The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-29
NEWS OF THE WEEK
 IN SOCIAL WORLD
Mrs, FinCk Talks of Her Recent
 Audience With the Pope
RECEIVES BRONZE MEDAL
American Woman Received In Private Library In Vatican-Presented With a Bas Relief of His
 Holiness.

On her recent visit to Birmingham Mrs Harriet Hayden Finck of Phila- delphia. member of the League of American Pen Women and president of the Pennsylvania Woman's Press as- sociation, was asked to recall her pri- vate audience with the Pope, as she had been accorded unusual distinction while at the vatican. With her husband. Dr. FinclS, she recently visited Rome, and carried with her letetrs from two cardinals, who were personal friends, and which admitted her to the vatican through the private entrance, and se cured for her the honor of a special audience with the Pope.
 Private audiences usually mean that 20 or 30 persons are received by the Pope and it is most unusual for an audience to consist of only one or two persons
 Mrs. Finck. attired in black, as is required of all persons calling at the vatican, was received in the private library of the Pope Upon arriving at the vatican she was met with the usual etiquette of the paper court, although her private letters to Monsignor Bisuel- Ii obvated to some extent the extreme formalities of the occasion.
 In passing on to the smaller throne room she had. however, every oppor- tunity to see the papal guards. the pie turesqueness of the Swiss retinue, the gorgeousness of costume, the color of such d scene, each detail making the deepest impression upon her as she passed through the tapestry room into other apartments until reaching the smaller throne room, Monsignor Bsuel- Ii opened a door into which sh entered, expecting to see his holiness the Pope. The room was bare with the exception of the throne. The hangings of the deep Genoese red were relieved with the gold of the throne. The same Gen oise red formed the cushioned throne, the splendor of the throne room absorb ing her thoughts until she caught q glimpse through an open doorway of I White-robed figure. Monsignor Bisuelll glided past her into the room beyond. She followed him, and q moment later knelt at the feet of the Pope. He eX- tended his hand she kissed his ring, noticed the cross on his feet the white ness of his robe, the beauty and seren- ity of his face, the extreme simplicity of the room. His holiness was stand ing when she entered. She got the im- precision of his having just arisen from his library table,
 Monsignor Bisuelli Interpreted. The Pope was most interested in conditions in America, and asked many questions. Mrs. Finck was able to tell him much that was interesting, his holiness ap bearing gratified, even grateful, for her information While alert to the ques- tions interpreted by Monsignor Bisuelli, Mrs. Finck was deeply sensitive to the impressions made upon her through the personality of the Pope quite as much as by what he said.
 The extreme spirituality of his face was striking and the simplicity of his manner most impressive. At the con clusion of the audience the Pope pre- scented Mrs. Finck with bronze me- dallion. On one side was a bas relief of his holiness, and on the other was that of the Blessed Mother.
 Mrs Louise Dugas and her daughter. Miss Grace Dugas of Augusta, Ga, says the Montgomery Advertiser, who are spending some time in Paris. have writ ten to a Montgomery friend from the Chinese Umbrella, where they were hay ing tea" Miss Dugas is the lovely young Georgia girl whose cousin, Lady Charles Dilkie was to have presented her at court.
 The presentation gown was made and Miss Dugas was to have spent the season with her relatives. Sir Charles and Lady Dilke. She was at a governors ball m Columbia s. C.. when a cable announcing Lady Dilxe's death was handed to her. Miss Dugas was to have been presented as a member of Lady Dilke's family and would, therefore. have seen and known royalty at closer range than fails to the lot of many Americans who are pre- scented. She spent portion of one season with Sir Charles and Lady DillIe before shesmade her debut into society. Mrs. Dugas was formerly Miss Maggie Barrett of Augusta, one of the nicst noted belles of the south. She is a sis ter of MT. F. w. Barrett editor of The Birmingham Age-Herald with whom she and her daughter spent last winter Mrs. Dugas and Miss Dugas were among the distinguished visitors who attended the inaugural ball here last winter. MT. and Mrs. A. B. Gilbert are in New Orleans
 Mrs. Smith is in Eufaula, the guest of