The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-04-11
Select Storm.
THE SIEGE OF FLORENCE.
CHARLES THE FIFTH,s SECRET
ENVOY.
A Curious Interview Of the VatlCan-MlChaeI AM
gelO BuOnarOttl and His Nocturnal VlsI.
tress-A Wonderful Versatile Genius
"A Human Monsters Revenge.

"HOly Father"
well, my good Chamberlain; what tidngs do
you bring me this EVENING"
Count Vannlnl, a secret envoy of the Emperor
Charles v, solicits private interview with Your
Holiness"
by my patron saint, good Chamberlain, the
Emperor Charles Y. is very impudent man TO
send an envoy to me- when, by hisgrasping med.
dlesome policy, he has caused 80 much trouble In
the last few years.
Holy Father shall tell Count Vannini that
you refuse to see him?p
mo, no. Usher him In. want to find outwhat
Charles V. is driving at"
And the Cardinal Secretary Of State, your Ho.
llnesB?'
HE need not know anything about all this
good Chamberlain. Call the Imperial Envoy"
As the Chamberlain submissiVely left the room
In the Vatican, where Instrumentation had taken
place, on the Nth Of February, 1880, at an early
hour in the forenoon, the Holy Father, who was
no other than the astute Pope Clement VII, drew
himself up to his full heighth, and exclaimed In
an undertOne:
"Ah, Charles ", you are, after all, no match for
mel"
He sat down in asumptuous easy.chai and the
next moment a handsome young man, dressed in
the gorgeous costume Of the arstocracy Of the six
teenth century steped in
Count Vannini r. said the Pope.
The newcomer bowed deeply Then, lowering
himself on one knee, he reYerently kissed the
Pope's slipper, and, at sign from the Holy Fa.
ther, rose to his feet again.
well, Count" asked Clement the Seventh,
what has your Imperial master to say to me?"
II have an autograph letter from His Majesty
to Your Holiness"
Clement took the imperial missive with feigned
indifference. He glanced over 1t, and then dis.
dainfully dropped it.
bah, >" he said "the Emperor solCitsmy armed
assistance for
BREAKING THE POWER OF THE FLORENTINE RE-
PUBLIC.
What have the Florentnes done to incur the hos.
pitality of the Holy see?"
Florence, Holy Father, is hot bed of political
conspiracies, It's leading politicians dream OF a
United Italy,
Clement smiled and said
THAT is harmless dream, Count"
mot altogether, Holy Father. The plOtters are
fomenting conspiracies in various parts Of the
Provinces belonging to your august master, The
latter proposes to nip the whole tratorous project
in the bud by taking Florence"
"And annexlng 1t to the German Empire, sup
poser" sneered Clement.
"No, Holy Father"
"AhW exclaimed Clement, opening his eyes
wonderingly.
Count .Vanninni looked cautiously about the
room.
"These walls have no ears, Count said the Holy
Father smilingly,
Count Vannini whispered few words 10 him
Clements expression of countenance under.
went sudden change.
"You are not jesting, Count?" he asked at last,
bending piercing glance upon the envoy.
mot at all, Your Holiness" replied the latter.
"But do not trust your imperial master at all, f"
said Clement
Bear in mind Your Holiness that Alexander
Medici is to be the Commander.in-C Chief Of the
united Papal and Imperial troops that are to at
tack Florence, and after the city has fallen, he is
to become Its ruler under Papal suzerainty, My
imperial master has authorized me to pledge you
his word as q Prince, that he will fulfill this
agreement to the letter."
Clement rose from his chair Five minutes he
paced the room in silence. AT last he turned to
the Count, and said:
81 accept the Offer How many auxiliarles does
the Emperor want from mel"
"FiVe thousand. His Majesty himself Will fur.
nish
"TEN THOUSAND GERMAN LANsQUENETs."
"VeIy we'll. Alexander Medici will cOmmuni.
cate with the Emperor without delay, Goodbye,
Count"
A week later, at an advanced hour Of the night,
a herculean man, with massive head on his
shoulders, and the most intelligent face imagina-
BILE, was walking up and down large room, filled
with plaster paris casts, not far from where the
sixtine Chapel Is situated now in the Vatican.
1t was Michael Buonarotti, the most versatile
artistic genius Italy ever gave birth to.
He was then engaged in adding to the many
architectural beauties of the Vatican, ,ithat price
less art gem, the sixtine Chapel.
The illustrlous artistic, at the time of our nara
tive, was evidently buried in profound thought.
Suddenly he was aroused from his reflections by
a low rap at his door.
"A visitor at this late hour" he said to himself
wOnderingly,
He opened the door.
A CTngETy vRrTEn Lazy