The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-07-24

fected p1ety, all exalted to eminence by |
his extraordinary career, made him an
inspiring parsonage even to those who
did not recognize him as spiritual
ruler and teacher, and Professionals as
we'll as Catholics mourn his death.
The story Of the pope is an exceeding
ly simple and pretty one. He has been
though the pontiff, as it is called, of
the most ancient ecclesiasticism in west
ern European excellent citizen of our
later world. He has been good mag
istrate, superior pastor, gentleman
and, 1t may be added, a prince. He was
& prince in nature before he was either
cardinal or pope.
From the time he was elected pope the
city of Rome has been in the occupa-
ton of the king Of Italy and has indeed
been the political capital Of Italy, the
laws Of that kingdom paying no atten-
ton to the previous laws and formali-
ties which the secular state supplanted.
But the influence Of the pope as spirit
Of education and of light has extended
to the most remote portions Of the
world.
Above all other popes. and somewhat
beyond his own record in earlier life,
Leo XIII. has been liberal politician.
He has hailed the future rather than
deployed the loss of the past. He has
been one Of the captains in the move
ment for universal education and has
| az rfu m mo 10 obi i'm Ia
confide in each other. Not single
scandal from Rome in his papacy has
/ been conveyed to the world. He has
shown friendly disposition to the
world and could himself take place IN
almost any learned faculty or congress
and hold his own in general knowledge
with scientists, belles-lettres men and
doctors.
Elected pope In February, 1873 he
was then almost sixty eight years Of
j age, and he had been for thirty-two
years the archbishop Of one quiet city,
! Perugia, which once belonged to the
papal states, but stood high among the
old Italian republics or feudalities for
Its painters and men Of gifts. This re-
gion, generally called Umbria, pro-
duced the highest triumphs of art in
Raphael. In Perugia and its province
the archbishop was as distinctly the
foremost citizen or subject as the late
Phillips Brooks undoubtedly was in
\ Boston or Henry Ward Beecher in
Brooklyn.
He was born at mountain town In
the Apennines, not far from Rome
called Carpineti, on March 2, 1910. Tc
this little place Of about 5000 people
his ancestors had been expelled from
81 Siena about $50 years before. They
were mobiles in Siena, but had taker
part against their countrymen wher
the Medici of Florence resolved tt
conquer and annex Siena. This indie
pendent republic, inspired with pas
sionate hatred against Florence, made
a memorable defense, but the odd
were too strong.
4 Retiring into the state OF the church
the pope's family, named Pecci (pro
nounced Pechf, formed new friend
ships, and the pope's father was a coun
who either volunteered or was drafte.
into Napoleon's service when he over
ran Italy. The pope's mother was
countess. who brought property to he
Y husband.
They lived in what is called palac
In Italy, large building rising from
the rocks, two stories and an attic high
IL with flowers and terraces about 1t
, base. It appears that the pore durinl
!, all his life has known no want, but ha
enjoyed a private revenue such as
gentleman of noble descent would b
apt to have In any country who ha,
!, kept his estates.
H He was born after the French reput
!, leans had oyerrun Italy and been ay
J Srywhere victorious and the creates
change had taken place not only In tn
italian people. but even in the priest
hood.
! The pope himself, Plus VIZ, had bee,
tsiEen captive from Rene to Franc