The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-08
VIII. The Pope'T Benediction.

The bells of all the churches in Rome began to chime; the city became ami mated; all the people hastened to the Tiber; the carriages, filled with gaily dressed persons, went in a certain d.rec- tion; those which came from the oppo- site direction were all empty. Blanca sat at the window and constantly looked to- ward certain corner. The populace str6 amed through the street: the clocks struck twelve. thirteen. fourteen; then the number of passers-by decreased. what ever has life is in St. Peters square. An open carriage, in which sat gen tleman, stopped before the hotel, and Blanca recognized Manasseh. Her heart beat violently. and the suden change in the color of her face betrayed emotion. Manasseh hastened to them and said:
 Pardon me, my Princess. thaAd came uninvited. I read in your face yesterday that only with reluctance you abandoned to be pronounced from the Loggia today, and I have found way by which you may witness the ceremony
 The Princess was happy, but at the same time much excited.
 But 1t is too late, and am not dressed in festive attire"
 You have time enough, my Princess. Tho wife of M. Rossi will take you with her upon the tribune which has been reserved for the ladies of the French Embassy. This tribune was erected for twenty-four ladies, and is nearest to the Loggia In an hour the Countess herself will come in her carriage. In the mean time. you can make yourself ready, my Princess"
 But are you not going with us?''
 "I shall accompany the Countess. with whom you are acquainted. and her daugh- ter; in the latter you will also ind sympathetic being; but l can not go with you upon the tribune, because it is re- served for ladies: But shall find place somewhere. I think"
 He then hastened back to the palace of the embassy.
 To this offer not even the advocate could object. On the contrary. he gladly accepted the protection of the high per sonages. It was a source of satisfaction to him that upon this occasien Manasseh was not to be with the Princess-that she was to spend the day in the company of ladies exclusively.
 When Manasseh returned with the Counts family, he left the ladies alone. walked into NJ. Gabriers room, and be- gan to tempt him also.
 Well, NJ. cousin. if your legs don't ob- feet; if the laws of etiquette do not hin der you; if your creed does not forbid 1t; and if you have memorized your Latin allocution, I know an agreeable corner | from which, sitting in the shade, we can see what for eighteen hundred years nc
 human eye has beheld. and what perhaps no one will see again until eighteen hun
 dred years more will have elapsed l What"
 | placing himself at the head of popular
 liberty. blesses from the Loggia of St. | Peters Church the Roman army which has marched up before him. and which is | about to draw the sword for popular free
 dom. Durando's entire troops stand ir | the market-place, and .he pope blesse; the weapons drawn for freedom and fol l the victory of liberal thought. This has | always been your dream. and now thai you are awake, will you see It's realiza | tion?"
 'Oh, that Is something worth seeing, | murmured NJ. Gabriel. "the whole Ro | man army, Dur lndo himself, Car -ol
 wait until I put on my holiday suit?" | At the alluring words of Manasseh, M Gabriel forgot everything which he haC | regarded as means of separation be 1 tween his person and the great ceremony l in St. Peters place, and he hastened tC put on his Hun@arian uniform and hi: l sword.
 Let us walk lightly, for Mime. de Dor | mandy is asleep
 | Mand5seh had In the meantime mad' | the Countess acquainted with NJ. de sZim andy, who. in his festival attire, looked | like one of the heroes of the age O | Arpad and from whose cloak-cha:n dan | gled such huge medallions that ever! | CalatraVa medal sank into insisnihcance | They went with the ladies to the carriag | below, and to the rear of which Va | attached seat for the footman. Tn
 lackey who was sitting there climbe
 upon the box with the coachman-bu l the two gentlemen appropriated seats be | hind the ladies. Tn this manner they ar
 rived unmolested at St. Peters place
 where they could betake themselves L | the tribune erected for the French em
 bassy. and enjoy the protection of tn 1 Ambassador. between the military lines l Not until now did the ladies who hal | been invited. began to put In an appear l auce while the occupants of the tribun
 erected on both sides of the "confessio 1 had been sitting there enduring Christian | nlartyrdom since early dawn.
 l The ladies easily reached their nl1pes | but it was somewhat more difficult fo | the gentlemen to do sn. They wer | obliged to occupy places between tn | rafters which sHpportei tho platforms 1 Gabriel. viz, seat made by two beam forming an acute angle, and which wa about as comfortable as if he had sat il