The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-09

said in passing, have been exploited by
NJ lola to pitch of exaggeration that
borders on the puerile and the ignoble.
The existence of a similar storehouse,
obviously, is no Indication of moral
evil 1t is well-known foible of the
aged to develop an attachment to prec-
ious things. Usually this is a prelimi-
nary of Senility or of a return to sec
ond childhood.
Other facts pointing in the same
way do not call for any more explana-
ton than the above, nor need they any
more detract from our esteem of the
pontiff
The pepe's range of private apart
ments has for some time past been di-
unfinished, and beyond the bedroom and
the sitting-room, which forms prac-
tically one apartment with it, he does
not move, except to some mass or to
take part in some important public
function. During the greater part of
the day he is seen only by two persons,
Monsignor Angel, secretary of the
Latin letters, and Pho Contra, his faith
full body servant. From Contra the
pope has no secrets. and their intimacy
has always been of the closest.
OF late Centra's function is no sine
cure. At times the pope is afflicted
with moments of forgetfulness that
are not uncommon to persons who
have labored much mentally.
When he puts away a bunch of keys
he frequently forgets their location
Formerly he would confess distraction,
but at present he searches nervously,
and ENORMOUSLY affirms that it was
Contra who last had them.
A very precious ruby and diamond
ring which the pontiff at the time OF
his sacredotal jubilee received from
the sultan of Turkey. was recently the
cause of a typical scene.
The pope rarely wears this ring, but
when he does, he retains it usually for
some time. One evening lately he had
it before going to bed, but on awaken
ing next morning was astonished to
find ii missing. He seemed preoccu-
pied when Contra entered and after
hunting nervously for some time, said:
Contra, gave you that diamond ring
last night. Where is it?" Contra pro-
tested: but in vain. The pope was sure
of his point. If Contra had not re
ceived the ring and carried it away, it
would still be in the room. Rarely did
Contra pass a more painful morning.
He is a rudy, well-conditionad man
more of the type of an Anglo-Sa
ecclesiastic than of domestic of Latin
race. And, fortunately, he has the
quality of being free from nervous ir-
ritability. If any Italian could cope
with his holiness in his present state, it
is Pho Contra
His patience on this particular occa-
sion was rewarded. After joining the
pontiff in searching high and low for
the ring, until the morning audience
of the cardinal secretary of state ar
rived, he desisted and proceeded to put
order in the sleeping apartment. When
settling the bed, he removed the pill
lows, and there before him lay the ring.
His holiness apparently had not re
moved it when retiring, and in sleep
during the night had passed his hand
under the pillow, with the result that
the gorgeous ring was removed from
the slender finger and there remained
And vet. when informed of the fact, ne
would have his way that it was Cen
ira who misplaced the ring.
HUMAN SIDE OF THE POPE.
The human side of the pope is NOT
the least interesting, although, ger
haps. the least known phase of his
character. Perhaps it appears nowhere
more clearly than in his letters, which. |
when published, will fill several vol
umes, for during the past so years Leo
has been an interchangeable letter-writei.
None of his letters have as yet ap-
peare6 in English. although they will |
probably be published soon after his !
death. The pope began his letter-writ- |
ing career at an early age, and the ac- |
companylng 1acSlmlle letter, which is |
one of the earliest in existence, was |
written to his mother from his school |
at Viterbo, when he was 10 years old. |
1t is an interesting composition, and |
his reference to cakes shows that Giac- |
chino Pecci was not altogether differ |
ent from other boys. The letter trans |
lated. runs as follows:
Dear Mother-In your last letter you
promised to visit us soon, and 1 am |
anxiously looking forward to seeing |
you. / am trying my very best so that |
you may be satisfied with me. I wish |
indeed that father would come with |
you. Please tell him, so that he, too,