The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1903-04-30

NIL NHH OOIm. new nS
N passed his boyhood. OF
uE this fact the people Of Car
~ pineto are constantly /
NN boasting. when you en-
ter the village the Arss
0RO person you encounter will |
tel you OF its distinction.
Almost half q century has passed |
since the holy father looked upon the |
village, and he will never see Il again. |
But his thoughts are ever turned to- |
ward IT, How this wonderful man. who
was born when the past century was In
It's swaddling clothes. finds time to de-
vote 30 much attention to his birth
place In beyond the comprehension OF
those who are familiar with the vast
amount OF work he performs.
All Of Carpin.to revolves about the
pope. All It's stories are OF him. and
men OF 10 tell tales which were handed
down to them by their fathers and
mothers.
Among all the millions of people the
world over who give love and reverence
TO the holy father none enthrone him
so high IN their hearts ~ the TOO fam
lies in Cafpineto. One can learn more
about the personality OF the man In the
place Of his birth than In the Vatican.
yet few persons visit Cerpineto. IL IL
OILY Q few hours journey by rail from
Rome to Montslanico, where one takes
q strongly built little stage drawn by
four mules and guarded BY two cara
biniers armed with rife. sword. revolv-
or, and stiletto. The Italian govern
ment doesn't care to have Q foreigner
abducted by banditu II It can be
avoided.
The road leads straight UP and
around the mountains for miles. and
the cooked rifles and the sharp outlook
maintained by the guard would indi-
cate that the precautions are not mere
ly q matter OF form. But for an hour
or two one will not see . hut or habita-
ton. and more than likely not human
soul.
Suddenly. at Q turning in the road.
the driver points out q great country
house. which he calls the Pecci casino.
and below 1t is "Carpineto. the birth
place Of our holy father" The village
was founded more than ten centuries
ago BY the warlike Voisci, the robber
knights Of the middle ages. These
earliest settlers had TO hew into the
solid rock in order to build their hous-
es. and at this day the total number Of
One goes on foot through q stony
back lane known a. the Corso 70 the
first home of Leo XIII. called. like ev-
cry nobleman's home In Italy. palace.
II looks, to American eyes, more like q
fort than stately residence. The house
is two and q half stories high, with q
modest balcony In front. The lower row
of windows Is not more than fC:T and
one-half fee. high and Ii guarded by
iron gratings.
II was in this house that the holy
father passed his childhood. Although
the Peccis were mobiles they were poor,
and one may see the room where the
holy fathers mother kept the silk
worms which furnished the money for
his education and that Of his brother.
the late cardinal, which was the foun-
dalton for their success.
Everywhere one hoars stories about
him. As q child he was q true son OF
the mountains. and II 10 said that no
one in Carpineto could equal him In
mountain climbing.
Father Salvagni is the only surviving
schoolmate OF the pope In Carpineto
He In q small. thickst man. who says
he is at least 80 years old. and who n
still proud Of his muscle. even boast
ing of II like q youth in the first nush
OF manhood.
"ser NIno Leo was the most couras.
eous mountain climber ] ever saw,
said Father salvagni. -and we have
| long been famoiis for our skill in noun
taineering in this part Of the country
And at one time he was the best shot
in these mountains. 30 great was his
skill with the rife that he disdained 10
shoot q bird except on the wing.
But study ruined his craftsmanship
II II q great pity. was ashamed oi
him the last time he visited rs. In Sep
tember. 1887. With other huntsmen
had gone out on the road near Monte
lanico to meet hin. He recognized m'
In the throng. and begged me to lent
him my rine. handed the weapon tc
him. He aimed at bird and hit q tree
II cut ne to the heart. He. the best r.
neman in the mountains. TO miss a
easy shot! He never used Q gun again
! suppose he felt the disgrace too keen
year. never to return"
In his youth the holy father was nj
ways called ''Nino." and Father Sal
yagui 10 called him In speaking of theii
boyhood days. He walked over tn,
grounds where he and ths pope used :,
hunt
There" he said. pointing to q grot
to; there We used 70 lie In ambush To-
rabbits more than seyenty-nve year
ago"
The grotto IL near the Cello Orecchie
or Hill nj Ears. The name was giyel
TO II back In the middle ages, because I
was on this bill that the men Of Car
pineto cut on the ears Of prisoner
from the town Of Bassiano. Twent,
years late those Of Bassiano had thei
revenge. for they captured many Of tn
Carpineto fighters. and on this sam
hill uot only cut on their ears, bu
their noses AZ well.
In the Pecci palace there stands In
corner Of an upper room q fiint iocl
with an excessively long barrel, Will
all about are the uniforms and cos
tunes OF the male Peccis, most o
whom were In the service Of the vati
can a. courtiers. councillors. Jurists
prelates, or military officers, and tn
bishops and cardinals robes, miterl
croziers. episcopal rings. gloves. an
slippers belonging TO the holy father
a. we'll as the nrst white cassock b
wore when he became pope.
II was with this rine that the futur
pope won his fame a. q marksman, an,
that its possession meant much to hin
IN those days Of poverty 10 indicated b.
; q letter, carefully prepared. whicl
Il - A. - 49, -