Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-12-14

his engagement in the morning OF Sun
day. An hour before the time appointed
We arrived at st. Peters, where we
waited in the front rank Of over 10, 200
people seeking admission. A detach-
ment Of the Swiss papal guard, all stall
wart. fino-looking fellows dressed in
bright uniforms, held the crowd in
check until a very numerous male choir
and a small army of guards had passed
into the cathedral and taken their
positions. The guards drew up on
either side OF the main entrance along
the entire length of the chapel, after
which the waiting crowd was admitted
at their right and left. Within q very
few moments the chapel was filed with
o dense throng. People crowded each
other TO such an extent that many indi-
viduals were fairly wedged in and were
utterly incapable Of moving an inch in
any direction. As we had ascertained
that the Pope would walk up the middle
aisle between the two rows OF Swiss
guards, we endeavored TO get as close 10
the soldiers as possible, and by persist
ent effort we succeeded in getting into
the front row OF the crushing crowd.
The chapel, it appeared to me, was
about 500 feet long, and the people
were divided by intervening soldiers
into two huge throngs facing each other
the entire length of the interior, each
liant uniforms Of the soldiers.
and ~chamberlains, archbishops,
bishops and foreign representatives at
the vatican came struggling in. BY
this time, as you must suppose, the tenn
perature of the air in the chapel had
reached fever heat. and the vast con-
course was literally a mass of perspiring
humanity. InSIiring of a ~bystsnder,
the hour being now considerably past
that announced, whether the pope was
usually not punctual in filing his en-
gagements, i was told that in earlier
years, when his physical health was
good, he was a model of punctuality,
always promptly on time. but this had
been less and less the case with increas-
ing years and bodily infrmitics- OF
theee the r~ec0llection was : painful ono
that on the publication preceding this
in which he had participated, his weak
ness was so great that he had to be car
ried into the services and tainted
while assisting In them. There was
no telling this time when he
would arrive, but 1t would be
probably not much before 4 o'clock.
At $3.50, the Precipitation was streaming
down DIR. Talmage's face, in full view
OF . great many people, for he was one
OF the tallest persons in the crowd. The
circumstances Of delay became more
and more distressing, and every now
and then the guards permitted people
who could not bear the suilocating pres
sure, To pass out between their majestic
ranks. The sturdy American preacher
held his ground without f~inching and
beguiled the time by getting up : con-
~versation with an oficer or the
Swiss tFUops who could ave Gu-
emily In the English language. Inn
mediateiy behind our party was = band
OF students preparing for the ministry.
They recognized DR.. Talmage and were
much pleased to see him.
A movement throughout the chapel,
which who has stoodon Broad
way waiting for . procession to pass,
can realise, meant that The pope was
coming. About twenty-five cardinals
preceded him in the procession Of which
he was tie central figure, Is many fol-
lowing him - he walked between the
ran1Ea of the eoldiery. Every head
tared - the ktndly. swost-facea old