The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-10-26
HOW Pope leo KIT. LIVES
A Busy, Frugal, Pious Man, Who.
Never Ceases to Labor,
Night or Day.
The Cost of the Vatican Is at
Least Five Thousand Doll
lars Each Day.
An Existence That Is Lonely,
Splendid But Cold, and a rlind
s..
That Is Keen and Alert.

That Is Keen and Alert.
The pope's private apartments are ST
uated Ola the first floor Of the vatican, near
the great hall of Clement VIII. The IA
nous Swiss guards are grouped about the
immense vestibule, some sitting upon
stools, some standing, all gazing silently
before them, while the bussolanti in red
surplices and trousers and the chamber
lains, clothed entirely in violet, cross and
recross the Sale des Suisses, sometimes
disappearing behind the red curtains into
the adjacent Sale des Bussolanti, some
times ushering a rare visitor into the
presence Of his holiness. 1t is in the halt
of the bussolan.i that those who have ALL
dience Of the pope leave their hats and
coats upon long chest against the wall,
says the St. James Budget.
The pope usually rises at o'clock, his
chamber door having been previously un-
locked by his faithful body servant Cen
of his bed room with key which never
passes out of his hands, second door be-
ing locked by Centra when his holiness
is in bed. The pope is thus practically a
prisoner at night, but Centra is generally
within call. The servant IS a person Of
che greatest influence at the vatican;
the pontiff relies upon him implicitly, and
his trust is well placed. The Romans
say that Contra is more powerful than the
whole sacred college combined. He is
the son of a halter, and was born at Cas-
nineto, in the province in which the
pope's family-the Pecci-sprang. For
IA years Centra has been devoted and
affectionate servant, anticipating the
pope's every want, and never leaving him.
If Contra is indispesed the whole palace
speedily becomes aware efsthe fact by the
bearing Of the holy father; even when he
Is iii he is so necessary that the pope will
not allow him to go away for more than a
week at a time. Last September Centra
had sharp attack Of Roman fever, and
was peremptorily ordered a change of air
by the pope's physician, The pontiff de-
cided that he should go to Carpineto,
their native place, where the aria fna, he
+ thought, would speedily restore the faith
full soul to health, but nevertheless in
sisted on Centra returning to Rome every
fifth day in order that he should shave
b;,,. +ba ,,oro uo,,1d nnt aIIow oven the
cleverest barber in Rome to take his
place
Assoon as the Pope is dressed by his
valet in his white woolen cassock and
wadded silk gown, he recites the prayers
ante nissan at prie-Dieu in his bed
room, passing directly afterward into q
neighboring apartment, which has been
arranged as an oratory. Here he is
robed in sacerdotal garments by his pri-
yate chamberlain, Mgr. Cagiano da Az
evedo and Mgr. Bisletti. Mass is then
celebrated, the Pope's beautiful voice
End dignifed presence lending peculiar
impressiveness to the cermony to which
no strangrs are admitted save on Sum
days. The service occupies three-Quar-
ters of an hour, at the end of which time
Leo XIII. returns to his bedroom, where
Centra brings him the first of the nu-
merous meals Of soup and chocolate upon
which he sustains a body, described by q
French writer as so thin and meager
that it seems to have escaped from one
of the passions with which Crivilli and
Mantegna decorated the walls of the vat
lean. "If he has decided to give audience
to any of the numerous pilgrims always
, In Rome, he receives them in the library
after his frugal dejeuner. Supporting
himself against the long table in the mid
die of the room, the Pope talks for some
minutes with each Of the visitors, asking
their name, their country, and the his
tory of their family. Although his man
ner of speaking is low. its tone betrays
The keen interest he bestoWs upon the
yeriest trile. In addition. his memory
Is marvellous He never forgets q face,
remembers the name Of every Roman
Catholic who has done the church signal
service. To American and to English
visitors he talks Of the we'll known men
of their countries with the same certain-
ty of his facts that would mark his con-
versation with one Of his compatriots Of
Carpineto. ~
The Pope's hand, raised with dinculty,
gives his visitors their congo and his
benediction at the same time, and as they
withdraw he returns to his study, where
at a small writing table beneath can
opy the. greater part Of his holiness
work is done. He writes busily all the
morning, using both hands, the left grab
bing the right to still its nervous tremb-
ling, and covering sheet after sheet with
pointed, uncertain, but clear cal aphy,
He daily makes notes sub bon small sheets
8ofs paper, throwing them Wl1ens Icoyerstl
isfn 4 drawer, the Key I'D htch neVer
& Raves his per his onstaii notes
1 M IinS sis the
ll1ss1