Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-08-22

| Vhe4e HeitcEs tuo kutASs I8fk 1uu
plate and the napkin marked with
the initial 8. A. p. which means
Sacred Apostolic Palace. Then
come che dishes. At present the
Pope takes regularly either plate
of boullion or Of soup, the main
stay Of his nourishmenl;; the ress
consists Of little balls 81 hashed
meat, Of chicken likenise ineIy
hashed, Of eggs, of vegetables very
well cooked, and Of very rips fruit.
Usually there is no coffee. a. for
the wine it 10 red. The POP 60 eOs
very little of 10 bnt il il gc3o - q !
nuns Of Bordeaux send Il to him /;
he mixes it With q little white wine
Of Grottaferrata instead of water.
When the dishes go back to the
pantry, it is seen that the Holy
Father has barely touched them |;
what he eats would not be snoagh
for child Of 6 years Of age. On
the other hand, the tablecIoth and
the napkin are very much stained.
The reason for this is that Leo
AIIIs hand, on account ofhis aga.
is not very steady. When he helps
himself his hand shakes very much; !;
occasionally. too, he pouss out his
vine outside his glass aud before
drinking he raises it az high as his
forehead before carrying it to his
lips. The origin Of this gesture
may be, perhaps, that it is accom-.
panied by q prayer or may come
from his habit Of raising the Host.
There is no dining room in Leo
Kills apartment. The Pope
spends Che day in his bedroom he
works there, eats there AID gives
the usual audience there. The room
10 partitioned of by a cufsain that
hides his bed. Near tha curtain
and against the wall is Lep XIII's
usual armchair, from which his
thoughts soar over the whole world !;
within reach Is little table, not
more than q foot square. q table
that would fetch . large susn from
an English or an American collec-
tor, for on it the Holy Father eats
and writes when be can. Now. on
account of the trembling Of his
hand, the Pope may be said to
write no more. Il is with Difficult
ty that he can sign. On the other
hand, ne dictates q great deal and
reads the rest of the time.
Toward the persons in his ser.
vice Leo XIII has not changed with
years; he commands them firmly
and even strictly. Accustomed to
command and having himself al.
ways been an example Of regularity
In work and in the fulfillment of
his duties, he insists on being
served quickly and well, and, in
case OF need, makes it known. Re-
Gently, Mgr. Angeli, his private
secretary, who is naturally nervous
and for some time past has been ex.
tremely irritable, so that it is hard :
ly possible to speak to him had the
pleasure Of hearing the Pope say to
him before everyone in the ante
room: But Monseigneur, what
were you thinking of when Won
wrote that letter? You understood
absolutely nothing of what / told
you.'
II Leo XIITs physical powers
have worn away necessarily with
years, there is absolutely no failing
either in intelligence or in will, and
/ may say that among his personal
attendants no one presents himself
before him without peculiar hesi-
tstion. for he let's nothing 20 by
and his remarks, though uttered
calmly, are sharp. So, there 10 no
relaxation. The Pope continues to
be the firm and severe legate and
camerlengo Pecci. Like Plus TX,
Leo XIII is fond of his snuffbox.
He takes q great deal of snuff that
10 almost black. The Holy Father
takes large pinches and lets o good
share Of the snuff drop on his tunic
and on the carpet. Little heaps
are found where the Pope has stay
ed for any length Of time.
Leo XIII makes use Of yellow
and red-striped silk handkerchief
which are given to be washed to the
repairing nuns. These sisters have
likewise charge of his linen and his
wardrobe, Tunics pelisses, blan kets,
shawls for his shoulders in winter,
many of these are gifts. These
0ood aiatera kaka nlaasura - <h.;,