The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-23
POPE LEO XIII
and HIS BIRTH PLACL
Little Carpineto and How 1t Is
Kept Unchanged.
PLACE WAERE HE STUDIED
And All Familiar Corners
Carefully Preserved.
PLACE WAERE HE STUDIED


In the little village of Carpineto, high
up in the Lepepini Mountains, a village
hat has produced one OF the greatest men
II all times and yet has never known
a railroad a remarkable work is going
On.
Pope Leo XIII. is regenerating the town
In which he was born. the town in which
he passed his boyhood. town that is a
thousand years old and whose streets
are so narrow that d vehicle drawn by
horse may not traverse them.
To the Holy Father Carpineto is the
loveliest spot on earth. He feels for it
the greatest tenderness and he is sending
there large sums from his private for
tune to make its people happier and bet
ter.
Almost half a century has passed since
has looked upon the village, and he will
never see it again. How this wonderful
man who was born when the past century
was in its swaddling clothes, finds time to
devote so much attention to his birthplace
is beyond the comprehension of those
who are familiar with the vast amount
OF work he performs.
All of Carpineto revolves about the
Iope. All its stories are of him, and men
OF seventy tell tales which were handed
down to them by their fathers and their
mothers. Among all the millions of pee-
PIE the world over who love and rever-
ence the Holy Father none enthrone
him so high in their hearts as the 200
families in Carpireto. One can learn
more about the personality of the man in
the place Of his birth than in the Vatican
yet few persons visit Carpineto. 1t is
only few hours journey by rail from
Rome to Montelanico, where one takes
strongl built little stage drawn by
four mules and guarded by two cara
biniers armed with rife, sword, revolt
yer and stilleto. The Italian Government
doesn't care to have a foreigner abducted
by banditti IL he can be avoided
The road leads straight up and around
the mountains for miles and the cooked
rifles and the sharp lookout maintained
by the guard would indicate that the
precautions are not merely a matter of
form. But for an hour or two one will
rot see hut or habitation, and more
than likely not human soul Suddenly at
a turning in the road the driver points
out great country house, which he calls
the Pecci casino, and below it is Car
pineto, the birthplace of our Holy Faith
er." The village was founded more than
ten centuries ago by the warlike yolsci
the robber knights Of the Middle Ages
These earliest settlers had to hew into
the solid rock In order TO build their
houses and at this day the total number
of them is not more than five hundred
One goes on foot through a stony black
lane known as the Corso 10 the first
home Of Leo Kill. called. like every
nobleman's house in Italy. a palace. IL
looks. TO American eyes, more like a
fort than stately residence. The house
is two and a half stories high, with a
modest balcony in front. The lower row
OF windows is not more than four and
half feet high and is guarded by iron
gratings.
1t was in this house that tie Holy
Father passed his childhood Although
the Peccis were mobiles they were poor
and one may see the room where the
Holy Fathers mother kept her silk
, worms which furnished the money for
his education and that of his brother,
the late Cardinal. which was the founda
ton Of their success.
Everyone hears stories about him. As
child he was a true son of the noun
tsins, and it is said that no one in Car
pineto could equal him in mountain
climbing.
Father Salvagni is the only surviving
schoolmate of the Pope in Carpineto. He
is a small, thick-set man, who says he
is at least ninety years old. and who is
still proud of his muscle. even boast
ing OF ii like a youth in the first flush OF
manhood.
Ser Nino Leo was the first courageous
mountain climber 1 ever saw" said Faith
er Salvagni and we have long been IA
nous for our skill in mountaineering in
this part of the country. And at one
time he was the best shot in the noun
tains SO great was his skill with the
gitie that he dsdained to shoot bird ex-
cent on the wing. But study ruined his
craftsmanship. II is great pity.
was ashamed of him the last time he
visited US in September. 1857. With other
huntsmen 1 had gone out on the road near
Montelanico 10 meet him. He recognized
me in the throng and begged me to lend
him my rife. | handed the weapon TO
him. He aimed at a bird and hit a
tree. 1t cut me tn the heart. lie was
the best rifieman in the mountains, TO
miss an easy shot, He never used gun
again. l suppose he felt the disgrace too
keenly. He left Us on Nov. CT that
same year. never 10 return"
In his youth the Holy Father was al
ways called Nine and Father Salvagni
SO called him In speaking OF their boyhooG
days. He walked over the grounds where
he and the Pope used to hunt.
There. he said. pointing 10 a grotto:
there We used 10 lie in ambush for rab-
hits more than seveniy-five years ago"
The grotto Is near the Celie Orecchie.
or Hi OF Ears. The name WAS given TO
& back in the Middle Ages because it
gas on this hill that the men OF Car
rinetc cut OF the ears of prisoners from
the town OF Bassiano. Twenty years
later those OF Bassinano had their re-
werge. for they captured many OF the
Carpineto fighters and on this same hill
not only cut of their ears. but their
noses as well
In the Pecci palace there stands in
corner OF an upper room ;linteck with
an excessively long barrel while all about
are the uniforms and costumes Of the
male Peccis. most OF whom were in the
teryice OF the Vatican As ,ourJ;crs c9ur
rillors. Jurists. prelaSes ~ military OF:
rcrs and the bishot=' and c .plinal>'
robes. mitres. croziers. episcopal rings.
gloves and slippers belonging 10 The Holy
Father, as well as the first white cassocsx