The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-05-10

Inc rope rises every morning at all sea-
sons at o'clock. He then reads Mass in
little chapel adjoining his bedroom. but in
the Sistine Chapel on all fete days A pri-
vate chaplain, simple priest (enjoying the
title of Monsignore), gives him the holy wa
fer.
At o'clock he takes cup of chocolate
and remains to chat with his gentlemen of
the bed chamber, who are likewise priests
lie then gives audience to his Secretary of
State, Cardinal Antonelli. To be sure there
is no longer any " state" that requires the
tender care of his Holiness, but the secretary
and the conference still continue to exist.
The Holy Father delights in his recep-
tons, be loves to see people and to be seen
in the midst of his court, which is at once
imposing, sumptuous and peculiar for the va
riety and vivacity of colors, among which
scarlet predOminates. The Pope alone is
dressed in white. The reception lasts two or
three hours, according to the number of per-
sons to be received and the humor of the
Pope.
After this, if the weather is fine, the Pope
goes to walk in the garden of the Vatican
until 2 O'Clock. He is preceded by two
members of the " noble guard" accompanied
by the majordomo Of the palace, and follow
ed by two attendants, wearing an odd, mid
die age costume, consisting of buckled shoes,
long stockings, knee breeches, blue vest,
and black mantle, with hat and plume of the
same color. At o'clock precisely, the
Pope's dinner is served to him by two gen
tlemen. who receive it at the door of his din
ing room from the hands of common walters
His Holiness always dimes alone, and in the
most frugal manner his dinner is composed
of soup, one kind of meat, one vegetable,
and single glass of pure 4" Chateaux Ro-
MAINS" The cost of this dinner rarely ex-
ceeds thirty cents, and the wine is bought
from day to day, as the Vatican contains no
wine cellar
The afternoon is taken up by another
promenade and the recital of the breviary,
after which he reads his private correspond
ence. This consists chiefly of letters from
crowned heads coming from all quarters of
the globe, and some even from the QuirinaI :;
the latter always claim his first attention,
and he often smiles while reading them If
he feels inclined he writes some answer.
either in French, Latin, or Italian, other
wise he signs his name beneath his photo
graphs, of which large number always lie
on his writing desk.
The handwriting of the Pope is delicate
but distinct, and is quite feminine. Usually
the only words that he writes under his por-
traits are Plus p. p. X" Sometimes,
however, he adds a few words of greeting or
blessing. He distributes these portraits to
persons of mark, either when they come to
his receptions or when they request that ia
vor by letter.
This finished, his Holiness listens to the
reading of the papers. He always demands
the current news of Rome, and enjoys any
hit at the government or city authorities,
for he says that they don't know how to do
anything at all. He particularly enjoys
Fdnfulla.a satirical journal, and La FTus-
Ia 1.-THE Whip, an illustrated comic journal
published at Rome While the gentleman
in waiting is reading, the Pope often indulg-
es in puns, epigrams, and criticisms, which
which are always repeated to the courtiers.
He severely reproaches the attacks on
Rome and the suppression of the converts,
often saying with sigh: " Alas alas
would that they had done this in the time of
my successor"
1t is an odd fact, however, that the Pope
entertains very high opinion of Victor
Emanuel, never allowing any one to speak
ill of him in his presence, and says himself
that he is the only Italian who has any good
sense, adding with a smile, -" Maigre iui"
About ten o'clock he takes light sup
per, pronounces benedictlon on all present
and retires to his bedroom, accompanied by
two attendants who assist him in retiring.
The furniture of his sleeping apartment is
simple and modest. The bed has a coverlid
of red satin, his dressing table is furnished
with small mirror, and few armchairs, to-
gether with prize dieu surmounted by a
crucifx, complete the inventory. The floor
always remains bare his followers have new
er been able to explain the Pope's peculiar
aversion to carpets.
1t is reported that after the battle of Men
tana his lay attendants begged of the Pope
as favor that they might be allowed to
wear beard and their request was granted.
IN. 7. Euening MdiL