Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-02

the ave Maria Bell Rang HiR
uOliness eased 40 Breathe
scenes at the Vatican.
Cor. Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
ROME, ITALY, February S.-Ohl
this Tuesday year with its evil eve,
its jettatural 1t makes one breath,
less as its fast following events, so
startling in their importance, sue
ceed each other. How many grand
historical incidents it has fallen to
my lot to chronicle to your readers
during the last ten yearsl And
now comes one of the most impor-
tant-tbe death of Pic Mono! Only
twenty.nine days ago the attention
Of the world was turned toward
Rome on account Of the shock that
was given by the sudden death Of
Victor Emmanuel, a man in the
prime Of life and apparent fullness
Of health. Now the interest is
deepencd, and even wars and armis-
tices, treaties and congresses, are
lost sight of in the presence Of
these two great events = the death
Of historical pope and the assem-
blage of one of the most important
cOnciaves that has been held for
centuries-so much depends, hui
manly speaking, on the result of
these occurrences.
The kilograms and journals have
carried you the details of this un-
expected death of the pope. On
Candlemas Day his holiness walked
from his library to the throne in
the Countess Matilda hall; be
mounted the throne with the aid Of
his cane, and when the audience
was over he walked, without help,
back to his room. He had received
visits, taken the old interest in
affairs, and every sign gave promise
of a continuance of life. But at
eighty-fye, every breath of air has
an arrow, and then when the hour
comes no earthly power can stay
the striking. On Thursday night
his pulse was feverish at midnight
he was restless and weak; at 4
o'clock he rank his bell, and it was
seen instantly that death had
touched him. We have been led
to expect that the pope's last mo-
ments would be kept very secret.
1t has been said he would be EN-.
balmed privately, and the first the
world would know Of his death
would be the announcement of the
election of a pope, chosen secretly
by the bedside Of the dead pope.
Large sums Of money have been
offered to the papal servants, and
persons open to bribes in the EN-
ployment of the Vatican Court
have promised to give the first
news of his aecease. | know of
one instance where four thousand
francs was to be paid, and in an
other, three thousand. But it
could not be possible for a death
to have been more public. AS soon
as the extreme uuchOn was given
him, yesterday morning, orders
were sent out by the cardinal vicar
to have the blessed sacrament ex-
posed in all the churches Of Rome,
and by midday there were crowds
of praying men and women at the
altars, and all Rome knew that
Plus TX was near his end. The
whole town was breathless, waiting
for the last solemn moment. At ]
o'clock the report was that he had
died at IL; at3 o'clock the minister
OF the interior sent an official bulle-
tin announcing the pope's death to
the houss and senate; at haif-past
3 it was contradicted officially.
THE DEArH-BEp OF THE POPE.
AT three o'clock | went to the
Vatieisa and waited while an inld-
ential friend went in to tho pop9s
room. At four o'clock he reported
to me chat his holiness was in the
last agony. Cardinal Bilio, grand
plenipetentary, and Mopsignor
Martinelli, were kneeling beside the
bed, reciting the act Of contrition
and prayers for the dying. at one
moment his holiness made a su-
preme exertion, and ejacRlated, In
Il thick yoice, choked with the grasp
Of death, Col yo;tro santo auto,