Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-10-22
Death OF CARDINAL McCLesKEY.
A Feature of His Wonderful Palace
Exchange.

Exchange.
The close of Cardinal McCloskey's
career centers public attention on the
zig and ornate piles of marble that
,ccupy block in the city's most fash
ionable section. The Roman Catholic
Cathedral of st. Patrick, the costliest
and finest example of church archi~
lecture in America, is right across a
corner Of Fifth avenue from the Van
derbilt mansion, while facing it from
Madison avenue at the rear is the re-
production OF an Italian palace that
Henry Willard had not completed
when his downfall came, and on all
sides are the residences of extreme
wealth and luxury. Two corners of
the square or which the cathedral
stands are lesser and yet big structures
IN corresponding style of material
and ornate shapeliness. One Of these
is the official home of Archbishop
Jorrigan and the priestly members of
his and the cardinals establishments.
The other has for q few years been
elusive TO the only prince of the
oman Catholic church that America
las had. Within this beautiful en-
closure Cardinal McCloskey formed
and maintained Q court that had ali the
ceremonial formality and much of the
nlagniicence of a secular ruler; for it is
IN unwritten law of Romanism that a
cardinal shall sustain a certain degree
Of princeliness, and McCloskey, de-
spite his personal simplicity OF CHARS
acter and tastes, felt bound to obey
the usages Of his church abroad. On
occasions Of great ceremony, when ne
took part IN the worship In the cathe-
dral, he invariably entered with proe
cessiOnaI pageantry, wearing a crown
robed In trailing garments, whose
royal gorge0usness has been described
and takinga seat on bench
whose splandors of construction were
sacred to his use alone. His age en-
feebled health prevented him from
any active participation in the public
rites, had he been so disposed; but he
was an ideal fgure when he did show
himself as the center Of the most
brilliant imaginable scenes of ecclesi>
astical pomp, with his ascetically
aesthetic face, noble bearing and ven-
cradle aspect The deep impressive
ness of his disclosure to mixed as
semblage OF rich and poor, intelligent
and ignorant, cultured and supersti~
tious, was e spectacle to remember for
a lifetime.
A feature of the cardinals palace
was a chapel, of which the outer OBJ
server was made aware by its tall,
stained~glass windows, occupying two
stories Of the building. The interior
had all the appointments of Catholic
worship, except that there were no
pews for congregation. Here masses
were performed daily, and the cardi-
nal went 10 confession once q week,
his confessor being Father Preston,
the only priest in New York who came
from family of wealth and social
distinction. McCloskey was devotlon>
al IN the extreme, and very punctill~
Gus ia his observances. He also exx
acted to the uttermost that Difference
which was due from his household to
his rank. He lived plainly as to eat.
ing and drinking, no Eever, and his
likes and desires ran altogether in the
direction of literature, art and religion.
lie never went out into society, for
the presumed reason that ne would
not if he could demand the kind of
homage which his princeship implied.
He was never seen in the streets after
his elevation to the throne, and when
compelled to go anywhere he rode IL
a close carriage. He was about as
confined as the pope in his vatican,
though although by choice, for ne had
many warm personal friends lasting
over from his humber days. In the
summer he lived quite as retired IN a
convent belonging to a sisterhood, on
high, rural ground just north of the
city proper. During the last two
years physician visited him every
day, and the same constant, skillfuI
sort of attendance extended down to
the lowest servitor; and among these
the etiquette Of a royal court, such as
the use of the phrase "Your highness"
in addressing him. low obeisance in
entering his presence, and awaiting
permission by a wave of the hand to
speak, was sedulously enforced. IL
his privacy he wore simple robe of
black, and a beretta of the same color,
than the example of European cards
mails permitted and he had no fop
perry; but in his officials he axacted a
strict compliance with the fashion, as
set by foreign authority His family
relations were chiefly with the wife
Of John Kelly, one of his three niecas.