaves him. After this service he reads
his p. ivate j spatchea,
LETTERS FROM KINGS, EMPERoRs AND
PRESIDENTS OF REPUBLICS
which he receives from all quarters OF
the globe; sometimes, even, It Is said
from the Quirinal. These last it is
affirmed, he always opens the first, and
smiles as he reads them. II so disposed
he replies either in Latin or in French,
two languages which he knows perfect
", or iu Italian. If not inclined to
write he signs his name on one OF his
portraits, OF which he always keeps a
good many copies on his desk.
THE Pores PORTRAITS.
The handwriting OF Plus TX. is
small but clear, and like that OF
woman. Sometimes he adds to the
usual Plus P. ?. TX. a sentence or a
benediction, and distributes these por-
traits to persons of consideration who
receive audience from him, as well as
to foreign countries, when 80 requested.
The Roman booksellers have specu-
lated in initiating the Popes writing
and selling his photograph with the
Latin sentence.
READING AND CRITICISM.
When he has finished writing the
Holy Father listens to one Of his cham.
berlains, who reads aloud to him vari-
Gus Of the Italian journals, including
those Of satirical nature, and seems
especially amused when any point is
made concerning the municipality, with
which body he is very i'll satisfied, as
he saws they do not know how to get
through ANYTHING. While his cham
berlain is reading to him the Pope
makes his own reflections, according to
the different moods Of his variable
temper, and often makes epigramatic
remarks and a play upon words,
which he knows will be re.
peated among the courtiers. He does
not show much respect for our po-
litical men, of whom he generally
speaks in tone OF irony, and as being
still the men Of lS4S. He says they
had no right to come to Rome, seize
upon the property of the Church, per
secute the monks aud nuns, aud tor
ment him generally, when he is so old
and can not have much time longer to
live. Surely" he often says with a
sigh, they might have waited for my
successor" The only man for whom
Plus TX really has any esteem, and OF
whom ne will not allow any i'll to be
said, is the King, because he believes
him to be the only Italian who has
common sense, land that in spite OF
himself" adds His Holiness. smiling.
The reading is generally over at ten
o'clock, when supper is served. Soup,
little cooked salad and the half glass
OF pin ordinare comprise the whole Of
this repast. After supper the Pope dis
misses all present with his benediction