The morning times., 1895-10-28
LE0'S HEALTH FAILING
Vigorous Canvass as to His Sue
cessor is Progressing Here.
INCIDENTS IN HIS CAREER
His Prompt and Decisive Method OF
Kidding Beney entO of Notorious
Brign nds-How the Cardinals Vote
for ~ Pope-Prelates Believed to
Have IA Chance to BE Elevated.

Rumors of the failing of the Popc's
health come with portcntuous continuity
Leo XIII is eighty-six years old, and many
of his near friends are now arguing that
his death will occur before the end of
next winter.
Even at this distance from Rome a vigor-
Gus canvass as Ia his probable successor
is progressing. While he is man of deli
cate appearance, his constitution is re-
markahlc, and he re-cnforces his vitality
by vigorous will. Time and again since
election his dccrasc has been prognosti-
Gated, his sinking spells aud long fainting
fits have been hcraldrd, but the aged
pontir has recovered IL inauguratc new
projects that require his personal attcn-
ton for years ahead.
There is a story that shortly after
coronation his confessor announced that
it had been revealed TO him that Pope
Leo Mi would reign twenty years. He
was then fragile old man of sixty-cight
and his advisers urged that he should not
inaugurate any new policies that would re-
quire time for development.
WAVED 1T ASIDE.
The pontiff had become impressed by
the sincerity of his confessnr's prediction,
and, gently waving aside, all objections,
he Immediately started on the great plan
of consolidation of the Eastern and West.
ern churches.
The final events of this policy are set
for some time next year, and Pope Leo
has gone on making appointments for the
future with an apparent assurance that he
Will Hive 10 keep them.
An event of his early career will show
the firmness OF his will. When delegate gov
ernor OF Eenevento he undertook to rid the
province of the bandits, whose power ranii-
fled through every grade of society. After
attacking them in the very castles OF the
mobiles who led them and condcmnins many
of the leaders he beg an to make head against
them There remain one terrible band
who lived and robbed and committed their
outragcs under the patronage of a marquis,
the richest and most powerful noble OF the
province. The then Mgr. Pccci was sur
priSed one day by visit from this prince,
who insulently confronted him, saying:
lam going TO Rome TO get an order for
your expulsion from our province. and if
that VIII not do / will have you carried
off,
Very weIl" answer red Mgr. p eccf.
But in the meantime before setting out
allow me to entrust you to these carbiniers,
who viii keep you in prison for three
months on bread and water
SURROUNDED THE CASTLE.
On the first night of his Imprisonment
the castle of this noble brigand was sur
rounded and the twenty-eight principal men
of his band were either killed or captured.
As a reward for such signal service,
Gregory XVI. appointed him archbishop.
January %. SAB, and sent him as nuDcio
to King Leopold, at Brussels.
A conviction OF longevity acting on
personality such as Leo's must undu-
bitably exercise "a pow erful Influence
on his life. When il is also considered that
all of his three elder brothers lived
much beyond eighty years. 1t is rot as
toniShiIiG that a considerable clement
OF the Catholic prclates, who cannot oe
ca He'd snpcrs titious, confidently assert
that the passing of Popoe Leo NH. is not
vet at hand. They state that he VIII
round out full term of Nv enty years in
the Papacy.
This is a long reign. Only eleven of the
two hundred and sixly-two Popes from
St. Peter to Plus IX., have exceeded 1t.
Only 1--WE rcigned longer Than Nv enty-ihree
years. and of these st. Peter and Plus
XII. rcigned thirty two and thirty one
years, respectively.
The policy of Pope Leo XIII has been of
the same character as his predecessors of
the name. Pope Leo I, the Great, stayed
Attila; Leo III crowned Gharleuagne and
became the first Papal King of Rome, Leo
" saved Rome from the Saracens. Leo TX
built ST. Peters: Leo y, the Magnificent.
restored the Leonine city and built the
castle of San Angelo to defend it against
possible Moslem invasions, and was The
the patron of Raphael and Angelo and
made the Vatican the center of art and
learning.
III