Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-08-29
THE LATE CARDINAL.
Some "Reminiscences Of CHrdiasal F1unoht
anal His Career.
(LODdOn World

anal His Career.
London World.
Cardinal Franchi was a fortunate man.
He secured his first great rise in pontifcal
Office by the misfortune of predecessor. In
1860 Mgr. Berardi, Pho Nono's ecclesiastical
secretary of State, was at loggerheads with
Mgr. de Merode, the papal war minister. 1t
so happened that a brother of Berardi
held commission in the pontifical army and
was suspected of holding relations with the
Sandman enemy. He was arrested by Me-
rode, condemned to be shot, but released to
avoid scandal. The ecclesiastical secretary
was also released from his official duties, and
Franchi stepped into his shoes, much to the
chagrin of Antonelli, who never liked his
-tongued colleague. Franchi was
capital raconteur. He was, walking
storehouse of the gossip of Euro
pean courts, and was very fond of retailing
Pho Nono's good sayings. Here is one which
the cardinal secretary of state used to tell
with intense relish: Complaints had been
frequently made by the priests to the pro-
paganda of the arbitrary exercise of authority
over his clergy by certain Australian arch
bishop. The archbishop was informed that
his presence in Rome would be esteemed q
favor. He crossed the seas and arrived in
Rome. In due course he was introduced to
Pho Mono, who was well conversant with the
points in dispute between the archbishop
and his clergy. son. said Pho Mono, to
tho archbishop, offering him chair beside
him on the dais, "you are the other Pope.
ut down, your holiness" The rebuke cured
the archbishop, and he and his clergy lived
happily ever after.
J. HIS DISASTROUS DIPLOMACY.
They used to say in Rome that he had the
jctiaturu: And 10 wonder. Disast ter fol-
lowed all his diplomatic missions. Isabella
fed from Spain soon after Franchi was sent
to her as Nuncio; the Grand duke fed from
Florence while Franchi was at the Tuscan
court: and Abdul Aziz joined the prophet in
Paradise soon after Franchi had paid him a
visit at Constantinople. He was bit of a
Bohemian, with all his stately courtliness.
Certain austere English Roman Catholics
will never forget their sensations when din
ing with Cardinal Franchi during his brief
visit tc- London. It was at Cardinal Man
ning's house. During dinner the Cardinal
Project of the Propaganda, who spoke in
French. kept the table in a roar. and after
dinner he coolly took out his cigar case and
offered cigars all round. Now smoking
is vigorously interdicted at the
maison Manning, and it is not
considered in this country-for the priests,
at least-at all a proper thing to indulge in
the weed. The English cardinal bore the
fumigation with exemplary patience: but
patience has it's limits, and the limit was
reached when the illustrious visitor from
Rome took to smoking in his bed room. He
was asked in Rome few months ago what
he smoked. "Oh,'' said he, II only smoke
Italian ministers-Cavours, Minghettis.
etc. The Italians brand their cigars with
the names of popular ministers of state.
'Don't you smoke CAROLS: Your Emf
nence?" inquired his questioner. "No: they
won't last long," was the reply. He was not
enthusiastic about the conversion of Eng
land to Catholicism. cit will not come in
our day" he said; mot till We canonize Saint
Manmon." The cardinal was cynical and
not very complimentary.