The Virginia enterprise., 1908-06-05


world. Just how far his strong personality ana tne
equally strong though very different personality Oh ne
pope pull together in these matters nobody KNOWS: W.
if anybody know he is most unlikely to tell Many
people are inclined with without reason to beheVe
that His Excelency Merry del Val is personally respon
great for the tragic doings IN france
last when the conflict of church and state
outsiders of the old problem what would happen ~ i.
irresistible force should meet immovable ob)ect
The answer "Concussion'
Of course it is not to be expected that household
such size should be quite free from domestic wire
pulling Those in position to tell interesting tales IN
this line are bring their scandal up to
date, but it does no harm to repeat gossip OF rus
mperiols predecessor AS gossip the majordomo
Of Vatican in office at the time Leo Kill was elected
had never been friend to the great man during ms
cardinaship; it was however, the majordomos duty to
present to the pope the papal skulcap OF White
silk which replaced the cardinals cap OF red 1t mao
long been the custom for pope, at this point IN
the to give the acting maordomo the oscaro
ed red cap as hint that he would be promoted to
cardinalship But Pope Leo accepting the new cap
of white, calmly pccketed the old red one, sayng The
pope forgves but does not forget If the story be true
it only goes show that Artemas Ward used to say
Must folks are human"
The officer household with whom ordinary rav-
eers pilgrims have to do at least through CORE
spondence is Monsignor Bsleti, the master OF
the Chambers who receives and passes upon all
requests for audiences and interviews with the
pope himself. He, of course has to nave a
secretary own, for the work of his department
is not only perplexng in its delicate responsibility out
cftentimes in amount On the whole though
individuals bound to be disappointed now ana theh
he manages to number of people from
every part the earth nonCatholcs we'll as Catho-
lies desired opportunity to look directly into the
kindly face the spiritual father of 23OOOOOOO souls
Prs X himself is sngularly free from any sort o.
CHEAP desire to glorfy his own personal dignity AS
most Catholics and Protestants know his recent
issuance and insisence autocrac edicts in the neo
Of theology are strictly in his official and technical
capacity as of the Catholic church. Any great en-
phass his personal greatness bores or even pains MIN
Once in great while, special occasions OF eccles
asca state the pope puts aside his own preference for
plain simplicity by allowing himself to be carried into
St. Peters in splendid chair of red velvet and gold
horne on the shoulders of ten stalWart charbearers
(sedar) likewise superb in red and gold swarm OF
obseouous body-servants he would frankly regard as
nuisance But naturally. old with immense
strength for what most important he does have
personal "a vae to do little things for his
personal convenience-such things wife or daugh
ter might do if he just nice old gentleman in
modest American home.
In any case if he walks with democratic matter
ofactness his feet, his appearance before
large gathering Of people is always accompanied by that
of of the noble guards These of the
distinguished figures to be at any papal func
ton; 60 20 enrolled, though not all
duty at Every man is the of a noble Italian
family of independent fortune, who pays all his
expenses and lives in his home but gives voun
teer service matter of personal devotion to the
church. The present fine, soldierly appearance
and, in their stunning uniforms, with helmets of
and gold bands their breasts they form of
most picturesque parts of papal pageant
z. S. MERRIAM.