New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-12
ROME AND IT'S AFFAIRS.
RELIGIOUS. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL &C.
CURRENCEs IN THE ETERNAL CITY.

HOW UNFoUNDED RUMoRs OF THE PoPEs ILL
NESS AnIsE-soME PoNTIFIcAL PoEMs-Gos-
SIP IN DIPLOMATIC crRc1.Es-THE COURT
OF MsDEMEANoRs.
Rome November "a, 1897.
Toward evening on Saturday last one OF the
Liberal organs Of Rome, untaught by experience
announced the illness Of the Pope. which news
spread like wiidfre. Many fastened to the Vati-
can only to be informed there that the report
undoubtedly had origin in the fact that on the
previous day, Friday. His Holiness, because or
a slight cold. had remained in bed a few hours
later than usual. and had countermanded the
customary "anticamera" This is the term In
curia for the presence on duty of the high eccle-
siastical dignitaries OF the Papal household. the
"Bussolanti" and the detachments OF the va
rous corps Of Pontifical Guards attached to the
service of the Apostolic Palace. each Of whom
prelate layman or soldier. has his assigned post
in the divers ante-chambers. according TO MS
dignity and grade. Later in the AFTERNOON OF
Friday az also on Saturday. the Holy Father
raoa,,,ad visitors as usual Professor Lapponi,
r,adical attendant Of Leo XIII, when asked
.hort the true state OF health Of his august
nntient stated that throughout the entire oay'
Thursday November IS. he had compelled the
pope TO remain in bed. On the previous oa!'
Wednesday, though the weather was chahseao'e'
His Holiness persisted in taking his customary
drive in the Vatican Gardens. This resulted IN
q slight touch of rheumatism. to which he Is
frequently a victim. and which In MS Case 10
always accompanied with hoarseness. The phy-
.,,,er further counseled late rising on Friday to
his somewhat refractory patient. who is now
fu,,v recovered and was able last Sunday TO al
NIT IN tina mass in his private chapel over sixty
persons.
Thus. all this agitation concerning the reported
alarming illness Of the Sovereign Ponun turns
simply on the fact that an aged man. Versins OH
his pinetieth winter. occasionally permits MIN
self a day of bodily repos:. concession 10 'no
requirements of nature advised by physicians u
>arsors NJ ALL ages. and even to those in robust
nbvsicaI condition. That the Pope fully real
ties his advanced age and the necessity OF hus-
handing his remaining strength Is evioent iron'
hts constant references to the flight OF years.
He Is won't suiting the action OF the haho 10
the words TO say: We are knocking at the uooi
Of eternity" ("Bussiamo ALA porta DELI H'er-
nita'D; while in the recent audience accorueo '"o
Archhisbon Of Montreal. Canada. Monsignor
Bruchesi having begged the favor OF oeihs pei
,,,tted 70 present in collective audience the
corps of students Of the Canadian coiese' MS
holiness bade him ask anything else save that
HIS physician ndu StiiN'iy
o,,ertas, his physical forces, and he was nimseir
fully aware that he must avoid unnecessary DC
casons Of fatigue such as accrued from puohc
sneaking to large audiences.
His mental activity knows, however. no repose
He has recently given to the press small vol
un,e Of poems "Carmna Novissima. an eie-
cant little pamphlet in octave OF sixteen pages
containing FIVE Latin poems from the Pont,hoai
non Two of these are already well kno"h-'he
carmen for the Centenary OF the oaptlsm OF
Clovis. King of the Franks, and the hpistle 10
Fabritius Ruffo on temperance in eatng' VI .he
other three poems ore is a touching invocaeioh
or len XIII to God and to the Blessed virgin
Mary for the day wherein 1t may please .he
Almighty TO recall him to himself The remain
inc noems are dedicated respectively. 10 ms
,,sard and table steward (scalco seSreto)' JULIUS
sterbini. and to the three sons OF the ia''er' on
the occasion OF the conservation OF the tamiiy "
The Sacred Heart, September TO- 1890 Inc mrs.
nosro numbers seven distichs and the second
torr,sen bexameters Here are the three Papai
compositions: a
pEo EFT vIRGIM MATRI
ExrREMA LEONIs VoTA.
rxtremum radiat. pallenti involvitur umGrs
~ ian, sol moriens: nox subit aura Leo,