Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1903-02-19
LITTLE VILLAGE OF CARPINETO;
WHERE POPE LEO WAS BORN

1t was with this rifle that the future
pope won his fame as marksman, and
that its possession meant much to him
in those days of poverty is indicated by
letter, carefully prepared, which
shows how he came by it. Freely trans
lated, it reads:
Dear Brother Titta: My friend, Prel-
ate Longhy offers to let me have his
gun cheap, for scudi; he paid 16 for it.
Think of some means to obtain the
money for me. This is an opportunity
which comes only once in lifetime.
Your loving brother, NINO."
In gathering of leading citizenA
who had known the pope, the young
est, who was over 10, told story that
his mother had told him.
"My family used to be serfs Of the
Peccis," he said, land one day my
mother brought the tax, consisting of
cream and cheese. Nino, as the holy
father was always called as a child,
was so anxious to have taste of the
cream that he fell in his mad haste.
When my mother picked him up she
addressed him with phrase much
heard in Carpineto::
Anything else wanted, brother?'
"A mere brother in my own cloist-
err" cried Nlno.
CARDINAL said my mother, front
cally.
""I want to be pope cried Nino,
stamping his feet"
Only once was the holy father ever
beaten. That was when he was IL years
old. He and his brother, who was a
year older, were so much excited when
their mother, the Countess Anna, was
pushed to her very door by brigands,
that they went forth to have good
view Of the robbers. In those days the
banditti were picturesque-looking Gre
atures, wearing velvet coats and trous-
ers, with silver buttons, red shirts, and
head handkerchiefs, and carrying many
knives and pistols. Their father rescued
the youngsters just in time, and then
he thrashed them with much vigor.
To this day there is nothing the holy
father loves better than to recall his
youth in Carpineto. Notwithstanding
the years that have passed since he was
In his native village, he keeps close
track of everything that goes on there,
Not long since the rector Of st. Johns
church in Carpineto, took to Rome
members Of eight or nine families, that
the holy father might bless them in
passing. They were boys and girls Just
confirmed Leo stood still before the
group and, calling up one after anoth-
err, he said: Are you not old Peppo's
son or grandson? And you; are you not
Sabinas daughter? And you must be-
long to the Nagnis." He went on, nam
ing the family Of each, recognizing the
traits and characteristics, and he made
not a single mistake.
Nothing is more eloquent Of the
pope's love for his native village than
the vast sums he has already expended
for its regeneration, and the work is
still going on. The works are under the
care Of Monsignore Adami, whom he
has appointed papal protector for Car
pinto. The most important is the new
waterworks, which will give an abun-
dant and sorely needed supply. For the
holy father was cheated when he had
the first waterworks built. The supply
fails during part of the year, COM
Polling the people to walk miles for q
jug Of drinking water. The new works
which include artificial lakes, reser-
voirs, and conduit hewn partly
through tn esolid rock, will give an am
pie supply for Carpinto and the neigh
boring villages as well.
oil .HaI
old peoples home, which he maintains.
It is large, lofty building.
The pope also built and maintains the
Pecci hospital, which is under the care
of the French Sisters of the Holy Sac
rament. 1t has hundred beds, which
seem too many for town of TOO fam
lilies, but those who benefit from II take
in the whole province. In addition the
pope is having built two additional
common schools, an agricultural acad-
envy, and q school for artisans and
tradespeople. He pays for everything,
buildings, furnishing, apparatus, and
teachers. More than that, he provides
breakfast for the scholars, because he
knows how meager is the fare they
have in their own homes.
The holy father has also rebuilt and
refurnlshed the church of st. John and
the basilica Of st. Jacob, which had
been almost entirely destroyed. He has
also built a third church, called the
Collegiate church, and he gave a con-
siderable sum to the church of st.
One of the most interesting places In
Carpineto will be the Leo museum,
which will be IN the Pecci palace and
where all the relics of the family and
tine pope will be shown.
BOUDoIR IRONING SETS.