The Chilhowee echo. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1899-19??, 1900-04-21

colors, ranged in odd pieces, so that no
one stripe went the length of the gar
ment. The edges were trimmed in
red and yellow galoon, and though the
coats are very tight-ftting, they wear
a belt of yellow with an enormous gold
buckle. A semi-circular tightly stuffed
cushion of the same colors is fastened
on the outside of their sleeves, where it
is sewed in at the shoulder. They
wear helmets of black oil cloth, stiff as
iron, elaborately trimmed in gold, al
most covering their eyes, and
held on by totally unneces-
sary brass chain under the chin,
white gloves and handsome
sword. They carry enormous spears at
least eight feet long, and having at the
top murderous looking weapons, shaped
like a battle axe. These remarkable
looking men were scattered around us,
every few feet. The Pilgrims carried
grips full of rosaries, pictures, images,
&C., which are considered specially
blessed from having been in the pres
ence of 'His Holiness
Presently the doors were thrown
open, and from my place I could see
across the ante chamber to the Sistine
Chapel, through the handsome entrance
to the private apartments, a group of
more Swiss Guards, the "Holy Father
borne high on the shoulders of four
footmen, seated in sedan chair of red
satin. The foOtmen wore beautiful suits
OF cardinal brocade silk, made with a
short Prince Albert coat. with plain
silk sleeves, and long wide streamers
from the shoulders, knee pants, very
tight, stockings of same color and low
black shoes-buckles on them and on
their garters. Just outside the door
they lowered the sedan chair, and the
Pope stepped out, put on a gorgeously
embroidered and jeweled stole over his
snow white costume, then long full
mantle of red satin made just like
Connemara cloak. He seated himself
IN an ordinary arm chair, also fastened
on poles, which the footmen slowly
raised. Carried, high above the heads
of the people, he came in, the process
ion following slowly, soslowly that they
seemed scarcely inovint o;os ~ one /,
. wed x 8 ! ssis ,i 1Ir;;.e, '''es rim.
yelling "viva. NSiva!s and. .Snao'e 'rosar-
les and handkerchiefs as if it were
political meeting. The old man really
looks like an angel, so frail, so white,
with a smile that is very bright and
sweet, but perhaps just trihe childish.
He is truly beautiful, with complex
ion white and soft, though he looks
every day of his ninety years. When
he passed up the aisle he held his hand
raised in blessing all the time, on it the
signet ring that all the Popes
have worn, and that is used to seal
official documents. Reaching the altar,
he descended and knelt while the whole
recited the litany in Lat
in. Then the frail, dear old man, pray
ed in Latin. In spite of his weak ap-
pearance his voice was clear and loud
enough to fill the chapel with its rich
volume. After reading something to
the Pilgrims, he was again lifted 20 the
shoulders of his bearers, and carried
down the aisle. When just opposite
me he was lowered, and again trans
ferred to his sedan chair in order to be
protected from the draughts (?) in the
halls.
After he had really gone, we all look
ed at each other in sort of ecstasy.
The faces of the Pilgrims were worth
seeing. They had really appeared to
be looking straight into Heaven, in
stead of an old, feeble mans face. Such
alteration, almost worship, was
sublime.
After the ceremony, the people in
the back passed hundreds of rosaries
and images to those of us who were
near enough to touch the chair that the
old gentleman had just vacated. We
leaned forward and gave the chair a
good wipe with their belongings. Well,
it was all too soon over, and | returned
to the hotel feeling perfectly happy.
Have packed my trunk to leave in the
morning,
A day later. We left this morning
for Naples, with not a single regret,
though I shall always look back to
Rome and my visit there as about the
pleasantest seven weeks of my life with
my visit to ellis Holiness'' for grand
finale. In explanation of my good luck.
simply staid so long in Rome that the
officials finally reached my name. Ma
pies is lovely, too lovely to introduce at
the end of letter, so I will keep it for
another time. l am here to gaze upon
this beautiful bay as seen from my
window after the exhausting delights
Of Rome and spend many zy'days in
solid rest. MAUD Powell.
Eighty existing plants are depicted
Eruntiop fe