Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-28

! Special Cabegram to The Star.
ROME. July Pin connection with the
| visit 10 the pope the other day of the
Right Rev Monsgnor O'Riordan. rector OF
the Irish College, an interesting story Is
told. This story was brought out by the
fact that a reference to the state of the
Catholics in France called forth several
expressions of sadness and regret. And
the interesting part of the story is that the
pope has learned to speak French and
knows all that is said to him in that lam
guage. He does not assume to be a fluent
French scholar, but he knows enough about
the language to answer all practical pur-
poses.
1t was not until the trouble broke out be-
tween the holy see and the French gov
eminent that Pope Plus X really took up
the study of French in earnest. He has
proved an apt though not an extraordinary
scholar and naturally will always cling to
the Italian and the Latin. And though he
does not encourage his visitors to talk IN
this language in his presence, 1t would not
be safe for any diplomat, or any visitor Tor
that matter to take refuge in French upon
the theory that his holiness would not I'M
derstand.
In this connection one thinks of the Incl
dent which occurred at one of the general
congregations held after the death of Leo
XIII, when one Of the French cardinals
found himself next to a foreign cardinal
entered into conversation. The French
cardinal. speaking in French said: Your
eminence is doubtless an archbishop IN
Italy In what diocese?" II do not speak
French" replied the other in Italian. And
| then the conversation went on in Latin.
'In what diocese are you archbishop
said his French eminence: II am pa
triarch of Venice" replied the Italian.
"You are not then 'papabile' Cor fit for
the papacy), said his eminence of France,
because a pope must know how to speak
French" The meek and gentle Itanan car
dinal, the pious patriarch of Venice, re-
piled to this: mo, l am not papabile,
your eminence. and L thank God for It,.
OF course neither of the ecclesastics for
one moment thought that this cardinal who
did not speak French would become the SUI
preme pontiff of the Catholic Church and
probably 1.-The man who did not speak
French dreamed of 1t less than the other.
The fact that the Italian government has
consented to return the celebrated cope of
of Ascoli-Piceno to that city makes a de-
scription of this particular fabric Of in
terest to all Americans. For it will be re-
membered that Mr.. ]. Pierpont Morgan.
the American millionaire and collector OF
works Of art, purchased this remarkable
specimen of the textile fabrics Of Italy for
a very large sum and put 1t on exhlpitlon
| In London. There is was Recognized as tne
cope of AscoH-Pceno, and Mr.. Morgan soon
learned that 1t had been stolen from the
cathedral of that city He had PAID very
large sum for it. but when it became evil
dent to him that it was stolen he handed 1t
over to the Italian government On its ar
rival in Italy it was placed In the picture
gallery of the Corsini Palace in Trante-
we're and arrangements will be made whlch
will prevent It's ever being stolen AGAIN
The announcement of its proXimate re-
moval to Ascoli- Piceno-not to the cathe-
dral but to the municipahty-induced your