The Irish standard., 1903-08-01
HOW LEO WAS ELECTED.
The Story As Told by the Late Car
dinal Manning.


The Story As Told by the Late Car
dinal Manning.
The writings of the late Cardinal
Manning furnish interesting Informal
ton concerning the death of Pope Plus
IN. and the manner in which Leo
NH. was selected as his successor
In Il letter written from Rome when
i'll Conclave. the 18th of February,
1878, the great Cardinal says: Car
dinal Simeoni wrote to me in August
last proposing to me to come to Rome
to receive the Hat in the Consistory of
September. In answer 1 promised to
come for the Consistory of December.
The illness of the Holy Father post
poned the Consistory till the 31st, on
which day received the Hat from his
hands. During these days l may note
down the events of the last four
months, at least in outline. I left
London on November 9Th, was two
days at Dover, and reached Paris on
the Sth. l had, as l thought, slight
cold, but it turned to an attack of
bronchitis and. l believe govt. be-
came in two days so ill that l could
not travel, and in two days more 1
could hardly walk across the room. 1
remember saying, II do not think this
is my last illness, but it is one of the
last" was kept by it five weeks in
Paris. During that time the accounts
of the Holy Fathers Illness became
so grave that 1 made up my mind as
soon as could travel to come here
had, under the advice of physician,
decided to go back to England, but
letters from T. O'Callaghan, Cardinal
Howard, Mgr. Stoner, and message
from Cardinal Simeoni decided me-
| left Paris on the 10th of December
and reached Rome on the 22lnl. The
next day, Sunday, l went to the Vati-
can and saw the Holy Father. He
was in the library, but in bed propped
up. He received me with great af-
lection. His countenance was natural
and bright, but his voice was weak
and his feebleness was evident. New
erthcless, through the whole of Jan
uary he made visible progress in
strength l saw him always twice,
sometimes three, or even four times Il
week, and having to bring to him Mr..
Eastham's two pictures, +. Richards
psalter, and the new edition of Chal-
Toner, l saw him alone often. We We're
all hoping that if no new illness came
on he might last long. But on We'd
nesday, February 6, went with some
Peters Pence, and a paper which l
wished him to sign. Before l went
in l first went to Monseigneur Vanu-
telli, who told me that the Holy Fa-
Their was unwell, and that he had
signed a paper that morning. giving
his blessing to some children who had
offered their comnunions for him on
the Publication, the anniversary of
his first communion. but that the
signature and words We're illegible, as
| saw. | therefore decided not to ask
for his signature. But 1 went to see
him. l found him in bed in his
bedroom. Very weak and visibly
changed l asked for a blessing for
sick person, which he gave with
the sign of the Cross. He then
asked for the attendants to lift him,
and l went out. That night he
had fit of shivering. Cardinal
Simeoni said to him: 'You will be
better tomorrow" He answered,
''tutt' al contraro." Next day, Feb
rtary Z, l intended to so and see how
he was. but wishing to see the Car
dinal Vicar l sent at half-past nine
to ask if he would be at home that
morning. The servant came back
with the answer that the Cardinal
Vicar was just going to the Vatican,
and that I'll Papa stHva per spirGre.'
! went at once. On rcachinG the
AntccAmcra. l found many of the Car
dinals already there. 1t was evident at
once that the end was near l went
into his bedroom, and found him some
what raised in his bed breathing with
difficulty. lie was mOtiOnleSS. and
his face was calm and grand knclt
down and kissed his hand. He said,
"At,lio carisSmo!' Cardinal Bilio, who
was standing by, gave my name. He
said. "Sicuro,' with an emphasis
meaning that he had recognized mo.
These were his last words to me.
then went out. but waited through the
day, and went into the room four or
five times. aud saw the gradual ap-
proach of the end. Once | saw him
lift the cruciiiX to his lips. and then
drop his hand on the bed. At last
about $50. l went in ana saw that
the end WAS come. The room quickly
filled, and the change came, Just at
Ave Maria. a quarter to six. 1t was
| Il ma icStic DEATH surrounded NV filin'