The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-23
Tho POpe'S Garden.

Let me- relate, says correspondent, u
visit to the Pope's private garden, which is
supposed to bo inaccessible to the outside
world. Its particular interest is in the fact
that for eight years the Popcs have not
stepped out Of tho Vatican Palace except
to 20 into, this garden, and naturally it is
jcalously secluded from profane intruders.
However, we bribcd the officials and were
lot into the garden surreptltiOusly with per-
mission to remain an hour, and we i'm
proved tho time to the utmost. Until re-
Gently 1t has been only place to stroll
about in, on foot. But nowt the Pope is
having q carriage road made through it,
and has just had an elegant landau con
structcd in Rome, with the papal oscutch-
con upon it, expressly to drive about the
garden in. The principal avenues are bor-
dered by fiat hedges, and in passing along
you catch glimpscs, through green arches,
OF the sweetest little sylvan retreats that
you can imagine:' birds singing, fountains
bubbling, light and shade playing through
the flickcring leaves the air full of the
scents OF orange oms and roses, shady
paths winding in and Oh, up and down in
tho most distracting way, the ground COW
e"ed with u thick mating of dead leaves,
tho accumulation of years. Here an an
clent sarcophagus, with sculptured figures
II relief; there marble statue, gray with
age, and a something incxpressivcly weird
i'll the twilight gloom, the solitude and air
of neglect and decay. Again, you emerge
upon open, sunny spaces, and the promen-
ade skirts quadrangular space sunkcn
fifteen to- twenty feet, with perpendicular
walls, originally, perhaps, the walls of
some ancient construction. This is laid out
in an immense flower garden, and in the
midst the gorgeous papal monogram traced
in living vcrdure. A pretty surprise was
small grotto in rockwork, representing that
of "Notre Dame dc Lourdes," in which
stood "a little fancy figure of the Virgin, at
her foot a little grating through which Of
fcrings were dropped, and three tiny
streams of water flowing from the words
Drink and be healed" Of course, tiny
streams spout into little basin, and above
these we applied our mouths to the little
streams and drank the consecrated water.
We thought we had explored every nook
aud corner of the garden, but had failed to
find the place we were especially in search
OF, the famous Casino, where Plus TX used
to sit on sunny days, and which is said to
he favorite resort of the present Pope for
study and writing. We met servant who
went with us to show the way and gave us
bouquet of exquisite damask roses. Tho
Casino is completely enclosed and hidden
by high hedges and entered by single arch.
Following path through, shrubDery, we
passed under deep stone archway, lined
with nOsaics-three inches each side filled
with ancient statues-and came upon a
small circular csplanade with fine mosaic
pavement enclosed by two semi-clrcular
loggias or porticos supported by marble
columns, the ceiling and inside walls COW
cred with beautiful but faded frcscoes and
curious mosaic and shell work, with inches
occupied by busts and statues. All around
was wilderness of flowers and shrubbcry,
and close by the great dome of st. Peters
filled in the view. Finally, through dis
taDt arch, we saw vista Of trees, and fol-
lowing it up came out upon on elevated
terrace, where, under the shade of old trees
covered with purple blossoms, was large
basin of water upon which was man-of-
war in bronze, eight or. ten feet long, the
rigging complete, rows Of cannons project
ing from the sides, the mariners at their
posts. From this terrace was vic wof the
city, the castle of St,Angelo prominent in
the foreground, and Monte Marie on the
left, the Valley OF the Tiber beneath, and
the Campagna stretching out to the Alban
range in the distance. s...