The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-12
STORIES OF THE NEW POPE.
A Man of the People of Whom Many
Pleasant Things Are Told.

Boston Transcript.
Just before he left Venice for the con-
clave a lady of the aristocracy, taking leave
of him, expressed her heartfelt wishes that
the Holy Ghost should descend on the per-
son" Of his eminence Sarto, thereby design
ing him to the pontifcate. Madame" re-
piled his eminence, "allow me to remark
that you have a very poor opinion of the
Holy Ghost"
Another story is charming for its naivete.
Sarto, while he was patriarch of Venice,
was living in extremely modest manner
with his elderly unmarried sisters, who kept
house for him. Never before, perhaps, had a
patriarchs of Venice lived so modestly, al
most poorly, Notwithstanding the great dig
nifty of his office and the magnificent tTadi-
tons of the ecclesiastic dignitaries who had
preceded him as patriarchs of the proud
Venetian see. But never had such true
Christian spirit presided over the patriarch
al mansion. Not only the cardinal made it a
point of answering personally all the letters
and communications and requests for help
which he received in numbers untold, even
from the poorest parishioner of his jurisdic-
ton (his handwriting is small, neat and re-
markably legible, by the way, but also he
made it a point to see whoever wanted to
see him, and to talk to whoever had some
thing to say to him. Needless to add, that
such a system had an effect both on the
familiar and the official budget of the patri-
arch, but God will provide was his motto.
One fine morning the sister of his eminence,
on returning to the kitchen after a short
absence, found that the earthen pot con-
tanning the daily beef tea had disappeared
from its lawful place on the stove. The poor
woman ran to the cardinal, who was busy
In his study, and SorrOwfully related the
extraordinary case. well, my sister," ouoth
his eminence, evidently it was the cat"
But the cat would not have stolen the pig
nata, and everything, pignata and all. has
Have patience" insisted the eminentissi-
mo, smiling, 1.-The fault was yours: YOU
went off and did not watch. and some sin
ner whO evidently tries to catch others in
fault, took the pignata while the cat took
the meat!' Finally the mystery was solved:
A poor man had come TO the cardinal with
a pitiful story of a sick wife and hungry
children who had nothing to eat and no one
to make dinner for them, and, seized by a
sudden inspiration, his eminence had hit
upon the clever plan of sparing to the poor
man even the trouble of going to buy the
broth with the money of which he had Civ
en- him, besides the "pignata,' a consider
able sum, to provide for many future meals.
To his resolute disposition the following
may bear witness: While he was still a
poor priest, the curate's house i'm which he
lived having a little garden, he used TO
spend his spare hours In the open air, read
ing his breviary. A wall separated the gar
den from the public road, and in this, once,
several young men stopped To talk excitedly,
and one of them resorted to profane words.
No sooner had he spoken than Don Gu
seppe, leaping over the wall, bestowed upon
the irreverent fellow such a tremendous
blow that it stung him for some time and
| inspired the others with a wholesome con-
sideration for Don G~iuseppe's persua siye
| powers. He was already cardinal when he
boosted still with a well-known monsignore
Of being able Ito brighten, alone, a gang of
thieves or robbers at night, and proved II.
by confronting once in a lonely country road
a handful of ruffians who attempted to dis
turb him, and by often going out in the
night, all alone, with a latchkey i'm his pock-
ct, to render assistance to the sick and dy-
ing. Once, among others. he was informed
that a man who had long been a friend of
his, although a freethinker. was on his
deathbed. The hour was quite late. He
man would like to see once more
Ibis friend Sarto.' The answer was
affirmative, and the Bishop Sarto went
as a friend, not as a Roman Catholic priest,
to comfort with pure human sympathy the
death of the atheist That speaks well for
him. So does the fact that he has been
known to maintain personal friendly rela-
lions with Jews and other individuals of
various political opinions, and that his cour-
tesy and charity are unfailing towards ev-
cry human being. without distinction of
party or religion.
He has often pawned his pastoral ring to
get ready money for the poor. and deprived
himself and his family alike of every lux
ury, claiming that he is only the trustee,
not the master. of the money which comes
through his hands. 1t is stated that upon
his election 10 cardinal. he bought the gar
J nsnts ef state from the waiter Of his prede-