The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-27

Interesting Facts Regarding the Daily Life
and Work of the POntiH.

uated on the first floor OF the vatican
near the great hall Of CT cement VIII. The
famous Swiss guards are grouped ABOUT
RE immense vestibuie, some sitting upon
stools. some standing, all gazing sllehliy
before them, while the bussoian'i III
st.fpl,ces and trousers, anu the ci'"i
L.ins. clothed entirely in violet cross anu
,ef,ess the Sale des Suisses. omsliuic9
,t,.,,o.,.,no1 behind the red cur
,,.to III adjacent Sale des Bussoiaht''
sometimes ushering rare Vlsltof ~"
,to rresence of his holiness. 1t is III "
hau Of the bussolanti that thos- wEo IA 'e
audience the pope leave their mats ana
coats upon a long cnest leaning dsdi'''
the wal. o,o,o.,, HE
chamber door having been previously UNI
locked by his faithful body servant Sen-
ira At night Leo XIII. locks the uOoi
Of his bedroom with key whlch never
masses out of his hands, secohu uoo'
heinz locked by Contra when his HOLINESS
is in bed. The pope is thus prdcucauy
prisoner at niglt. but Contra is generaHy
within call. This servant is a person OF
the greatest influence at the vatican, the
nontin relies upon him implicitly, ana MS
trust is well placed. The Romans say
that Contra is more powerful thdn thc
whole sacred college combined. lie IS the
son of a halter, and was born AT taf-
pineto. in the province from whlch the
poDe's family-thc Pecci-sprang- y or
fourteen years Contra has been deFo.eu
and affectionate servant, anticipating the
pope's every want, and never leaving MN
IL Contra is indisposed the whole palace
speedilv becomes aware Of the fact by
the bearing of the holy father. even When
ne is III he is so necessary that Inc pope
will not allow him 10 80 away Tor more
than a week at a time. Last september
Contra had a sharp attack OF roman
fever. and was peremptorlly ordeTe
change of air by the pope physician.
The pontiff decided that he should 90 TO
Carpineto, their native place, Whcfe the
aria fina, he thought, would speedily re-
store the faithful soul TO health. but
nevertheless insisted on Contra returning
TO Rome every fifth day in order that he
should shave him: the pope would not
allow even the cleverest barber in Rome
10 take his place.
AS soon as the pope is dressed by his
valet in his white wooden cassock and
wdddod silk gown, he recites the prayers
ante nissan at prie-Dieu in his bed
room, passing directly afterWdrd into
:, neighboring apartment. which mas been
arranged as an oratory. Here he is roced
i'm sacerdotal garments by his private
ohamberlains, Mgr. Cagiano da Azevedo
ard Mgr Bisletti. Mass is then cele-
brated. the pOpe's beautiful voice and
digEifed presence lending a peculiar i'm
pressiveness to d ceremony to which no
strangers are admitted save on Sundays.
The service occupies three-quar'ers of an
hour. at the end of which time Leo XIII.
returns to his bedroom, where Contra
brings Tim the first of the numerous
meas of soup and chocolate upon which
he sustains body, described by French
writer as $50 thin and meager that 1t
seems to have escaped from one Of the
passions with which Crvelli and Manteg-
ma decorated the walls of the vatican
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 a long table In the middle Of
the room. the pope talks for some min
utes with each Of his visitors, asking
their name. their country, and the his
tory of their family. Although his man
ner of speaking is slow, its tone betrays
the keen interest he bestows upon the
verest trife In addition, his memory
is marvellous. He never forgets a face,
and remembers the name Of every Roman
Catholic who has done the church signal
str.I,e TO American and 10 English
visitors he talks Of the well-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
CarpnetO.
The pope's hand raised with difficulty.
gives his visitors their congo and his bene-
d.ction at the same time. and as they
withdraw he returns to his study, where
at a small writing table beneath a canopy
the greater part of his holiness work Is
done. lie writes busily all the morning,
using both hands, the left grabbing the
right to still its nervous trembling, and
covering sheet after sheet with pointed.
uncertain, but clear saligraphy. He daily
makes notes upon small sheets IF paper.
throwing them when covered into a draw
er, the key # which never leaves his per-
son. This constant notemaking is the
SOU ce from which spring the admirably
written encyCiicais which Leo XIII. sends
forth 10 the world.
In the course of the morning Cardinal
Rampolla. the pope's secretary IF state,
brings his master the political news Of
the day. This being discussed and ar
ranged, if il be Tuesday or Friday, the
household accounts are gone into and
paid The expenses at the vatican are
very heavy, one authority estimating
them at IL 900 a day, but, when the i'm
mense number of cardinals, chamberlains.
servants AMI the personnel Of the many
papal institutions who live within the
walls Of the palace are remembered, il
does not seem 10 be an outrageous cost.
The pope is a keen man OF business; not
one item of expenditure escapes his eye.
and he pays the bills from Golfer the
key of which never leaves him. In the
matter of carrying keys about with him
the pope has reminded more than one
person of Goethe. who invariably had
his keys. especially those of his library,
hung round his waist. like gaoler.
At midday audience is given to crowned
heads or distinguished men. II the visitor
is a sovereign the pope receives him in the
throne-room. surrounded by his cardi-
nails, who retire as soon as the potentate
has been introduced. Apropos of royal
visits. there is Il story still told at the
vatican OF the visit paid by the son of
European monarch who was accompanied
by the son of his fathers first minister.
The elaborate etiquette of the papal court
had already bored the young prince, and
when he was brought into the presence
of the pontiff instead of doing the usual
homage he abruptly cut short the forma-
lities of the chamberlain, and. seizing
the pope's hand. grasped it warmly. pass
ing it over to his companion, who shook
IL as Familiarity
Lunch of the simplest fare follows, the
menu consisting chiefly OF eggs. This
ended the pope takes the air n the gar
dens of the vatican in a carriage. being
carried 70 the garden entrance in a chair
Through the galleries OF the library,
Escorted by two gendarmeS and preceded