The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-07-08

the letter V; for himself, however. noth- ing remained but the end of a cross beam which projeced few inches. and upon which he could only stand with one foot, while the other hung unsupported; he was obliged to cling to a pole with his arm. But he was rewarded for thls. Al an arms length above him he saw the entire St. Peters place and the church.
 .L was a magnificent spectacle. and surpassing the boldest flights ot imagi- nation. Beginning at St. Peter. Church, and reaching to the steps, a whole army .had marched up--infantry, cavalry, artil- lery. Every regiment had two fiags-that of the popes territory. with the key Of Heaven, and the red-white-and-gr green flag the banner of Italy and of liberty
 And the picture Is so surprisingly great that to him who looks at 1t from one sioe of the frame to the other the hu- man swarm appears like a maDy-colored ant-hill. IT
 St, Peters Church itself was crowded to it's utmost capacity. Whoever desires to witness the pontitication can not partici- pate in the benediction,
 The clocks strike eighteen: 1t Is noon when the bell resounds in the western tower and the cannon began to roar on the castle of St. Angelo. The ceremony in the church Is at an end. The leather curtains of the bronze portals open: the train of pilgrims occupying the whole colossal staircase marches out. and from the height floats mysterious musici a stranger would not know whence 1t comes. A military band. sitting in the cupola. peals d hymn of praise: This sounds as if 1t came from the Heaven. subdued by a curtain of clouds. The faithful believe that the musicians use silver trumpets.
 Loggia.
 This is a pilared hall, high as a tower. attached to the front of ST. Peters Church.
 The myriads of people down here pro SI-a tha rna ri inp ocean; everybody wants to see; restless ness pervades everything.
 Suddenly the Loggia becomes animated A splendor which outshine5 every prince cardinals Enightly figures armed in me- diaeval fashion, and men in kingly robes which take the place Of hVeries. Ihe crown-bearers come with two uaras; one Is a present from Napoleon the First; the other the gift of the Queen of Spain; both are covered with diamonds. The third, the oldest, which was tt hrst single. then double. and afterwards enlarged by of the prince of the Catholic. Church; seated on a golden throne, he is carried to the railing of the Loggia. upon which the two tiaras are laid. Near the sedan chair groups of prelates stand: farther back are to be seen uplifted fans of pea cock and ostrich feathers.
 As soon as the pope reaches the railing of the Loggia, he rises from his throne. The sun illumineS ms HSure III US lull splendor. His clothes are white and cov- cred with gold His form is dazzlingly bright, and the benign smile upon h!s face outshines all the jewels in his crown. Manasseh did not look at the pope, but at Blanca How happy the poor woman was at this moment! She, of all the la dies, had brought with her the most beau- tifuI of damonds-the two tears of joy in her large, dark eyes.
 The pope had neither bishops crozier nor a cross in his hand. As memento that the Apostle Peter had given his cro- zier to rosuscitate his disciple Maternus' the pope must not carry the crozier ran any where except in the dlstrlct or 1rlerS' where Maternus died.
 The two youngest cardinals, the deans, stood beside him, each with palm leat in his hand.
 the benediction of the crowned prince of the church.
 A sonorous, powerful voice, full of feel ing; the delivery resembles the church song. and the character of the benedic- tion is simple, humane, soul-stirring. He asks of God for all present Forgiveness oi sins, more tire for conversion. and strength to endure; ne excludes no one.
 Blanca and Manasseh looked at each other and q tear fell from her eye upor l his face. This tear betrothed them. Filth | CT she must descend to him, or he must 1 ascend to her; they must be united for
 ever; they must become one. l As soon as the last sounds Of the pope :
 benediction had died away: a stentoriar | voice from the height of the human pyra
 mid cried:
 l "Evviva Pic Nono!'
 And now the multitude broke ont into | such a mighty shout that the roaring o i the ocean could not equal the roaring O | this human sea. It was a hosanna shou l like that by which on the day of the las l judgment the dead will be awakened; th' ! blessed people shouted back the blessns 1 10 the head of the church. whom that day | they all carried Tn their hearts | He was at that moment the Apostle Pc | ter of liberty, and with one of his kew 1 opened to his people the heavenly. witt | the other the earthly. paradise. | The voice of the people drowned tn, concluding remarks of the two cardina
 deans: but after few minutes hat ! elapsed perfect silence rcigned. From i the heights above. the cardinals threw L
 the people the palm leaves which they | held in their hands
 The two slowly descending leaves sud denly attracted everybody's attention