Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28

lie me anu NtiHiS OF rope rus y are
very simple and regular. offering a sharp
contrast to the manner of living of Leo
XIII, and they are made the subject of a
most interesting book wn:ch VIII be
brought out this summer by an Italian
publishing firm. Several advance sheets.
received from Rome recently, contain some
amusing descriptions of life at the Vatican.
The volume which was prepared by a
person connected with the .pope's house
hold. is authoritative. yet 1t is rather in
structive in a lighter vein than ponder
Gus and historic. Here are few frag-
ments taken from the advance sheets, which
begin by detailing the hour the pope rises
about 3 am.
At 8 O'Clock in the morning after having
read the breviary, according to ancient
parochial habits, Plus Y says mass in
small room near his apartments. The al
tar Is simply decorated, containing an
ivory crucifix, artstically made, and on
either side of it stand six bronze candel-
abra; hanging from the center of the cell
Ing, a magnificent altar-lamp from the
Murano glass works, given to the pontiff
some years ago, is the only ornate object
within the holy room. The pope says mass
each morning, invariably. and is assisted by
one of >his secretaries. either Monsignor
Pescin or Monsgnor Bressan.
His holiness prays again in chapel be-
fore he retires for his breakfast, which
consists of some coffee with milk and but
tered toast. Then if the weather per-
mits, he descends to the apostolic gardens
and promenades for about an hour.
The present pope utterly disregards the
traditions of his high office, especially
those that originated with Leo XIII, which
always exacted strict obedience to formal
ity. Pope Leo was strictly slave of ell
quette. He was taken from his apart
ments to the carriage below in sedan
chair preceded by the Swiss guard and an
endless number of secret chamberlalns.
while the members of the ''guardia mobile
stood along the corridors in respectful at
titude awaiting his passage.
When he entered his carriage he at once
chose the best place for himself, the attend
ing chamberlain Immediately in front of his
holiness and two servants found places In
a dinky seat behind the vehicle. EscortlnS
the carriage were four mounted noble
guards sometimes even more.
The present master of the Vatican per
ambulates in the miniature woods all by
himself, looking for the more solitary paths
or seeking new hooks, always chosen ac-
cordng to the season and the temperature
and then he rests for a brief while. lie re-
sumes his way and always stops to say a
word to the gardeners or other employees ne
meets on his way: but at no time is he ever
importuned by etiquette with the lesser
| lights of the Vatican.
| His holiness re-enters his apartments al
| about . o clock and repairs Immediately tc
| his study, where the secretary of state
| Cardinal Merry del Val, joins him. The
| latter submits a report to his holiness every
morning, and together they discuss the for
eign situation and plan what to do. Then
follow the dgnitaries of the church, sue
ceeded by visits from the clergy.
Pope Plus receives visitors without cere-
mony. In the halls and corridors leading to
his apartments is to be found the usual me-
lee of multi-colored Swiss guards, the Pala-
tine guard. the guardia mobile. composed
entirely of noblemen of the black wing-the
secret chamberlains in formal attfre-and
this varied scene is continuous from any
point leading to the very doors of the pope's
apartments. but therein it ceases. The
pope dislikes in manner all ostentation.
He is especially averse to repeated Benu-
Elections; often-oh, horrors!-he asks his
visitors to sit. On this very thing 1t is
narrated that two three days after he
assembled the throne two Cistercian monks
were ushered before Pope Plus and began
Immediately to kneel in most humble
way, but the pope cut short these gymnas-
teal proofs of devotions and pointed to
chairs and asked them to sit down.
The two monks looked at each other in
guilty manner-for to Sit before the pope
was an undreamed-of thing. Was 1t posi-
BILE that he would give them the red hat?
for none but cardinals were permitted to
sit before him. The pope understood their
reticence and again pointed to the chairs
saying:
what are you doing? Do you want me
to get up also and give you chairs?'
The occurrence soon was known through
out the Vatican, and the papal court was
stirred into Mortified agitation.
Again, the present pope receives all sorts
Of visitors, however humble. He wanted to
see even his old friends of Riese, his native
town, all of them being poor countrymen.
He was opposed by the masters of cere-
monies, and Monsignor Bisleti dared to OBJ
serve:
But, your holiness, you should see how
they are dressed. They haven't collar,
and not even. tie!'
oh" interrupted the pope, speaking his
cadentic Venetian dialect, what do they
know of such things, and what are those
things before eternity? Let them in
At noon the pope dimes. This occupation
is performed every day on the hour, mathe-
matically precise. Leo, according to eti-
ouette, dined alone; the present pontiff al
WAYS invites one of the attendants most
near him. In the beginning the whole
length and breadth of the papal court was
stunned by this action, and again another
master of ceremonies attempted to call his
holiness attention to what the was doing.
But the pope, always patient and kind, re-
piled:
custom that those holding the char of st.
Peter should eat alone?
Urban XIII, your holiness was the