The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-15
COST OF THE RED HAT.
A New Cardinals Honors Are Always
Very Expensive.
(Pittsburg Despatch.


The cardinals hat is oval. with double
purple frieze. having thirty tassels falling
over its back. This costly hat is never
used without discomfort until the day
when it lies on lie owners coffin.
When in secret oonsistory the Pope re.
solves to send the calotts and the red cap
to his future csrdinal--priest or layman-
noble. one of the guards, is chosen BY
him to carry the calotte in its silken box
to the elect. The cardinal.to.be pays
into the hands Of the messenger graft
fcation of q, 600 A second messenger
called the ablegate Gegatis vice Gerant),
carries the beret, and is presented by the
newly appoiu ted cardinal with 81, 200 for
himself and 5000 for his secretary, who
ACCOMPANIES him. The third and last
messenger receives o gratuity according
ito the generosity of the cardinal-to-be.
There is another bill to pay. The
sparchr,ent on which the bull Is written
and the wax of the zeal add the sum of
approximately s4sa Then comes the
ybiIl to the jeweler of the Propaganda, the
cardinals ring, which calls for an ex-
pendIture of 5000.
There is no end to the expenses attend
ant on this ceremony. The hum blest
sweeper who sweeps in the neighborhood
of the pontifoal palace must receive his
gift, and the entire choir OF the ohanters
of thelchapel receive 81 apiece, an antici-
patory payment made by the cardinal
elect toward his own funeral expenses;
this he must pay at the browning moment
Of his earthly success.
The cardinals tailor furnishes four
costumes or suits Of clothes; the number
is fixed by ecclesiastical regulations, The
dress worn on festivals or gala occasions
costs not less than 81, Uo0 Then there is
the bill of the halter, who furnishes four
hats, with four different titles; the halter
is obliged to keep the hats in repair
that is to say. 1t is his business 60 see
that the green and gold cords which be-
long to the hats are kept fresh and spot
less.
After the 'tips" are distributed and
the aims given, and after the costumes
md hats are paid for, the cardinals pat
ace must be arranged. The arrangements
ara. made according to strict rule. There
must be just such number of rooms,
md they must be arranged in just such
order. To accompany the palace and
keep the cardinal in countenance are
myriads of I servants and handsome
Bquipage drawn by two matched black
horses. tit is Decoming difficult and ex-
peedingly expensive to match kSuch horses
In thelRoman stud. They must be superb
animals, perfect in every way. They wear
their costumes, also, a caparison of velvet
blackness. At the lowest estimate these
expenses cover not less than $40, O00
The election of cardinal takes place
without his influence and, in many in
stances, without his knowledge, Not in
frequently he is chosen from among the
people; and in the midst of the grandeur
to which he is bound. hand and foot he
must set the example of life which is en-
Joined by thu Gospel.
Let death come, and, If there remain
among his belongings few dollars which
he has managed to save from the constant
demands on his neyer-tlled purse, they
belong to the poor. A cardinals death Is
he signal for a general stampede of the
beggars, who are his lawful heirs. When
the cardinal is known to be at the point
Of death, there is u general alartness
among the impecunious, and as soon as
1t ia known that he is dead the procession
begins to move. 1t Is an even race be-
tween them and the treasurer of the pro-
paganda, for whoever gets first to the
house of death seiZes the spoils. If tho
treasurer of the propaganda gets first to
The palace he takes possession ofithe 'dead
cardinals property add distributes 1t
through the channel of the mission to the
poor of the entire world. Happily the
cardinal has no debts. If, at his death,
1t should be found that he has unpaid
bills, the Pope, who is the earthly uni
sersal father. pays them. He is fond of
his cardinals, and inlhis aged, kindly eyes
they are all children.