Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-04-08
Visiting the Poue.

Hon. L. d. IIolton of Wisconsin, in
letter to the Erening Wisconsin, written
from Rome, gives the following graphic
description of q visit to ellis Holiness"
the Pope:
We drove by the statue of the Immac
culate Conception and on through the via
Condotto. We cross the Corso and come
to the Tibcr, and cross it upon the Ponte
Navro under the frowning walls of the
Castle St. Angelo, and are presently in
front of the great st. Peters. We pass on
to its rear by street which leads to the
court of the Tatican.
Saying nothing of myself, I should re-
mark that the company made good APP
pearance. VIM. Il. is born gentleman,
and on this occasion could not have APP
pcared better had been going up to the
Capital of Wisconsin to occupy the
Gubcrnatorial chair.
Alighting, we ascend a broad marble
stairway Of much magniliccnce, and upon
reaching at least three high stories, if not
four, are ushercd into large hall with
high ceiling Here we are met by the
servitors of the Pope, clad in crimson
silk cloting and directed as to where to
lay our wrappingS and are then conduct
ed to the reception hall itself This is n
! hall say one hundred and twenty feet
| long, and fourteen feet wide, and twen-
ty feet high, lighted with nine large win
dows upon its south side. This room
was richly gilded aud beautifully fresco-
ed, and is light and cheerful. Upon
either side were chairs, upholstered with
scarlet rep goods, say fifty on each side
of the room. The floor was of polished
marble. A strip of carpet run the length
of the hall on each side for the visitors to
kneel upon.
Fifty persons had assembled. Nearly
all had brought some trinket of others for
| the Pope to bless. Numbers had brought
apparently costly articles, bracelets,
chains, and jewelry Of various kinds.
We sat, should say, nearly an hour
before His Holiness came. At length he
did so, entering at the same door through
which we had. come. He was accom-
panied by three youngerly men clad in
purple robes. What their ecclesiastical
dignities were ! did not learn. One OF
them looked like the legatc who bestowed
the palium upon Bishop Henri. The
foremost of these three, preceded the
Pope, and, beginning with the row ofyisi-
tors upon the right, received the letters Of
admission one after the other, and
think announced the name Of the visitors
The visitors were about equally divided
say twenty-five upon one side of Tho
hall and twenty-five upon the other Oul
position was toward the end of the frs
or right hand row, Thus it was as sooC
as it could be to see and hear to the best
advantage all which His Holiness sait
| Il Il 81
Plus TX is 81 years OF age, and has
now. occupied the chair of st. Peter fol
30 years. He is in height man of five
feet nine inches, a wall formed and re-
markably well preserved man of his age
From all that l had seen, touching his
health, had expected to see much more
infrm man than he appeared 10 be. lie
entered, unsupported by any one, simply
using an ordinary cane. His step was
SLOW, but sure, and his form somewhat
bent. lie wore over his pure white dress
a scarlet cloak, and cloSe-tltting car
covering his head but partially.
Beginning, as l have said, upon the
right, he extended his hand to his vis
tors. Those who chose to do so kissct
it, and he said few words to each as he
passed; and here we had an excellent OPP
portunity to look. much into the face
and observe well, the bearing of this dis
tinguiShed and interesting man. When
saw him twelve years ago | could bu
remark the dignity and sweetness of his
face, and | was particularly interested t
note him now, and observe what change:
time and important events had wrough
) upon that face; and | was very glad t.
notice that the beauty and brightness o
his eye, and the benignity of his countc
nance remained. Indeed it was very
observable that as he came to children
and young people, he had CHEEKY anC
, humorous word for each, showing tina
youth and grcenness was in his heart
Nothing more beautiful in human char
acter than to find in the aged tender
ness, love, joy in the presence of chill
dren-and my own heart warmed TOWARD
the Pope of Rome when witnessed thi
expression of his character.
AS he approached our particular circle
he remarked "Americana; and / thml
he did this without any word to tina
effect from the official who received gu
letter and preceded him. But there wa
, nothing surprising in this, for in all tn,
, shops, and by all the Rackmen, and ever
by the boys in the street, the American
ID ScHeTdHy kuOWn ny SOllc unueHHc(
and unwrtten rule that comes by insight
and the Pope, especially with his unusua
t power $50 claimed), should equal othe
, people in this particular.
1t so happened that VIM. i. was thu
first to be met. Now he, deeply impress
ed with the occasion, had prepared
= short speech in French to address hi,
t Holdiness. But he did not deliver it
He explained afterwards that he had 90
the impression that the Pope was to make
! a second approach in the way of a fare
well. But am inclined to think that i
f is with his French as it is with my
Italian; that while am thinking for thu
next word to say, the time IS so long tina
the person addressed has forgotten thu
preceding word; and so VIM. Els speccl
I was not Forthcoming at the right moment
? AS he came to me, / remarked that
belonged to the city or Milwaukee,, whicl
he had so lately distinguished by confer
: ing upon it an Archbishopric, and cnvest
< ed in the person OF the excellent ant
{ eminent Bishop Benni. He did not seen
to understand me, and since learn tina
: he does not speak English We shool
hands. Yes, | went further. 1t il
G always well when the opportunity pre-
scnts to lay in what capital, Of any de
= scription, you can which you find laying
around loose. My friend, the Honorable,
VIM +, had on several occasions throw
ont eypreasi> ns of sympathy and conf