Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-04

lence in white. There Is no color about
him except his rudy cheeks, his big brown
eyes and the cross of emeralds which hangs
upon his breast His hair and his robes are
of the same shade of white, and the mag
nation of genius could not portray a fig
ure that would look more as you think the
pope of Rome should.
Merry del Val is tall and thin. like an
ascetic; of dark complexion, with q profile
like a cameo, black searching eyes. a
straight sharp nose. thin lips and white.
even teeth. an ideal Of the student priest,
becoming to him. His manners are always
graceful; he has an air OF high breeding
which suggests that he could not be other
wise than gentleman. He Is reserved.
and some people call him cold and unre-
sponsive. as he may appear at times. but
he has keen perceptions. which have been
educated by travel and association with his
fellow-men and a responsive sympathy. but
perfect self-controi.
Plus In His Rooms.
1t rs a long climb to the pope's apart
ments. OF recent years an elevator was
put in for the accommodation Of Leo XIII
that will carry two or three people from
what Is known as the Damaso court. That
will save you 218 steps If you have suff1-
cient rank and influence to secure the
favor. But ordinary people have to drag
their heavy feet up 30S marble steps. This.
however, Is not SO great an ordeal for the
Italians as 1t Is for us, because almost
everybody in the ancient part of Rome
lives on the top floors Of lofty palaces which
have no elevators. l suppose the lower
stories of these buildings must be occupied
by somebody, but I have never been fortu-
nate enough to know any one who lived
short of the fourth floor.
From the bronze doors at the grand en-
trance OF the piazza OF st. Peter to the
door OF the pope's chamber those who as
cend are never out of sight of sentinels, who
are posted at intervals all the way up. The
civil police of Rome patrol the porticO of
the Vatican, but never pass the threshold.
There are always a sergeant and half a dozen
men on duty outside, and the Swiss guards
gossip with them across the boundary be-
tween civil and papal Jurisdiction. In the
ante-room Of the pope's apartments are
half dozen chair bearers in a startling
livery Of red. Four members of the Guard
Mobile are always on duty. who are gen
tlemen-in- rafting to his holiness. and usual
ly Mgr. Della Ch!sa, the master of cere-
monies. Is not far away.
The pope's audiences are managed upon
strictly business principles. You receive a
card from Mgr. Bisieu stating the exact
hour and minute, and you are expected to
be present. When your turn comes one
of the gentlemen in waiting will escort you
through a suite of four large rooms to a
delightful, coy chamber In the corner, with
big windows opening to the south and east,
from which the holy father has a splendid
view of Rome. He may never go down into
the city, but always has it spread cut like
a panorama before him. and 1t must be
tantalizing to man OF the active habits
and human sympathy OF Plus.
He sits at an ordinary fiat-topped table
in a corner, and as you enter the room
he arises and reaches out his hand. Pre-
yious popes have not been in the habit
Of shaking hands with their callers. but
Plus never falls to do so. although, of
course, those who are mindful OF the et-
quette of the church never fail to kiss his
ring. Nor have popes been in the habit Of
asking their visitors to sit down and talk
with them in a free and familiar manner.
Uius x treats you like an old friend and
although he never loses his gentle, gracious
dignity. 1t IL impossible for any one to be
embarrassed in his presence