Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-07-30

the church, and just touching the
chapel OF the holy sacrament-the
pope energies. The white figure high
above the crowd, sways from side 70
side; the hand appraised gives the hem
ediction Fragile, spiritual as is the
apparation, the sunbeam refines. sub
tilzes, spiritualizes it still more. 1t
hovers like dream above the vast
multitudes-surely no living mani
but thought history, faith taking
shape; the passion of many hearts re-
Vealed. Up rushes the roar towards
the tribunes.
Lucy-the alien and Puritan Lucy
sufrenders herself completely. She
petrays nothing, save by the slightly
parted lips and the fiutter of the black
ven fastened on her breast: but it is
as tnough her whole inner being were
d1ssolving, melting away in the flame
of the moment.
In proud timidity-as one who feels
herself an alien and on sufferance-
she hangs again upon the incomparable
scene.
This is st. Peters; there is the dome
of Michael Angelo, and here, advanc-
ing towards her amid the red of the
cardinals, the clatter of the guards
the tossing of the flabella, as though
looking at her alone-the two waxen
fingers raised for her alone-is the
waite-robed triple-crowned pope.
And august unheeding, the great pa
geant swept on. Close, close to her
now. Down sink the crowd upon the
chairs; the heads fall like corn before
the wind. Lucy is bending, too. The
papal chair borne on the shoulders of
the guards is now but a few feet dis
tant; vaguely she wonders that the
old man keeps his balance as he clings
with one frail hand to the arm of the
chair, rises incessantly-and blesses
with the other. She catches the very
look and meaning OF the eyes-the
sharp, long line of the closed and tooth
less jaw. Spirit and spectre-embody-
ing the past, bearing the clue to the flu
ture.
The pope and his cortege disappear
ed behind the confession, behind the
high altar, and presently Lucy craning
her neck to the right, could see dimly
in the farthest distance against the
apse, and under the chair of st. Peter.
the chair of Leo Kill, and the white
shadow, motionless, erect within it.
amid a court of cardinals and diplo-
mats
! One more moment, however, there
Wy Il
ment of the entry, yet beautiful The
mass is over and temporary platform
has been erected between the confes-
sion and the nave. The pope has been
placed upon it, and is about to chant
the apostolic benediction.
! The old man is within thirty feet of
Manisty, who sits nearest to the bar
reir. The red cardinal holding the
service-book, the group of guards.
clergy and high officials, every detail
of the pope's gorgeous dress, nay, every
line of the wrinllled face and feshless
hands. Lucy's eyes command them all
The Quavering voice rises into the sud
den silence of st. Peters. Fifty thou
sand people hush every movement,
strain their ears to listen.
i All. how weak it Is, Surely the eff
fort is too great for a frame so en-
feebled. so ancient, 1t should not
have been exacted--allowed. Lucy's
ears listen painfully for the inevitable
break. But no,-The pope draws
Ions sigh-the sighof wealness-C'Ah
poveretto.' says woman close to
Lucy in a transport OF pity)-tAen
once more attempts the chant-sighs
again-and sings. Lucy $ tale sGtt@Ns
and glows: her eyes fill with tears.
Nothing more touching, more tri-
umphant than this weakness and this
perseverance, Fragile, indomitable
face beneath the papal crown, Under
the eyes of fifty thousand people this
pope signs like a chIld, because he Is
weak and cid, and the burden OF his oil
fee is great, but in signing keeps a
perfect simplicity, dignity, courage.
Not trace of stoical cOncealment, but
also not a trace Of finching, ell sings
to the end, and St Peters listens in a
tender hush.
Then there seems to be moment OF
collapse. The long. straight lips close
as though with snap. the upper jaw
protruding; the eyelids drop; the
emaciated form sinks upon itself
But his guards raise the char, anu
the pope's trance passes away. lie
opens his eyes and braces himself for
the last effort Winter than the gor-
geous cope which falls about him, he
raise himself, clirgng to the chair; he
lifts the skeleton fingers of his partly
gloved hand his look searches the
crowd.