The Grange advance., 1874-07-08
THE PJPE.


An American Man Has an Interview
with Him.
ROME, April Sit is very simple and
very easily accomplished, especially ii you
are an American. You get permit to
enter the Vatican. This is the first step,
and your banker can easily take it for you.
You put Oh your clawhammer and your
white necktie 1t is as much as though
YOU were going to an evening party, but
in this case gloves are not necessary. The
ladies 20 in black, and as plainly dressed
rs possible. With the;e few preliminar-
les the affair develops slowly but surely,
though after it is all over you begin to
wonder how it happened.
AT THE VATICAN.
You see this Vatican is one of the most
bewildering palaces in the world. There
is no end to the halls that fade away in the
distance, growing narrow and ragged as
they climb endless staircases, between long
ranks Of splendid pillars and under arched
roofs that are fretted with stucco, fresco
and statues that seem just ready to leap
down from the cornices where they are
hanging on by their finger nails. ANY one
who has tried to find his way to the muse
um or the picture galleries OF the Vatican
will remember what confusing thing it is
to keep going on past all sorts OF corners
until, lust as he is about to despair, he Is
rescued by one Of the guards, who doesn't
speak any familiar language, as general
thing, but who has found too many mill
lions Of lost souls like yourself, and set
them in the right way at last, not to know
your case. Well, just fancy building
1,l5l feet in length, 767 in breadth, with
eight grand staircases land lots Of little
ones), twenty courts and IL 600 chambers
Of different sizes. suppose no one man
has ever seen the whole number of these
chambers. Life is too short and shoe
leather too dear to think Of it.
THE ASTE-RooM.
Having purchased some rosaries, cruci-
fixes, medals, etc., to be blessed by His
Holiness, drove with a friend to the en-
trance Of the Palace, and together we en-
tered. My friend was priest Of distinct
ion, who is q personal friend of the Pope
and often at the Vatican. For this reason
we needed no documents to admit US. The
gorgeous Swiss Guards, who look like
nothing else under heaven, and are proba-
bly, the showiest soldiers on tie face Of the
globe; the dazzling fellows filed back at
our approach like a shattered rainbow,
and we were Immediately lost in the laby-
rinths Of the palace. We climed stairs
that seemed cut out of solid marble quar-
ries, for there was nothing to be seen but
marble in some shape Or other. Again and
asain We were met and passed by guards ;
priests and monks, in robes of many
fashions and colors the place was
alive with people, and yet none Ut them
seemed familiar to my eyes. We entered
one room, passed into others, all Of them
having their separate uses, and most of
them in charge OF officers, who looked as lit
tie like the last lot as possible. Finally we
came to a court, one of the twenty, where
were carriages and footmen in livery, but
now they ever found their way th;ther, I
dare not conjecture. Beyond the court
the chambers were more splendid than the
last New guards and in new uniforms
and liveries moved to and fro through the
endless suits of rooms, and kept every
thing in a state OF gentle commotion. Here
We left.our cloaks and hats. Here we took
our rosaries and tokens in hand and pass
ed from one chamber to another; perhaps
our companion spoke to gentlemen in wait
ing, clothed in crimson satin, and looking
very impressive indeed. Rooms that were
trescoed to the very floors finally gave
place to rooms hung with splendid tapes
try Of inestimable value. It began to look
like business, the chambers were heated
with great brazen pots Of Goals, such as one
meets with in all the Italian churches
when the churches are heated at all. Those
braziers-called scaldina look a little
heathenish, and are none the less interest
ing for that reason. They are big enough
for human sacrifice, some of them, but
they are seldom hot enough to hurt.
THE FINAL MOMENT.
For half an hour we waited in this room,
= score Of US. The Holy Father is sup
posed to make his entree anywhere be-
tween the hours Of II and l. Somewhere
between IL and he came. Meantime We
walked about examined the rich and beau.
tiful tapestries, looked out of the high
windows upon the winding Tiber, almost
Of a color with its miry banks saw lit
tie church, like prison, on the steps o1
which half dozen beggars were summing
themselves. Then We played with our ro-
saries and looked at each other, and stood
in circle over the scaldina and warmed
our fingers, but ultimately returned te
look at the tapestry and then seat our.
selves in row on the chairs along the
wall. 1t was rather dull, for We had seen
plenty of just such people as ourselves,
and we were all on the sameerrand. which
is alwavs stuDid work. Two vonno fol-