Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1903-07-21
POPE LEO XIII. "
BREATHES HIS LAST
Venerable Pontiff Passes Away
Monday Afternoon.
SLOWLY CAME
P0NTIFF'S END.
Served in the Sanctuary From His
Early Manhood.
YEARS
HEAD OF HIS CHURCH.
Pontlilcal Masses VIII BE said In
Every Roman Catholic Cathe-
dral and Prayers offered
In Behalf Of COnolaye.

Rome. July 2O.-Pope Leo XIII. de-
parted this life at i.0i o'clock this
afternoon.
The last moments were completely
peaceful and painless and preceded by
period OF insensibllity. Around
the bedside at the inal moment were
cardinals. relatives and members OF the
papal court Before lapsing into un-
consciousness the dying pontln feebly
moved his lips, his last artlculate words
being those he used In bcstowlng the
benedlctions. Gradually the shadow Of
death spread over the pontin. his ex-
tremities became cold. his features as
sumed the rigidity OF death and DR..
iapponi noted his last nutterlng heart
beats. which gradually became slower
and slower until the finally stopped.
The news OF the popes death spread
rapidly throughout Rome. The whole
city 10 Ia mourning
At ii.to a. m. there was great alarm
at the Vatican. az the pope was suffer-
INK from n grave increase Of cardiac
Affection Dr. Lapponl really thought
the end had arrived. and Cardinal sera-
ino Naunutelli. grand penitentlary. be-
gan the prayers for the dying. and
gave the pope absolutlon Ia artlculo
mOrtis His death was considered so
Imminent that all the cardinals present
and members OF the diplomatic corps
were admitted 10 the sick room. as. ac-
cording TO tradition. p0pes must die
surrounded By the sacred college. pom
tincal court and diplomatic corps ac-
credited 20 the Vatican Just al that
moment a large party Of American
tourists, unaware of the critical situa-
ton of the pontin, assembled the grand
staircase talking and laughing They
were approached by gcndarme. who
said. Please do not make any noise.
as the holy father Is dying" This pro-
duccd great emotion among the tour
lists and they Immediately retired. The
government decided that when the
pope's death was imminent or had ace
tually occurred 10 would hold up an
dispatches until the facts were ouc.al-
T
nouncement would be- made.
Although the mornings bulletins had
given the impression that the pope =
condition was somewhat amellorated.
IN reality the doctors dld not think so.
They considered the lowering pulse and
diminution Of respiration due 10 great
prostration OF the whole organism.
which was augmented. nothwithstand-
ing the patient at times kept little
nourishment. The pope continued now
and then 20 mutter prayers. although
Unconscious. His mind evidently re-
turned TO events which impressed him
most before his illness began. Al one
moment he was feeling about with his
hands and moving his head from side
20 side. trying 10 lift himself. while he
mufmured: What crowds! What de-
votion. my dear peoplel" Then falling
back lnertly. he sighed and said. "Oh.
the weight of these robcsl Can I hold
out until the end?' This was followed
by scraps Of Latin verses and prayers
and then came an interval Of silence.
which was broken by another moment
OF energy. IN which the pope said
]
me no longer. How many faces an
klndsl How many foreigners, church
is triumphing." and 80 over and over
again.
when. during an alarming crisis
about noon. he was lying on the bed
perfectly motionless. while around him
knolt cardinals and other members OF
the papal court praying and not know
Ing whether the pope was already dead
or not. without any preliminary rcst-
lcssness the pontin opened his eyes.
which fcll on Cardinal Orerlla. who.was
NJ his side and he said soiomnIy ITO
your cminence. who ls soon 90 seize the
relns OF supreme power. I connde the
church In these difficult times" Then
Mgr. BlslctI. master so the chamber.
asked Tor the pope's honedItIon Tor the
court. which the ponun granted. add
ing "He this my last greeting" Then
the pontln gave hIs hand t0 Mss 90 the
cardinals present. who were OrcrIia.
Rampolla. Seranho. Vauuuioll Dolia.
Nolpe and Wives 81 Tuto. pr. Lnpponi
prontcd by the pope's animation 20 ad-
minister rcstorativCs. Here the patient
sank back az suddenly as ne revived.
Monday morning the sick room was
the quiotost and most tranquil spot IN
the Vatican. The pope lny on his
bed. the pillows OF which were not
higher than his face. which had "a
Strange aspect owing TO hts not having
been shaved Tor 40 long. Hls hands
were folded over the rosary which he
used Tor over fifty years. Tho famous
arm chair stood nvtingly. with his
stick beside H. Pho Ceutfa, bis valet,
prayed and wept before the hui,s ivory
crucifx. Dr. Iapuoni sat by his bed.