The Indianapolis journal., 1903-08-30
IMPRESSIONS OF Plus K.



Him While He Was Yet Cardinal.
d. c. Branson, in the Outlook.
Joseph, Cardinal Sarto, henceforth to be
known to the world and to history as Plus
y, seems to me singularly unfamiliar to the
general public. Even in Italy one heard lit
tie of him. On the rare occasions when he
came to Rome and perhaps appeared along
with other cardinals at some papal function
in ST. Peters, used to hear all around me,
who is that?' His face even was unknown
to most of the crowd This was not due
solely or even chiefly to the fact of his be-
ing provincial. The. massive figure and
strangely baggy eyes Of Cardinal Svampa
were as familiar to Rome as TO Bologna.
about unrecognized. But Cardinal Sarto
knew intuitively and superlatively how to
keep quiet.
In his own Venice 1t was much the same.
Certainly the Venetians themselves knew
and loved him. There was no help for IT,
But for the thousands of travellers who
faithfully saw Venice every year. and who,
at the end of their stay. could tell you al
most anything from the site of Titian's
grave to the prices Of things at Florians,
the Cardinal Patriarch. For in Venice. too.
he kept quiet. But the Venetians knew him.
That is the first impression he gives, the
impression of an equanimity not easily dis
turbed. He looked his best when one saw
|. him, not in some high ceremonial, muff1ed
and half-hidden in gorgeous vestments
that would stand up of their own stiffness;
but rather in his everyday cassock, walking
through the corridors of the seminario or in
the twisting alleys of its garden, or, per-
haps, just stepping out of his gondola. Then
there stood before You man who seemed of
obi INN hai II of h<a-
ing taller, very straight, tranquil, but sure
and decided in every movement, even in ev-
cry little gesture.
He always seemed to me young for a car
dinal although i knew he was not But his
fresh, almost boyish complexion and his ap-
pearance of not only having but enjoying
perfect health are oddly incongruous with
the silvery hair that struggles rebelliously
from beneath the red zuchetto. He will new
er be able TO do anything with that hair,
unless, in time. the weight of the tiara may
partially subdue it. 1t is ''all anywhere
over his forehead, a riot Of white fluff, CIV
ing quaint and attractive dash of care
lessness to figure otherwise Immediately
neat and orderly
Plus X has fine eyes They are wide open.
and their look meets your own squarely and
with charming frankness. You spend very
little time indeed in arriving at the conclu-
sion that you like this man, and that the
devotion Of his Venetians is comprehensi-
BILE enough.
can remember, he was walking along slow
ly, surrounded by some half dozen SEMI
narists. They were thoroughly respectful. of
course, these little Venetian cherubm, but
il was clear that they did not stand in any
/ have that boundless confidence in him
which small boys give to a big friend. The
patriarch never for a moment relaxed his
gentle gravity, but spoke to them cour-
teously as If they had been so many bishops
no condescension. but just the manner of
mar who genuinely, likes children and
hat lie him Of he
Italian clergy, especially in the country
towns and villages, have this to perfection.
You may notice over and over again that
the parroco, or parish priest, can scarcely
bulge from his door without a lot of alb
surdly handsome little brats clinging to his
cassock and begging him for a santo-that
is to say, one of those little cards with gor-
geously colored pictures of the various saints
which abound all over Italy. And perhaps
the good old man will rummage his pockets
and hand out cards all round; or he may
''PazienZa, some other time" In either case
they kiss his hand and scamper away as
pleased as boys well could be.
Well, the new Pope began as just such a
parish priest. In that capaciay he labored
for years. and from II he rose by slow grad
ations and. as Emerson said of Napoleon.
''by very ineligible merits" 10 the patri-
archaic of Venice and now TO the throne of
| Catholic Christendom. But through il all he
has remained essentially the parish priest.
| His parish has widened from "A village to
| the world. but ne himself summed il all up
| i'm what he Is reported to have said TO a
| friend the day after his election: THE color
of my robes have changed, but l am the
same Sarto.'
| Village or Vatican. his surroundings
| change. but he does not He will have of
| course new duties, and will have TO get ac-
| customed TO things never before expected
| of him. He must exchange his gondola for
\ the plaguy oscillations of sedia gestatoria
| az he is borne in unsteady triumph through
| St Peters. He who has loved quiet. who
| has SO long Stunned publicity, must school
/ himself to be cheered and b clapped and
] huxzaed by thousands every time he lets