The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-25
A VIEW OF THE POPE
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM AN
INDIANAPOLIS WOMAN.
How Mrs. Margaret Butler Snow Saw
Capucinc Created a Saint
In Rome.

An interesting letter from Mrs. Mar
garet Butler Snow, who is now travelling
In Italy with her husband, gives an ac-
count of view of the Pope. Says she:
AFTER breakfast we found there was. a
chance to see the Pope new saint was
made that day by the cardinals and in the
afternoon the Pope went to adore and
cement. as ii were, the undertaking and set
his seal upon the creation. So We got out
tickets, hed ourselves into a victoria and
departed in haste, though the ceremony was
between 3 and and it was
then about twenty minutes past 1.
or Ii, as they say here. / put this expert
ence far beyond anything else that has ever
happened to me-. When / think how near we
came to missing it it makes me shudder.
1t was just a toss-up whether not we
should come on down to Rome on Friday
night and if we hadnt-well, we did. 1t
was a long, long drive from the Grand to
st. Peters. 1t was so interesting, exciting
even, for, as 1T was in the days when some
thing stirring was going on In the Forum,
al Rome was vending its way to st.
Peters. The streets were damned. We GER
tainly did not see less than one thousand
priests on the way, hurrying along, their
black, red, white and brown robes swing
ing, CrOWuS OF nuns anu Carthage dIter car
riage filled with ladies with the black lace
headdress which is the thing to wear in an
audience with the Pope. Finally, after pass
ing over the superb bridge Ponte st. Angelo,
which is faced by the grand circular tomb
of Hadrian. which is now the citadel of
Rome. we were soon at the bronze doors of
the Vatican and began with two or three
thousand others to ascend the Scala Regia,
with huge stone columns either side,
lofty, vaulted and with great rays of light
shining across it. L wish 1 could give you
the faintest idea of the scene; It was like
a stairway to heaven, so wide, so long and
so high, with great stained window way
up at the top, where we turned. And such
struggling mass Of people! If it had not
been for my determination to see the Pope
We never would have reached the top Of
those stairs. We were afraid We would be
seriously hurt; every once in a while there
would oe wild shrek and some woman
would faint. Then there would be cries or
piano., piano. (gently, gently, but they did
no good 1t was wild, surging, swaying
mass, fighting each other and the guards.
The priests ma de more trouble than any one
else, for they jostled so and were so rude,
and there were at least four thousand. Once
j was carried along in the arms of four,
two Capucines, one German in red and one
In black. They all spoke English. One sf
them gave me a punch-to put it with pfc
ciseness. if not elegance-in the shoulders. /
We'll. what can do? 1 said, You could
stay at home, all of you, and let IFS see
the Pope. You can see him any time.
They laughed and seemed to consider it a
FINALLY, when thought was about to
be offered up a fiat Offering, squeezed
ourselves ours ep with IA an English lady who had
attached herself TO me seeing that L fully
intended to arrive in the Sale Regia, and
quick as a fash jumped up and stood on
the pillar. This lady followed and then in
an instant every one who could do so
followed our example. 1t was like getting
out of the reach of angry breakers Of a
tide. The people swayed below us, held in
check by the lines of soldiers who had
think o Of trying to get into the e chapel Where
the ceremonies took place, Tor we had a
splendid place from which to see the Pope.
So there we stood until at o'clock the pro-
cesslon began: 1t came out one door OPP
posite us at the furthest end OF the great
salie clear down the room and out another
door. You see what a fine view we had.
so We twice saw 1T all perfectly. Such
shouts, clippings and people holding up doz-
been blessed twice. First came the cardi-
nails, in red, after the Swiss bodyguard and
officers of the household. fine-looking men
all Of them, and some of them remarkably
young looking: then the monseigneurs in
purple then the Pope, carried in big.
elaborate glass inclosed red and gilt chair,
holding up his beautiful hands blessing the
people; looking exactly like his pictures. The
people shouted viva Pope Reg" at the tops
of their voices and the priests and nuns
looked wild with joy at seeing him.
while we waited until he should return,
1t was tremendously interesting TO. watch
the people. There were at least ten thou
sand I'm the sale and the chapel Every
nationality was represented, oiiicers, diplo-
mats with orders on their breasts, every
kind of nun and priest, ever 80 many Amer
leans and English, of course, lots of Amer
lean girls, with the lace on their stylish lit
tie heads, taking in and enjoying every
thing to the top of their bent. 1t was a
Capucine who was created a saint and the
hideous priests of that order, with their
shaved heads, fringed, and their dirty. bare