The Irish standard., 1908-01-04
Pope Plus: X
Still Carries His Old Nickel
Watch.
Does Not Care to Exchange 1t
For a Finer Make.

The Frankfurter Zeitung, the fore
Gently published some extremely inter-
esting anecdotes of Pope Plus ", taken
! from the advance sheets Of an anony
) NOUS book about to appear in Rome.
This latest attempt at biography of
the Pontiff starts with description
Of the Conclave that gave Plus his
crown. Divers high prelates We're as
keen for the news as to whom might
besand who might not be elected as the
journalists. AS the days dragged on
f some of the curious ones submitted
the great question to well-known
spiritist then giving seances in the
Eternal City.
AT seance attended by many news
paper men as prelates, says the au-
thor, the spiritist Informed his hearers
that Ernesto Nathan would surely Sc
cure the majority of votes. Ernesto
Nathan is the Supreme Grand Master
Of the Italian Free Masons, and Plus,
some time after he became Pope, re-
marked: THAT spirit must have been
the ghost of the American agnostic
lngersoll."
AS for His Eminence. continues his
biographer. nothing was further from
his mind than the hope. or desire of as
cending the Papal throne. Indeed, SO
sure was he of not being elected that
he went to Rome on an excursion tick
ct, taking advantage of the reduced
rate. The return ticket he kept until
a. short time ago, when King George
Of Greece, visiting him, begged the
historic souvenir for his collection of
contemporary curios.
No pope of modern times has shown
less patience with Vatican etiquette
than Plus X. Simple. ever trustful and
solicitous for the comfort Of others,
the successor Of Leo desires to be UNI
harnpered by courtly traditions and
free from the annoyances of ceremony,
wherever such can be dispensed with
Ono of the curious rules Of etiquette is
that tho Pope must dispense with a
watch. Plus KS attention has been
called to that rule time and again since
he donned tho white cassock of the
successor of st. Peter, still he persists
in carrying his old nickel watch of the
type of the never o-be forgotten Wa
terbury.
About a year ago a French Bishop.
visiting at the Vatican, saw tho Popc's
redoubtablc Waterbury. ~ heard of
Your Holiness curious WATCH" said
the Bishop, land would like nothing
better than to have it for a souvenir.
May it please you to examine this ex-
cellent watch, the finest French make.
beautifully chased and jeweled. / got
Z 1t as present from my diocese. but
would gladly exchange 1t for your time
piece. for | am sure my people, far
from finding fault with me for giving
away their present, will delight in the
gracious souvenir
The Pope examined the French Bist-
ops watch. studied the works, admired
the jewels and case. Then he replaced
his own five-franc timepiecc in his
pocket mo" he said, Il cannot ac-
cept your generous Offer for this little
bauble is very dear indeed to me. l
held it in my hand, watching my dear
mothers life ebbing away during her
last illness
noticed i'm many OF his pictures Il lock
+ of hair prominent on the forehead. On
i 1atter-day photographs and paintings
4 it is not in evidence. for this reason:
y 4 certain French portraitst, when the
\ Pope granted him u sitting. comment
ed in eloquent language on the beauty
Of the lock of hair, insisting that it
gave the Pope's face its real distnc-
ton, recalling the famous lock of the
great Napoleon. The Pope, who hates
s fattery, nlpatiently brushed the lock
\ aside and next day appeared without
4 It,. The painter said he was in despair.
a sNever mind, smiled the Pope, ITS
gone, cut it off myself before l came
here. will not have you painters ar
III que with me about a. bit of hair"
Monsignor Bisleti is the Papal Mas
!, ter Of Ceremony, and naturally the
H man who suffers most on account OF
the Pope's disregard of etiquette. AS a
rule, his lamentations are endured with
VI good-humored contempt by Plus, but
W. once he admits, "Bisleti really made
N me prick up my ears Continuing, the
rs Pope told: his sisters what follows: II
III had invited to audience a number OF
Sistercians, fathers and abbots, and,
It being a very hot day, was particu-
X larly wroth when found them on their
N knees as I-came in.'' Dear sons" I