The record-union., 1893-01-24

them in their houses: he questioned them
ana ss-questicned them about their af-
fairs, ana all this with such gentleness of
manners and such deep sympathy for
their hard lot that they took courage and
boldly told the story of their sutferings
ana wrongs. The nobies and officials
next came under the delegates notice,
unelr accounts We're oVerhauled and their
administration subjected TO a searching
examination. They were compelled to
meet every precise charge that any Of the
peasantry chose to make against them.
Ihe accuser and the accused were brought
face TO face and their evidence taken by
lhe delegate IN person. They found him
100 alert to be hoodwinked and too firm
to be terrified"
HIS TIRELESS ENERGY.
a number of stories are told in illus
tration of the energy and impartialitv
which he conducted his operations against
the brigands who mad terrified the popu-
l2tlon and secured tor themselves friends
in nigh places. Among them is the fol-
lowing:
A certain nobleman came one day to
the delegate in state OF great indigna-
ton, threatening to 60 10 Rome to bring
his complaints before a higher tribunal.
Have you given the matter sufficient
thought? ?'' asked the delegate, quietly.
Certainly" said the marquis.
II don't agree with y0u," replied mon
slgnor. In these matters one cannot re-
fleet too much, and therefore you will
favor me by remaining here as my pris-
oner"
That night the nobleman's castle was
surrounded and twenty-eight brigands
who enjoyed its protection were captured.
The severity OF the delegate was justified.
and great was the joy of the people OF
Benevento when they saw one of the most
lawless of these bandit chiefs led through
the city i'll chains. The name of Mon
signor Pecci resounded upon all sides,
and when the pain, ascetic-looking
young ecclesiastic fell sick from the fever
and overwork, the people marched bare
headed to the great church to implore the
protection of heaven for their deliverer.
In 1S4l Monsignor Pecci was nominated
Papal Delegate to SpoletO, but before the
appointment took effect was transferred
to the more important post OF Governor
of Perugia. The same laWIessness was
faced and order again brought out of
chaos. The old medieval road leading
up from the plain to the city was almost
impasSabie and was a serious drawback
to traffic. The new delegate saw at a
glance what was to be done and he lost
uot moment in doing it. Within twenty
days broad and well-paved thorough
fare winding up the hillside gave access
to the place.
Nor were the roads the only things he
reformed, The bakers of the city had, it
seems, habit of selling loaves under
weight. Monsignor, when he took his
walks abroad one day, inspected the
bakeries and lad the loaves Weighed by
officials. Those that We're short were at
once taken to the marketplace and dis
trlbuted to the poor. This ideal method
of at once Furnishing the detaulter and re-
quitting the victim," says one of his biOg-
raphers, was too much for the benevo-
lence of the bakers. and they did not risk
recurrence of the confiscation.
In these enlightened days of a free and
united Italy (sic) 1t seems a bit of an
anomaly to read OF a Bishop building
roads and transacting secular business.
yet perhaps there has never been or, il
unmolested, would never be nearer APP
proach to a truly paternal government
than that of the Papal States. 1t is true
democracy, too, the head of the govern
ment being elected by the votes of his
colleagues, aud they in turn by the pas
tors of the people. Communism idealized
is this Christian socialism, where chastity
and obedience are upheld, and poverty,
not wealth, is TO be coveted. Most sig
niticant OF ali, there came a time in the
history of Perugia when the prisons did
not contain a single prisoner. Utopia,
indeedi So great was the influence OF the
newG overnor.
CAREER AT BRUSSELS.
On January y, 1S43, Mgr. Pecci, though
then only SO years Of age. was nominated
titular Archbishop OF Uamietta and sent
as Nuncio to Brussels. 1t was not with
out some misgiving that he entered the
Belgian capital, for his horizon had
hitherto been bounded by the Papal
hr1t N sNFf 81,
Nuncio was safe passport for him wheI:-
ever he went. The qualities which had
won the love of the Pontif were readily
recognized by the Protestant King; the
tact which had been triumphant over the
banditti of Benevento was triumphant
too at the dinner table at Lady Seymour s
drawing-room. In the more Bohemian
salon of Charles Lever, whose house adj
Joined the English Embassy, Mgr. Pecci
was often guest. At these gatherings he
met the Protestant Archbishop of Dublin,
DIR. Whately,an they became great
friends. The loud buzz of conversa-
tion," says John Oldcastle in his interest
ing memoir of the Pope, 1.-THE louder
laughter WEIGH followed the rollicking
host wherever he wandered, made con-
venient cover for the conversation of
these two quiet takers ON things theo-
logical, who were interrupted now and
then by music, when lie Lever would
sing, with bow to the grave Nuncio,
some of the German students songs he
had translated"
In the world yet not oft was the young
Nuncio. He had a keen irony all his own,
too, for he had inherited not a little
Roman wit, and more than one saying of
his survives in the court circles of the
Belgian capital. The following story is
certainly worth telling:
one night at dinner a certain Marquis
showed the Nuncio a snuff box having
on the cover a very lovely Venus. The
men of the party watched the progress OF
the joke gleefully, and, as for the Mar
quis, he was choking with laughter, until
the Nuncio deferentially returned the
box with the remark: tires jolie, est ce
le portrait de Madame la Marquise ~
FROM which retort it may be seen that
the grave young ecclesiastic did not dis
dain worldly weapons, and knew quite
well how to use them.
But the influence of Mgr. Pecci was
not confined to salons. 1t was already
exerted for that literary movement which
is the glory of the century. Lacordaire.
keen for salvation and ali that is beauti-
full" was then preaching this gospel to
his countrymen in language that can
never be forgotten: Among living
nations the culture of letters is, next to
religion, the greatest of public treas ures.
the aroma OF youth and the sword of
manhood" This was the doctrine which
the Nuncio propounded i'll Brussels and
which he has since preached from the
hight of papacy. Such Il character, an
accomplished scholar, diplomat, a we'll
bred and courteous gentleman, and a
priest whose asceticism was mirrored in
every feature, could not but have an ire
sistible endancy even in royal courts.
Leopold l., who was penetrating Judge
OF men, formed very high opinion of
him. lie endeavored to make of him a
counselor and friend, and induced him
to be frequent visitor at the court.
The King often conversed famiIiarlv
with him, and took pleasure in propound-
ing all sorts of questions. The Nuncio,