Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-10-21

dJtdcn 10 a parsonage OF SuCn exalted
rank But beneath all the dignity
of his office Cardinal Gibbons possesses
a character SO charming ana modest,
a bearing 50 gracious and diguitied,
ana such an incXprcssible sweetness
of ]countcnance that al who approach
him are fascinated by the natural vir-
tues of the man What ii is about him
that attracts, many admiring writer
have failed TO define. He is not com
mandinE in figure, and his coumtcnance
is SCARED with wrinkles far beyond
the fullneSs of the years. He is, al re-
spccts 10 the contrary Notwithstanding,
a man Of small oratorical powers, and
he can not move an audience with the
subtle lever of phrases worked from
the pulpit or the platform. Neyerthe-
less. there is something in his linlpid,
straightforward style OF speaking
which goes right home 10 the hearts
of any multitude, as those who heard
him speak in the religious congress
in Chicago a short time ago win bear
abundant witness,
There can be no doubt that a great
measure Of the marvellous influence
which Cardinal Gibbons yields, not
only among the Catholics Of his own
diocese and those all over the land,
but even among Professionals, springs
from the aScetic character of this man
of God. He is q yerituble monk in his
mode of life. He allows himself no
relaxation or pleasure, no cessation
from work, no shrinking Of the hum
best duty which attaches to the office
of the priesthood, except a brisk walk
of about two hours every afternoon.
To visitors he appears to be a bcneyo-
lent, retiring little man, with a dispo-
sition to take things easy. But the
priests who live in the same house
with him declare that as al aScetic
he rivals the late Cardinal Guibert of
Paris. While genial and AL smiles
to callers, he observes in private all
the little penances of asceticbsm. His
bedroom is the most poorly furnished
room in the whole house. The floor is
oaken, and polished, and 1T is covered
in the center with a rug, which is
much the worse for wear. \ common
washstaud, a bureau with a very small
glass, and two caue-seated, straight
backed chairs complete the list Of ar.
ticIes of furniture in the apartment.
one of the finest stories Of the pre-
Ilate's life is one about which lie has
nothing to say himself, but which
caused the greatest possible amuse-
- "a. A.. .{.,. e ,..yY,pys.,1 nfR4. V~ltsl
was written Of copiouSly by newspaper
correspondents. While bishop Of Rich.
mord he was the defendant in a suit
relating to some church property.
When he was called to the witness
stand the plaintiffs lawyer, a distin.
guished legal luminary, who still shines
in Richmond, after vain endeayors e
involve the witness in contradictions
struck on a plan which he thought
would annoy the bishop.
He thercupon questioned Mr. Glib
bons' right to the title Of bishop OF
Richmond and called upon him 70 prove
his claim to the Office. The defend
ants lawyer of course objected to thi,
line Of procedure as irrelevant, but the
bishop. with a quiet smile, said hC
would comply with the request II al
lowed half an hour in which to pro
duce his papers. His request was
granted, and he left the courtroom
In less th"n half IN hour he returned
with a document which he proceeded
to read with great %solemnitr all the
greater as the paper was entirely in
Latin.
The plaintiffs lawyer took notes
most industriously, bowling lis head
once in a while rs if in perfect acqui
essence and seemingly quite convinced
at the end. When the reading was fin
ished he announced that the papal bulls
lust read were entirely satisfactory
at the same time ~apologizing for his
expressed doubts, The next day, how
ever, it leaked out that the bishop
unable to ind the papal bulls in the
time at his disposal, had brought tc
court and read a Latin essay on Pope
Leo the Great, written by one of his
ecclesiastical students and forwarded
by the president Of the college as q
specimen of the young mans skill
1t ought to be said that this story j,
somewhat discredited by the cardinals
remarkably guileless nature.
The jubilee exercises at the Balti
more cathedral viii be Of the most
impressive nature. Archbishops anc
bishops win act as deacons and sub
deacons at the celebration Of the pom
tifcal mass by Mgr. SatollL The
thrones Of Cardinal Gibbons and Mgr
SatolIf. the two heads of the church
in this country, win face each Other
inside the railing Of the grand altar
ia the cathedral, ana all about, acting
as assistants ~. the mass and Other
exercises, viii be the ablest priests in
the United States. There win be an i'm
presslre vesper service, a grand pro
cession Of church societies and chill
dren, together with other appropriate
exercises tomorrow afternoon.
The pope's gift is a fine portrait Of
himself, carved in stone and set in &
frame Of gold studded with diamonds
-41.. -.-,.t,44a afaF4aa II wa