The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-18
POPE Leo KILLS HEALTH.
Lord Norlh's Impression Of The HoI faihsr After
Recsnt Audience.

Lord North. who has just returned
from visit To Rome. has been good
enough to give his impressions regard
ing the Popes. health to the London
Mail.
when we had entered the Pres
ence Chamber and knelt 10 receive his
blessing. the Cardinals and Monsignori
in attendance retired and the Pope then
invited US TO take seats by his side.
Naturally. / observed him with great
interest. The spare figure, which the
all-white apparel seemed TO further
diminish and the ivory pale counte-
nance were familiar To me. and l looked
for signs of recent alterations-the
emaciation. the weakness and infirmi-
ties one had been led To expect. Except
for the colorless. i might say slightly
blue lips, l could see none.
The Pope~sat erect i'm his chair with
out need OF the support of his arms.
during the fifteen or twenty minutes of
the audience. He talked all the time
with animation. and often with grave
earnestness. and showed no signs Of fa-
tigue. / noticed the steadiness of his
hands and his voice, the latter being
particularly deep and strong, and IL
occasions some surprises al first hearing
4 a.
and every word was enunciated clearly
and distinctly. His eyes are very strik-
ing. as they seem undimmed by age
and shine out beneath high, pale fore
head, lighting up a face with strongly
marked features and imparting an eN-
preston of nobleness and intellectual
power.
rTDur1ng The CONVERSATION The Pope
touched on the subject of his health
and remarked, smilingly, that he was
really very well for AN old man, in
spite of his operation. He told us that
he had already that morning seen his
Cardinals and was going 10 give other
audiences after us, and mentioned
these facts with an air OF conscious
pride i'm his health and strength which
quite deprecated any idea OF posing az
an invalid.
Almost the Pope's first words on
receiving US were OF the great pleasure
IL was TO him to see English people.
He was very fond OF the English, he
said and saw them as often as he
could. He always hoped England would
come back TO the fold. IL was a ques-
tion of divorce which had separated
her. but he believed she would come
back some day. although IL might be
distant one. He added. with marked
emphasis and feeling. that anything he
had done i'm reference TO England he
ildh uOit III SDVi ldlNii anu WIN NV
best intentions.
He alluded To his position as pris-
oner i'm the Vatican for % years. Rome
was full OF revolutionaires. ne said
who would insult him tr ne HpppHTpt
i'm the streets. and To ask protection
from the government would be unbe-
fitting his dignity. He complained how
difficult IL was for him in this position
to keep I'm touch with all the distant
countries over which he spiritually
ruled. and ne was afraid that the faith
full coming to him had TO suffer many
difficulties.
He spoke with interest - the great
pilgrimage to- Rome from all parts OF
the world which Is 90 take place next
year-Iannee salnte-and evidently has
every hope OF taking his part I'm IT,
As we took our leave he rose tO give
his benediction. and stood erect and
firm as we left his presence-ready for
the next -