Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-13

so angry that he declared he would go
to Rome and not rest until he had
obtained the delegates recall.
Every well,'' answered Mgr Pecci
with that dignity and calmness which
characterized him; take your COM
plants to Rome, but do not forget that
to go to the Vatican you have to pass
by Castle st. Angelo" (the famous
PRISON.. That same evening Mgr. Pecci
had the castle of the marquis sur
rounded by the pontifical troops and
every soul in it arrested. His suspi-
cions that the place was the headquar-
ters of band of smugglers were fully
confirmed.
All persons are required to kneel
when before the pope. Catholics are
expected to kiss the papal ring, and it
is left optional with them whether or
not to kiss the pope's foot. Protestants
are, of course, required to do neither.
Many of them, however, voluntarily
kissed the ring, for the gentle bearing
and simple dignity of Leo XIII. I'M
pressed every one with respect. The
occasions We're rare indeed when Amer
leans showed themselves lacking in the
amenities of the place, and even these
rare exceptions were of trivial impor-
lance, says the New York Herald.
One such episode occurred ut recep-
ton. When the pope approached the
American group several Catholic wom-
en- Frustrated themselves before him
and kissed his slipper. When he had
given his blessing he passed on to sew
eral others who were not Catholics and
extended his hand. Two of the women
kissed his ring, but young girl who
was with them, although kneeling,
very plainly manifested her determine
ton not to do as the others had done,
and. ignoring the outstretched hand.
contented herself with inclining her
head as the aged man stood before her.
There was something very like q
smothered murnur of CONSERVATION
throughout the hall. The pope could
not have helped noticing the girls at
titude. An amused smile passed over
his face and he said to the young WON
an in italian. You are one of my chill
dren. Just like the others, even If you
| do not like me-" Then the gentleness
and tenderness of his face Increased
as he looked down at the girl and gave
| her his blessing. When he had passed
on to the next group somebody trans
| lated to tie rebellious young woman
what the pope had said. She knelt
| there for n minute or so, looking at the
! aged mans face; then she rose hastily
| and. rushing over to where he was
standing. threw herself impulsively on
! her knees before him and said: II am
ashamed l am so sorry! Please let
me kiss your hand"
The pope, of course, could not under
stand the words, but the girls mean
| ing was clear from her manner, and
the little thin, trembling hand of the
pontin was raised to bless her again,
when the girl bent over and reverently
kissed it. Everything is well when
the heart is right" said the pope ten
derby, and there was. suspicion or a
tear in his eyes as he moved on to the
next kneeling figure.
One of the anecdotes related of the
pope by Hall Caine in Household
Words is of special interest, as it
shows in a vivid manner the ties Of
kinship in the Pecci family. He says:
''Since the italians entered Rome in
/
been one of protest against the power
which has arrogated it's sovereignty.
One form of this protest has been the
absolute retirement of the pope within
the limits of his exterritorial domain.
/ 1t is held by the Catholic party that
for the pope to go out of the Vatican
for an hour or for even so short
journey as the width of the piazza of
ST Peters would be to compromise his
claim, to acknowledge the supremacy
of the usurping king and to expose
himself to the insults of an unbelieVing
and rebellious populace. Be that as II
may. the conviction is deeply rooted in
the Catholic mind that since the date
of italian unity the pope has never SO
much as set foot in the streets of
Rome, and that having entered the
Vatican as a cardinal he can only come
out of it as a corpse. This is not the
fact. Once at all events, Leo XIII.
passed through the city of King Hum
bert, and the occasion of his doing so
was so proper, so human and so touch
ing that the highest considerations OF
diplomacy and dignity must sink out or
sight in regard to it.
1.-The pope had a brother who late In
life became a religious and voluntarily
took up the humblest position In the
kitchen of the Jesuit order In due
course he rose to be a cardinal, and III
his latter days he occupied apartments
in the Barberini palace, now let out in
suits of rooms Old Cardinal Pecci was
in his last illness in the Palazzo Bar
berini, while his brother, Leo XIII.
was imprisoned by state protest in the
Vatican. on the other side of the Tiber
Messages of love and sympathy passed
between them day by day, the cardinal
received his last sacraments, and the
end was near.
zone night late, very late, lady was
coming out of her apartments to ster
into her carriage, on her way to mid