Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-08-04
BILLY FLORENCE ABROAD.

Interview with Florence, New York Sun.
"Where have you been on you1
travels % ....-
"Well, a party of US went to Paris first
] and stayed there for about six weeks, hav
ing good time. ! saw all the new plays
there. The successes of the season there
are La Mascotte at the Bouffc Parisienne
and Seline Chaumont in Dirorcoas at the
Palais Royal. Early in the season Mile.
Judic made great hit at tho Varieties in
play called La Rouss0ttc, or the Red
Head They have splendid acting at the
Partisan theatres. After leaving Paris We
went to Nice. The Trenton. of our navy,
carrying the flag of Rear Admiral Howell,
was there, and we attended ball on
board. Tho ladies returned to Paris from
Nice, and I then did Italy with Mr..
Mackey."
Some remark was made in regard to the
magnifcence of Mr.. Macky's style of liv.
ing and travel abroad. ..,-.
| "Oh, that's all q lpistake," said Mr.
Florence. Mr.. Mackey is \ plain Amer
ican citizen, and he hates anything like
parade or Ostentation. know that such
reports about him annoy him very much.
He loves this country, all his feelings and
interests are here, and ho is not the man
l
the republic. We travelled in simple style
papers heraldcd him as tho richest man
in the world, and sometimes We would find
crowds at the stations waiting to see him.
But wo would got past without attracting
their attention, and be gone while they
were still looking for him. His style of living
in Paris is that ola wealthy gentleman,
and Mrs. Mackey's entertainments are
magnificent, but there is nothing Ostenta-
tious about them. His cQuipages have
nothing about them 10 attract attention
His livery is a quiet, dark green, and there
is nothing that looks like parade.
."Did you have an audience with the
''Indeed VIC did. That is one of the
great events Of my life. 1t was q cere-
monial audience extended to Mr.. Mackcy
and myself, and VIC had fifteen Or twenty
minutes talk with the Pope"
On being pressed for details, Mr.. Flor
ence said 1--WE first received a largo card
of invitation, and at tho appointed time
Monseigneur Cataldi, the master of ccre-
monies at the Vatican, called for us. At
tho principal entrance Of the Vatican wo
found the Swiss Guard drawn up. THY
have Il beautiful fourteenth century
costume of black and yellow trunks
and tabards. They had silver
breast plates and wore helmets with flow
ing plumes. We were shown up q mag
niicent staircase to an ante chamber,
where VIC were met by several members
of the household, Passing into another
room we met 4 Chinese bishop and a priest
The bishop was 4 Frenchman by birth,
t,,A l,o Eo1 knil md ,Gn tod
Chinese dress. The priest was 4 native
Cinnamon, and it was sight to SEQ the !
rapt, earnest look ON his face at tho |
thought that he was soon to see, face to
face, tho head Of tho church. MOnseig-
neur Catallli now left us, but soon return
ed with the information that the Pope was |
ready to see us. As the doors were |
thrown open wo walked in through q file |
of tho Guard Mobile, dressed in blue |
uniform and wearing silver helmets. The |
Pope was seated upon throne in the mid |
die of the room. We knelt before him, as
is customary, kissing his hand, and he at |
once begged us to rise. There were Sew
eral cardinals present, but us soon as We |
had been represented tho guard and all re-
tired, leaving us with tho pope"
"HOw was he dressed ::''
"Well, l have an eye for costume, and !
of course noticed that. lilo wore il long,
white cassock, Of q stuff that looked like |
merino. 1t had y narrow binding Of u
pale rose color, and the buttons were Of
the same color. Over it he wore y white
cape trimmed with down. He wore silk
stockings and white shoes, each with Il
golden cross upon it. On his head he had
4 white skull cap with 4 binding of pale
rOso tint. He had !. white sash, and
around his neck 4 heavy gold chain, from
which hung CROSS Of diamonds and
rubes.
In response to inquiries us to the details
first asked me il spoke Italian, l replied
asked me whether l spoke French, and
whether Mr.. Mackey did. told him that
1 thought could converse with him in
French, and interpret to Mr.. Mackey. lie
then welcomed us to Rome. lie spoke
about Mrs. Mackcy aud her deeds Of be-
nevolence, and of Mr.. Mackey's charities.
You know that Mr.. Mackey snstains ut
Virginia City an asylum for the care
of children. l told the Pope about this,
and he seemed very much pleased.
l translated in French some remarks
of Mr.. Mackey as to how highly he ap-
preciatcd the honor and privilege Of the
audience. The Pope then said pleasantly,
Now, what about yOurself?' l told him
that was 4 dramatic artist. Yes, said
he, 'Cataldi told me that. hear that you
have done something in connection with
St. Agnes Parish, in New York city
said that that was u very small matter.
He then said, Nothing is small that is
done for the church of God l remarked
to him in the course Of the conversation
that it seemed to me that tho Catholic
church was greatly increasing in
the United States, from the fact
that new churches were constantly go
ing up. He said that Of all countries
in tho world the people Of the United
States seemed to bo most generous to the
He spoke of the great prosperity
Of tho American people, saying that they
had good crops and favorable business,
and those were evidences that God had
blessed them because as Il people they were
charitable and religious. He did not make
any distinction between Catholics and
Protestants, but spoke OF our people rs n
whole. In conclusion nc invited us t. call |
and see him again, and gave us hi; bless
ing" ':.: |
sical condition.
"He was very thin, but said that he ell
ioyed good health. He happened to re-
mark that he had been up till 2 O'clock
that morning, and said that he had fIo-
quently to sit up till that hour to attend
to the business of the church. l made
some remark to the effect that l hoped
\ y r