Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-24

FEAST OF ELOQUENCE AND WIT
DESCRIPTIONS OF ROME DUR
ING HOLY WEEK-AUDIENCE
WITH POPE MIRACLES AT
LOURDES.
An audience which in culture and in
numbers, was high compliment to the
speaker. assembled IA the Carroll Club
auditorium last evening to listen TO the
delightful lecture by Rt. Rev. P. ]. Dom
ahue, upon the subject-"My Trip to
! Europe" Bishop Donahue has at
tanned an enviable reputation in the
field of public speaking, which was
more than sustained last night. He is
d man of wide and varied reading, a
close and intelligent observer, and pos
sesses the happy faculty of clothing his
descriptions with simplicity of language
and clearness of diction, and expressing
them with an eloquence of delivery
which holds the undivided attention of
his listeners
In the audience which greeted the
Bishop were hundreds of non-Catholics.
All were interested in his subject mat
Ter, and fascinated with his vivid de-
scriptions of the Holy Week exercises
in Rome, and of his audience with the
Venerable Pontiff. His Illustrations
were so opposite that he was frequently
interrupted by hearty applause, while
his drollery and wit at times convulsed
the audience with laughter. Particu-
larly was this true of his illusions to
sc. A. t." who accompanied him, and
| wrote a number of descriptive letters
which were published in this city, the
speaker facetiously criticising him for
his disregard of truth. and his persist
ent adherence to single blessedness.
Occupying seats upon the stage were
the Rev. Fathers Harris. Moye. Hall,
and Galway of the Cathedral; L. P.
| Paauin, of Elm Grove; John Wernin-
ger Of Benwood, and Boyce, of Sisters
vile. The Rt Rev. Bishop was intro
duced by Dr. C. A. Wingerter, who re-
marked that he had intended conform
ing to the usual custom. but that the
heartiness of the Bishops reception by
| the audience rendered an introduction
| unnecessary.
The Rt. Rev. Bishop gave very inter-
esting description of the journey on
| the steamer to Genoa and Naples.
painting beautiful word pictures OF
those cities as they appeared from the
| harbors. The most entertaining and in
structive portion of his lecture, however,
was devoted to a description of places.
people, and incidents in the Eternal
City: of his trouble securing accommo-
dations at the hotel; Of the cosmopoli-
! tan population; of the solemnity and
grandeur of the church services during
| Holy Week, eliminating in the exer-
cises in st. Peters, at which Pope Leo
XIII. publicly officiated. There were
| 1000 persons in st. Peters, and twice
as many more were unable to gain ad-
mission. Bishop Donahue created con-
siderable merriment by detailing con-
versation between two Yankee boys
| from Springfield, Mass, who were anx-
ious to gain information upon certain
points, and referred to Bishop Donahue
as chat old codger," not aware that he
was familiar with the English tongue.
He read Lord Byron's magnificent apos-
| trophe to the hallowed temple of st.
Peters.
The Rt Rev. Bishop said he began
to fear, on account of the feeble condi-
ton of Pope Leo XIII, that he would
be denied his audience with the Holy
Father. His mind was relieved, how
ever. when the time was fixed for
noon on the Tuesday following Eas-
ter. The Bishop wildly pictured the
eight apartments through which he
passed, with all their wealth of paint
ing and sculpture, and of the presence
of Vatican guards and the ceremony
and etiquette OF the vatican. MollSlS-
neur Merry del Val did him the honor
to personally conduct him to the Sow
ereign Pontiff The visitor makes three
gents ections, like the clergy at the
blessing of the oils on Holy Thursday
and kneeling, kisses the ring of the
Pope. The speaker said that in his con-
fusion he became conscious of warm
grasp of the hand, and the half en-
brace which is peculiar to the Latin
race. He then felt at ease.
The Pope did not catch he name Of
Bishop Donahue when it was announc-
ed, and his first questions were about
his diocese. Bishop Donahue said a
happy thought struck him, and he told
the Holy Father that the diocese Of
Wheeling was much like his own do
cese of Perugia. He remembered that
Bishop Donahue had been in Rome be-
fore. This was on the occasion of his
visit as secretary to Cardinal Gibbons,
of Baltimore, in 1877. The venerable