Arizona republican., 1903-09-11

positively refused all overtures. What can Piux x do? Only make life easier by giving them money which they do not want, while in being elected pope everything which the poor ladies, no longer young, cared for, has been re- moved at one blow. Beppo. he is their world, and is now practically dead to them. Even if they came to Rome they could not see him. unless they formally asked an audience. while the comfort able talks and gossips, the loving doing of little services. the family meals, are all thing of the past. He is pope, they are peasants, and no amount of love can bridge the chasm.
 These three ladies. like all women of their class. are superstitious and have made up their minds that Beppo's e.ec- tion to the chair of St. Peter has set a limit to lis life.
 If it had been next year the charm would have been broken said Maria, but now there is positive proof that he will die in 1912. Whenever the per iods of nine come I expect a change, and no one can say without reason. At 3 years of age he began to study seri- ously he was nine years parish priest. nine years vicar general nine years bishop. nine years cardinal and of course he will be nine years pope. And after there is nothing but heaven to attain, so. of course, he will leave us. And nothing would or could persuade her to the contrary.
 Meanwhile the pontiff. for his part, is not altogether happy in his prison" So far his time has been absorbed in giving audiences, and making appoint ments, but the confinement has already told on the strong, hearty man who does not look much over GO, and he misses the care of his feminine rela- tives A button comes off and there is only a man to sew it on; his rooms are not well dusted, and ther seems to be no one to complain to; his meals are dainty, but rot prepared as he is ac- customed to having them ;his spiced wine does not taste as it should; his bed has Jumps, CT his bath is too cold.
 These little woes are felt acutely by one who has never even had to think of such things. Above all he misses the sea, his swirns therein, and his long walks along the sands. To a familiar who was with him in the Vatican gar dens he exclaimed.
 Shall I always have this longing for the country anC TOT the sea II IS rather an aggravation than otherwise to look at the promised land, which is in this case the sea (Meditsrranean) from the observatory. and not be able to go near it. I want to walk, climb, te run if need be, anything to make my blood circulate"
 After which outbreak he seemed to feel better and went on laughingly:
 Do you know my temper is even deterioratin I who used to never let anything trouble mel
 This should not be taken, however. to mean that Plus x is not proud of his new position, with a deep appreciation of his responsibility and privileges. He is an interesting figure to the outside world because so totally unknown. He is handsome and benignant, but not stately; charitable and pious, but not too free-handed. In other words, he is a good-looking, large hearted, frugal minded, peace-loving man, made to be even a cardinal, if you like, but not the man one would naturally picture as the head of Roman Catholicism, a lead CT of n:an and director of a delicate machine like the Holy See.
 I. COCHRANE.