The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-05-27
SIMPLE LIFE OF The POPE
HE ARISES AT FIVE AND BEGINS
WORK OF DAY AT TEN.
Retires at t0 3o-His Chief R,crea.
ton is Walking in His Garden.
Deiieaeies Sent to the Vat.
lean by SoVerigns.

more cooks who were employed In the
Vatican since the time Of Leo XIII.
As soon as he was elected the pope
noticed that seven cooks were EN-
ployed in the kitchens Of the Vatican
palace. and is quoted as having said
What is the use of having seven
cooks to make little broth for a
poor man." Forthwith five of the
cooks were dismissed. and Plus y.
who Is very fond OF the same vands
to which he was accustomed in his
youth, obtained from Venice the cook
who served him when he was pa.
triarch of Venice and who knew his
tastes. The Venetian chef Is in full
charge. assisted only by three persons
who attend to minor details.
The desire of the pope to obtain a
Venetian chef is not at all an indica.
tion that he wishes elaborate meals.
The only thing he takes before noon is
n cup of coffee and milk. At noon he
INDUCES In the heaviest meal of the
day. with his private secretaries. with
whom he engages always in constant
conversation as long as he is at the
table.
Plus Y. following In part the ancient
custom which does not allow n pope
to sit at the same table with any one
but a sovereign, has table of his
own standing ON small platform
about six inches from the floor and
facing the table at which his secre-
taries are seated. Thus he is able to
conform to ceremonials and to have
company at dinner.
The most enjoyable meal for the
pope is supper about in the evening,
because the business of the day is
over and the pope is able to discuss
matters with his intimate prelates.
His meal is not much to speak Of, fire.
quently consisting only Of a little sal
al and a couple of hard boiled eggs,
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Vatican larder is generally furnished
with everything that is best and most
desirable. To have an idea of the re-
sources of the Vatican kitchen 1t is
enough to remember that nearly every
sovereign Of Europe sends every year
to the pope some of the best delica-
cies to be found in his realm. the EN-
peror of Austria having for over thir
ty years made habit of furnishing
the Vatican with the celebrated To
kay wine and with cigars of the best
quality. Even non-Cathollc sovereigns,
such as the king of England and Swe-
den an1 the emperor of Russia, never
forget to send some sort of offering
in the shape of food or drink II is
very seldom that the pope drinks
wine.
After supper the pope generally
stops to converse with his intimate
prclates, but has made II a rule to go
to bed before 1890 unless the cares
of his position should require him to
stay up longer,
The late Pope Leo XIII. had quite
different habits regarding sleep and
many times his attendants found him
reading books or newspapers as late
as 2 in the morning, In fact, one
night Cardinal Rampolla, the former
secretary of state, who had received
an important message from abroad
went to the papal apartment at /
O'Clock in the morning and asked the
attendant to awaken the pope, as the
matter was important. All he got for
his zeal was a haliberd thrust on his
chest from the Swiss guard, who had
been instructed by the pope himself
not TO allow anyone 10 enter his apart.
ment. The screams OF the cardinal
aroused the pope, who was deep in
his reading and he opened the door to
find his chief assistant nearly muir
dered
When Plus X retires at 10;30
o'clock, every one in the Vatican pal
ace knows that no business is import
ant enough to justify disturbing HIM.
At 5 o'clock in the morning his per
sonal attendants, of whom there are
-FOUR and Who place the cots on which |
they sleep across the door of the
popes bedroom, in order TO protect
him from possible danger, enter and
awaken him. At 6 O'Clock the pope
is ready to say mass in his private
chapel and two Of his most intimate
prelates, Mgr. Bressan and Mgr. Pes
cini attend him and serve the mass.
After a short prayer the pope par
takes OF his scanty breakfast and then |
is ready for a walk in the gardens
which he considers his DrinciDal en- /