New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-05-18

tnp GlEE --tSc vi Lut
Critoni vas native Of Viterbo, and in his
bovhood he played with and loved one Mas
tai Fer, ETH. whom the veteran rebel often
in later years called Ill pia gentle not'is
di raqn.-i' l,he most gentle and nocie oi
bovs| Cri,oni AID this boy often practiced
sword-exercise together, and they became
somew hat familiar with the use OF the rap.er
and hroadswcrd. CriiOn,s chnn beng re-
marked for lis devotion to religious dutles
his parents bad him sent to an eecleslastlcd
training school. willie Critoni himself went
TO Ancona ard inned bis father liz the bank
ing business. After the lapse of over dec
ade of years, CritoAi visited his native city,
and. when he asked for Mastai Fevrettl, was
informed that be had entered into molly or
ders. and was then curate in ole OF the
parishes of Vi:elbo. The meeting OF 'he
two former playma:es was rs ardenllV en-
thu-iastic as two Southern Italians coulu
make K: CIitoni had not been many
DAYS a. Eiteruo when be was seized
win smaIl-rox which was prevalent there
during bis stay. In critical stage OF BIS
mal;gnan; disease, CrItoni sent for The Gu
rate, Nas:ai Ferrerti, who, after adMlnis
tering the rites of the church. enrolled bun
ia the order of the Sever Dol"rs, plous
institution, established in honor OF the
seven great affections which the Cathohc
Church attributes to the mother Of Ccrlst.
j
lars suspended from cord worn around
the neck and inside the clothes. 1t was this
badge that lie curate, Mastai Ferretl,
placed upon Giuseppe CritonIs neck, after
having enrolled him member CT the
...Sette Dolcr;.' Clitoni recovered ard went
back 10 ancOna, promising ever to retain
the sacred insignia ct the order to whl,h he
belonged. Time rolled On, and Msstai Fer
r-t;! went as a missionary to South Ameri.
H. ysisp nf ha jtA q
the priest ended for over forty years. In
.urns. Cijtoni became a bankrupt broker. "a
journalist :. schooimas'cr. and a rev. lltl"n-
:s.. In ,he las: named profession he re
manned Until he died.
When ON "A halmy spring evening in 1867.
the Papal and French soldiers had marched
in triumph through the Porra di Pnpoli and
the Corso. greeted by The cheers OF the
paDa!ini. while lovely flowers and laurels
were showered from the ad joining windows.
'he more important Of the prisoners, among
wnGm Giuseppe CritOni was first, were
Drought. under DeCharette's charge, to the
dungeons of Castle st. Angelo. Before
nigh!ial a special courier from the Pope
prcush. orders 70 the officer in charge Of
the castle 10 grant the prisoners every
privilege that prudence would allow. Con.
seGuently. the nauseOus food and sour wine
usually supplied 20 the incarcerated in the
dingy cells Of s.. Angelo, were substituted
hv good taSe and wine of generous flavor.
On che second day Of his coHfine-
ment. Giuseppe Critoni became seriously
i'll. In a few days an indubitable case Of
tyrhus fever developed itself, and the physi-
clan advised that the patient be removed
TO the Sarto Sprlto Hospital-an iLst.u-
ton founded by Plus IN. When his hol,.
ness had heard OF Giuseppe Critoni'. AZ.
rest. ne seemed uncommonly interested III
the rews-an old f, cling seemed aroused
within hin. Critoni recovered, and was
sen: back 20 Castle st. Angelo ContiDe.
lnent again .old on the old rebels constitu.
non. and a relapse o; the dreadful fever
tn-led. This ZINE the veterans heart fell.
He knew that death was upon him. and the
chaplain approached his bedside more FIRE.
Guen;ly than usual. The night that Gu
s.pp. was informed that his hours were
briefly numbered. the officer on duty in
Castle Angelo was informed by the sentine!
that two priests dema nded entrance into
the prison. AZ neither of them could give
the password Of the night. tho sentinel re.
ierred them 70 his officer.
"Have Them searched and then closely
questioned by the corporal of the guard
WAS the officers direction. The clergym4n
were searched: bu: no revelations of a
reasonable nature were brought to light,
The officer. coming forward. inquired upon
wha: ground they sought access to prison
at tina: hour. One of the priests, a corpu.
Zen: and yray-hared ole. man. said that
:hey had come 20 visit Giuseppe Critoni.
wo. lay az she point of death. The men.
.ion OF the old r.bei's name by priest a:
such an hour was suspicious. and the officer
nuntly refused Abundance. The younger
Of the priests then said: Il am here IN the
name OF his holiness the Pope. He gave
me PERMISSION. 10 person. To enter the
prison 20 night: The officer repiie,! tina:
in such troubled times AS chose Il veyba!
neTmi: was not Vail
'.Ani hv " hose authority are sou hereE'
the officer asked the old gray haired priest.
"PeN antorito che me ho dota 10 Santa
Chiesa'' Ton the authority which Holy
Church has given me
The tfcer was confused bv tins iEdef.
mite nswer. and insisted that tEe parley
shout end, declaring that his orders we're
such that he could not converse unnecessa.
rllv with unknown priests or iavIneD who
came to the gates of the castle after the
hour Of .he ave Maria," unprovid.d with
the parole and an order from the general.
in-chlef OF the Pope. Tie old gray-haired
Clergyman then requested the officer to give
him a sheet Of paper, which was daily fur.
nished. The old man, placing the paper on
the door OF the guard-house. wrote:
"LGsciote possa.e Npttpa il No"signo:'
.noria.-i. Plus PAPA.
|"l, Frop":A pcrso"n.j
Gi- "ti:..er reai the cu,t communication.
nn,: Stood coufnuiteI Til. Pope raised
III. hat. The moon shonc down on lis s.lyery
locks and handsome face. There was no
more dcubt. The. officer t-i. on his knee
aui begged the Holy Father 20 spare him
the disgrace and penalty which his nso
lenee deserved. The officer was no. only
excused. but promoted the mex. day. More
Ike Il poor p!ies, from Piedmont than the
!nid .. the Vatican. P.o Mono with Mor.
an. passed into the room where liiuseuu.
Cr;t0ni. 'he rebel. lay dying.
The: confronted each otter. each Tie
d-a.eo: co'npani! Il Of the other. youth.
who were piavmates at a time when ;heir
destin!es were nnknown and when their
pros poets Oh the iIfe-path were equal. One
WAS HOW Plus X. Pop. of Rome; the other
Giu scope Crton. the most trusted ADDER.
ent of Mazzini and Garibaidi. that Pope's
arch enemies. But Plus IN. was not the
man 20 consider these things at that mo.
n.en:. fer his heart being as open and lii.
era! az his purse. he could not forget the
associations Of his childhood, and Iecollec
tions which n" man can be worthy witL.u.
revering.
''Do you remember Inc. Giuseppe p asked
the Pope. while he grasped the thin, .ineWy
wrist OF tie dying revoiutionis:.
The raviBg was over. and TIE caim which
precedes death had Sc, in. Giuseppe, look.
ing up. said, I'm pistn. nonon ri cogaosco."
"a priest. but do not know you;
'lt lie. indeed. too long for you to remem.
Der my face. said the Pope Of Rome. ..Do
sou no recollect, Giuseppe. that in Viterho.
more than forty Years ago. you knew ..ov
named Mastal Ferrett ~
Tie old rebel strived TO rise ',pon Ills ;i,.
low and. opening wide his flIckering eyes.
be exclaimed. "Where is Masta; F.r,4tt.-
fIo Nono-il papa e
He is here. Giuseppe. I am IL. and I
v ish you 10 speak to me-