The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-10-07

$50 We were led through corridors
on corridors (there are said to 1000
rooms in the Vatican. you know
WHICH is not exactly correct, but nearly
SOD, till, through a line of bowling foot
men, we came to a major domo stand
| ing by a door just like all the other
doors we had passed. A few words
! from her in Italian and we were adj
! mitted to the presence of a cardinal
| l do not know his name but he was a
| fine specimen Of a man. She explained
/ that she had brought some friends in
! the hope they might be able to see His
| Holiness. With a courteous bow and
| motion Of the head the cardinal signed
! to US to be seated while he went to
| see if the Holy Father was free to re-
| ceice US. On returning he expressed
! his deep regret that His Holiness was
! too indisposed to see anyone that day
/ but he hoped to have a reception on
Friday-a few days later-when he
| trusted he would have the pleasure of
receiving US. Our lady guide condoled
with US. The health of the Holy
Father had not been good of late: it was
disappointment, but only for a few
days If we would again, on Friday,
at such an hour, meet her in the por-
tlco as before, she would have pleasure
in introducing US to His Holiness.
We thanked her most gratefully.
you may be sure; hers was kindness
such as rarely falls to the lot of the
stranger in the strange land. So she
led US out, again saluted, and bowed to
all. Before parting l naturally asked
her from whom we had the honor of
receiving so much kindness, but. with
smile, she merely said that did not
matter, and bade US oood-by
we were before her at be portico on
Friday morning, but she came prompt
10 the moment Owing To the state of
His Holiness health the purposed re-
ception had to be postponed to the
Following Tuesday. But, the cardinal
said, if he had the name and address
Of the English friends, he would see
that they had cards for the reception
then. Our names were accordingly
written down, With the hotel where we
We're staying
Next day, during dinner at the ho-
tel, ] was called out to meet two COR
seous footmen. with two great enve-
lopes, sealed. They were our invitation
cards accompanied with full instruc-
ton as TO the dress to be worn. black
lace affairs for me- dress suit for my
husband, together with a sketch of the
usual ceremonies.
According to Instructions, we pre-
scented ourselves with our cards at the
Vatican IN due course, and were led |
into a moderately sized hall, where az !
eral other people were waiting After a |
short delay some ushers entered, then |
a frall man, with clear, waXv COM |
pleXion, and beautiful calm eyes: be- !
hind him came several cardinals. as l |
took them to be. His Holiness walked !
to the center of the hall, everyone bow
ing low or kneeling; with uplifted hand |
he uttered few words of blessing in |
Latin. The cardinal we had spoken
with be-ore then introduced each Wis
itor by name, with an explanatory sug-
gestion or two, just enough to give His
Holiness the connecting link, as it
We're, for he seemed to have mastered
all details beforehand. When he came
to US we bowed low, but did not kneel
Giving us his hand, with d gentle,
charming smile, he asked if we had
any children. l answered that we had
several. They are all walking. I trust
asked His Holiness, in the right way?'
said l believed they were, whereupon,
with a courteous inclination of the
neck, he passed on to the next group.
When the circle had been thus complet-
ed, he again went into the middle of
the hail, and, in French, offered up a
simple, earnest prayer. and slowly
withdrew. l could not but admire his
wisdom and good taste in putting the
question to NE as he did about the
it left me to my own interpre-
alton as to what was the right way
which. being a Protestant, might have
been something different from his idea.
There was diplomacy in the manner, no
ioUbt, but there was large charity also
n the matter
so, what few days earlier we
would have declared to be thing i'm
possible. was accomplished. That even
ng a quietly appointed carriage drew
lp at our hotel, and We were incurred !
or. 1t was our mysterious lady friend.
She asked how the reception had gone, !
low we liked if, what we thought of
His Holiness, etc. Could she be of any ,
urther use to US in Rome? We thanked
er but said we were departing in a ,,
ouple of days. 1 was impossible for )
IS to tell how highly we valued the
reat faYOTs she had done us, and we
rusted she would yield to our pressing :
'ish to know her name. But she only
ave the quietly merry little smile :
gain and said Il n'importer and :
rove off. :
The proprietor of the hotel. who had =
OF a glimpse Of her, said she was the =,
ope's sister, Whether so or not,I can y
OF tell =
y