Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1903-07-23

O'Clock this afternoon and the Pom
tiff now lies at rest.
The period of over two weeks that
Pope Leo passed in the shadow of
death was no less wonderful than his
life. His splendid battle against
disease was watched the world over
with sympathetic admiration and
ended only after a series of tremen-
dous effort to conquer the weakness
of his aged frame by the marvellous
will power of his mind. The tested
steel which had bent SO often before
human ills was bound to break at
last. Tonight the emaciated and
lifeless frame which held so brave
spirit lies on the bed in the Vatican
beside which almost all the world
has prayed. The red damask cover
let rests lightly over the body, the
cardinals scarlet cape is about the
shoulders, while on his head has
been placed the papal hood Of vel
vet, bordered with ermine. A white
S11h 1IdIlhCIClA1C1 ID OoO1INt G1oO0O 1l1S
chin and in the hands which have
blessed SO many thousands has been
placed crucifix. So Pope Leo will
remain until tomorrow, watched by
uniformed officers of the Noble
Guard and rough clad Francisans,
who will keep ceaseless vigil until
the burial occurs.
Tomorrow the Sacred College of
Cardinals will assemble for the i'm
pressive ceremony of officially pro-
nouncing Pope Leo dead. After
this function has been performed the
body will be taken to the small
throne room adjoining the death
| chamber, where it will be embaIm-
ed. The funeral ceremonies will eX-
tend over nine days, the remains
being removed to the cathedral Of
st. Peters, where they will lie in
state. The ultimate resting place of
| the dead Pontjff will be in the mag
nificent Basilica Of st. John Lateran.
! Pope Leo's final moments were
! marked by that same serenity and
devotion and, when he was conscious,
| that calm Intelligence which is asso-
| ciated with his twenty-five years
pontiicate. His was no easy death.
Y An hour before he died, turning to
DIR. Lapponi and his devout valet,
I hn gIFF1 70
| pain I suffer is most terrible" Yet,
his parting words were not of the
physical anguish that he suffered
but were whispered benedictions
upon the cardinals and his nephews,
who knelt at the bedside, and the
last look of his almost sightless eyes
usWas towards the great ivory crucifiz
hanging IN the death chamber
: Practically all the cardinals in Rome
kneeling at the bedside, watched the
| passage of his soul.
The death of the Pontiff was at {
: time when all was singularly calm
= throughout the Vatican, as people
, had been so long expecting the fina
summons that their sensibilities wer
we'll nigh numbed.
e Scarcely soul passed up the mar
q BILE staircase and the court yard c
San Damaso was deserted, except fo
+ the heavy black carriages Of the cal
i dinals and their coachnien, who Wer
e waiting their masters. 1t was tn
l. hour of the siesta. Nothing coul
Z have been more peaceful.
e At twenty minutes past four a ma
h dashed madly across st. Peter
Ell Square, then quite empty. A secon
,e later another followed on a bicycl
IN Within few seconds, as If by magi
o. newspaper men, gendarrnes and me
I'd sengers, running, driving and gest
al culating, dashed to and from IL
n. portals of the Vatican.
er Like wireless message the
id flashed around the words: "He
on dead" Rubbing the afternoon sic
er from their eyes, bareheaded N
pt and women, many carrying habi
1as emerged from the darkened hous
las and cafes and besieged the door
IN the Vatican. The quick moveme
and tense feeling of the rapidly ga
lis, ering crowd now permeated, VIII
es- a few minutes before there had bt
raj no sign of life.
ne,