The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-17
TOLD OF THE POPE.
How He Appeared As IA ChiId-His
bad" Book.

cal as to earn for him the title of
Little Nightingale" Reading he had
learned from an old aunt; writing he
had taught himself by copying type.
Out of his recollections of the Had
he constructed a kind of play composed
of scenes tackled together, with coup
lets of his own, and this was acted Dy
his school fellows, the gardener being
cast for the part of Ajax.
Like many another good man, not
all of Leo's relatives reflected credit
upon the Pecci family. There was at
least one black sheep in the person Of
a nepheW-a reckless gamester, VINO
lost his own and other peoples money
at gambling, and contracted heavy
debts, raising a very offensive scandal
The Pope footed the bills for the sake
of his family, and sent the scape-
grace and his wife to Cuba. A lew
years ago the young man begged plte-
ously for permission to return, making
all sorts of promises of reform. But
Leo knew this kinsman's weakness and
sternly refused.
The POPe's Bad Book.
When Pope Leo was Cardinal Pecci
he had the misfortune 10 be the author
of book considered by Plus TX. 50
bad that the reigning Pope placed it
under the ban-that is to say, its title
was entered in the Index tIxpurgatO-
rius. where it remains to this day.
When the author ascended the papal
throne he had the power TO remove
this condemnation of his own work,
but this he never saw fit TO do.
And yet this volume was written
mainly to please the very Pontiff who
condemned it. Cardinal Pecci never
stood very high in the favor of Pope
Plus TX Knowing the Pope's reVer-
ence for the Virgin Mary Pecci WroI~
a book entitled Observation Show
ing Why We Should Have Festival
TO Adore Holy Maria" The volume
was printed in Perugia in 1874 When
the work was condemned and its I'll
tie entered in the terrible Index, this
footnote also appeared Author has
laudably submitted and retracted his
work.
Two charges were brought against
the book-that it taught a perverted
doctrine and that it was printed in d
vulgar tongue Qtalian).
It has ben intimated. and it is pos
sible-although the alleged fact is not
positively known-that Cardinal Pee
eli was communicated for writing so
heretical book; but if so, he was inn
mediately reinstated
Death of Plus IN.
Notwithstanding the feeling almost
of unfriendnness which existed be-
tween the two men it became the duty
of Cardinal pecci as cardinal cham
berain, to assure himself by a solemn
ceremony that the Pontiff whom he
was destined to succeed was really
dead and to announce the fact to the
assembled dignitaries of the Vatican.
He approached the bed of the de-
in IA h1p nd aalt
silver hammer. Frustrating himself
before the bed, the cardinal thrice
called the name of the dead, not his
name as Pope, but his baptismal name,
and thrice touched the head of the
corpse with the hammer. That the
Pope made no response was taken as
proof that his spirit had fled and this
fact was officially announced to the
waiting priests.
when Leo Was Governor.
When Leo was sent by the reigning
Pope to be delegate or Governor of
the little province of Benevento, his
hardest task was to suppress brig
andage, but he did it effectually. What
made the achievement so difficult was
the protection extended over the BAN
dts by the petty mobiles. He made
free use of papal troops to accomplish
his object and one morning the chief
brigand and every one of his follow
ers were marched to prison in chains
Your officers have trespassed on my
domain to make arrests" stormed a
marquis, who saw his source of reve-
nue. from thieves license fees taken
away.
Criminals must be arrested where
they can be found" answered the
priest Governor.
But your authority does not extend
to my domain.
mo man is above the law"
Il shall go to Rome and procure
your instant dismissal" roared the ex-
cited Marquis.
Go" said the priest, quietly. but
remember, to reach the Vatican you
must pass through the castle of St.
Angelo"
man took the hint and gave the Gov
ernor no further trouble.
The Pope Photographed.
He never tolerated gossip.
His palace has 10000 rooms.
He countenanced labor unions.
He was an expert chess player.
He called himself "the little old
man"
He was a reverential admirer of ma
ture.
He was diligent reader of newspa-
pers.
Dante and Virgil were his favorite
poets.
His favcrite relaxation was writing
poetry.
He kept his private account with the
Bank of England.
His brother. Cardinal Joseph, lived to
the age of 81.
He was the owner and landlord of a
dwelling in Paris.
His table expenses did not exceed 20
cents a day
He wrote better Latin than any other
living writer in the Church of Rome.
He never recognized the Italian King
as anything more than the King of
Sardinia.
apartment. He carried the key him
self.
So regular were his habits that his
servants could tell by glancing at the
clock what he was doing at that mo-
ment.
He never forgot a face and remem-
bered every Catholic who ever did the
church a service.
He was habitual snuff user, the to-
bacco being prepared in Baltimore es-
pecially for him.
1t is said that his attendant used to
pick him UP and carry him about the
Vatican as if he We're a child.
In the Vatican he had fixed rule for
the dress of all inmates to be worn at
every hour of the day.
He required park laborers and gar
deners to be at their post as early as
4:30 in the morning.
His voice while neither deep nor full