The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-16
THE PALACE OF THE PoPEs.
THE WONDERS OF THE VATICAN. I

Charles Warren Stoddsrd, the California
essayist, writes brilliantly interesting
description ola day in the Vatican:
It is all very simple and very easily accom-
pIished, especially If you are an American.
You get permit to enter the Vatican. This
is the first step, and your banker can easily
take 1t for you. You put on your clawham-
mer and your white necktie. It Is much as
though You were going to an evening party,
but in this case gloves are not necessary.
the ladies go in black, and as plainly
dressed as possible. With these few pieiim-
inaries the affair developes slowly but
surely, though amer it is all over Won can
begin to wonder how it happened. You see
this Vatican Is one Of the most bewilderiDg
palaces in the world. There ia no end TO the
halls that fade away in she distance, growing
narrow and ragged as they climb end
less staircases, between long ranks of splen-
did 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 museum or the picture gal
leries of the Vatican will remember what q
confusing thing il is TO keep going on past
all sorts If doors and turning all sorts OF
corners until, Just as he Is about to despair,
he is rescued by one OF the guards, who
doesn't speak any familiar language as q
-
millions of lost souls like yourself and set
them in the right way at last, not to know
your case. Well, just fancy building Isl
feet in length, 767 in breadth, with eight
grand staircases land lots of little ones), 20
courts and IL 900 chambers of different
sizes. suppose no one man has ever seen
the whole number of these chambers. Lite
IS too short and shoe leather too dear to
think of it. rr..f.t
Having purchased some
l. RosARIEs, CRUcIFIxEs, MEDALS,
ETC., to be blessed by his Holiness, drove
with friend to the entrance of the palace,
and together we entered. NV friend was a
priest of distinction, who is a 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
probably the showiest soldiers on the face of
the globe; the dazzling fellows filed back at
urapproach like shattered rain bow, and we
were Immediately lost in the lsbyrinths of
the palace. We climbed stairs that seemed
cut out Of solid marble quarries, for there
was nothing to be seen but marble in some
shape or other. Again and again we were
met and passed by guards; priests and
monks, in robes OF many fashions and c0lors,
pass us; the place was alive with people, and
yet none of them seemed familiar to my
eyes. We entered one room, passed
Il
their separate uses, and most Of
them. in charge of officers, who
looked as little ike the last lot as possible.
Finally we came to court, one of the
twenty. where were carriages aud footmen
| in livery, but how. they ever found their
way thither dare not conjecture. Beyond
the court the chambers were more splendid
than the last. New guards and pages in new
uniforms and liveries moved TO and fro
through the endless suites of rooms, and
kept everything in a gentle state of commo-
ton. Here we left our cloaks and hats.
Here we took our rosaries and tokens in
hand, and passed from one chamber to
another; perhaps waiting few moments
in each room while my companions spoke
| to gentlemen in waiting. clothed in crimson
satin, and looking very impressive indeed
i Rooms that were frescoed To the very floors
finally gave place to rooms hung with
! splendid tapestry of inestimable value. II
began to look like business; the chambers
with great brazen pots of COAL such as ne
1 meets with in all the Italian churches, wher
l the churches are heated at all. Those bra
| Ziers-called scaldini-look a little heather
ish, and are none the less interesting fol
that reason. They are big enough for human
sacrifices, some of them, but they are seldom
hot enough to hurt.
4 THE FINAL MOMENT.
For half an hour we waited in this room,
score of us. The Holy Father is supposed
to make entree anywhere between the hours
of IL and 1. Somewhere between IL and b,
came. Meanwhile We walked about, exam
ined the rich and beautiful tapestries, looked
out the high windows upon the winding tt
Der, almost of a color with its banks saw
q little prison. like chu 'ch, wherein the
naughty priests are incarcerated: saw a little
church, like prison, on the steps Of which a
half dozen beggars were summing themselves
Then we played with our rosaries and looked
at each other, ana stood in q circle over tn,
scaldino and warmed our fingers, but ulti
mately returned to look at the tapestry and
then seat ourselves In row on the chairs along
the wall. 1t was rather dull, tor we had
. seen plenty OF just such people as ourselves
and we were all on the same errand which
is always stupid work. Two young fellows
who had dozen rosaries strung on theil
arms, stole up and looked through the oper
! door into the next room 1t was quite like
ours with its tapestries, its people, its scaldinC
there was no use looking any further. Fancy
: IL 900 copies of this sort of thipgl A moth
. no doubt attracted by the cunning work
manship of the goblin on the wall wherein
! bees and butterflies fed through forest full
] of nymphs and satyrs, this unhappy mot
; having forgotten its rosary, and not carin
3 to be presented to his holiness without il
tried to fy through pane of glass, bu
failed. Then several of US thought to cap
it, but it was fruitless chase, for the mex
/ moment there was rush of garments i, th
! adjoining chamber, a stir which we felt with
out its being seen, as pupils will sometime
q realize an event just before it happens, an
with that an officer of the court entered, an
we were all marshaled in line reaching fror
Q the two doors on the opposite side of tn
room. There was hum of voices, few c
/ the Pope's guards entered, followed by me
/ in splendid dresses, the nature of whic
) there was scarcely time to notice, for at ono
! a figure, clad in white. followed by q sma
! army of attendants clad In various color,
: entered, and we were on our knees in
!. moment, for this was none other than
q eoft POPE Plus TX. --I ref r
There is something marvelously magnet
. in the atmosphere ofthis wonderful pops
0 i defy any man who is man to stand i
> that audience chamber and not feel an in
: stinetive desire to 60 down on his knes.
! and. of course. the very next minute dow