Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-22


intellectual features, the large but express
i've mouth, the clear, thoughtful eye, the
strong nose, that only strong mem have, "a
man of any or of no religion can find much
to admire.
Be you Catholic, be you Protestant or be
you Hindoostanee, such face Will attract
you. I sometimes hear persons wondering
how it Is that men and women 60 to the
Vatican expecting to find ammunition for
many future satires upon what they went to
see, and come away with very deep respect
for the pale-faced old man that they cannot
understand, but that remains with them
nevertheless.
In one respect Leo XIII. is like Plus TX.
He is extremely affable. No visitor who
gains an audience with him is considered
too humble to be treated courteously and
pleasantly. And the Pope's wide knowl-
edge of men and affairs enables him to talk
lntelligently with most of his visitors.
There is no monarch that can name who
has such varied and picturesque throng OF
people seeking admission at his court. You
see them in the streets OF Rome, you meet
them in St. Peters, you find them kneeling
in the ancient church of st. John Lateran.
You find them about the Vatican mixed up
among the gendarmes, the Swiss guards and
all sorts and conditions of men. In tact
you meet them everywhere you turn.
A COSMOPOLITAN GATHERING.
Now you meet lordly patriarch from
Jerusalem or some other part Of the East.
Again you tread upon the toes of courtly
Cardinal from France or Spain. Here you
find broad-shouldered. good-looking pre-
late, plainly an Irishman, looking with
something like contempt upon the diminu-
tive form of an Italian Cardinal Mixed
up in the motley throng, intthe Vatican pal
aces, you will see missionaries from Africa,
bearded like the pard. You will see Jesuits
from Japan and from India. You will meet
fat, self-contented padres from Mexico, or
mayhap stumble upon a bronzed priest from
the Upper Saskatchewan or from Alaska,
while at almost any time you will see good
looking, well-dressed bishops and priests
from the United States, who have come to
Rome to visit the scenes Of their student
days, or to make their reports as to their
dioceses, such as have them.
The audiences are not so formal as might
be thought, but are very pleasant. There is
usually an American representation at
these, and it is usually non-Catholic. The
Pope blesses all with general impartiallty,
and 1 have yet to see any Protestant object
to this. All seems to take it upon the
principle that if the blessing Of the Pope Of
Rome is of no value in itself, the blessing
of an old man, who has behind him the
record of 20 well-spent years, and whose sun
is setting calm and unclouded in the even
ing of his life, is worth having.
This is the way look at it.
Leo XIII. is especially partial to America
and Americans. And like most great men
he has hobby. He believes he knows more
about America than any member Of the
Sacred College, Cardinal Gibbons, of course,
excepted. And 1t is said here that in this
respect be is right He has long been study
ing America and he has had valuable as
sistance. He has taken into his confidence
such men as Cardinal Gibbons, Bishop
Keane, who is to be the head of the Catholic
University. at Washington, D. c., Arch
bishop ireland, ,of St. Paul, Mimi, and
Bishop Spaldlng. of Peoria, Ill, the most
progressive of the American prelates, and
he has not forgotten anything that they have
told him. FREDERIC SANBUBN.