Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-10-06

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Italian eyes at all. They are Just the
sort of eyes we have in Ireland We'll,
he said, I am glad you like them. And
they make US brothers, don't they?'"
Joking With Monks.
In regard to sitting in the pope's
presence an amusing story Is told. A
company Of monks called on. Plus K
one day, and he begged them to take
seats. Knowing the old custom that
none was to be seated in the holy ia.
theirs presence except cardinals, they
seemed timid and hesitating. Observ.
ing their reluctance, he said brusquely
but not unkindly:
"You do not, suppose, expect me
to draw your chairs forward for you? ~
In his youth Giuseppe sarto was
called by the affectionate diminutive
"Beppo," name that his family gives
him to this day. When in school Bep.
po found an old friend bedridden and
in danger of starvation through power
ty. The young student had no money
but out of the slender ration supplied
him at the seminary he gave the in
valid the larger share and kept this up
until the odd man died three months
later. His sisters found 1t necessary
to lock up their meager supplies in the
kitchen to keep him from giving his
and their food away to some poverty
stricken beggar. s<t}
One morning after Giuseppe became
parish priest he rose at his usual
hour Of 5 o'clock and finding the sac
ristan was still in bed opened the
church for an early worshiper. The
unaccustomed act shocked the worship
er, who proposed to call the sacristan.
mo, no! Let him alone" said the fu-
ture pope. Don't you think I am
able. to open O door myself? When I
shall be old and Ill he viii open the
door and will stay In bed"
Notwithstanding his simple living
and abstemious habits Pope Plus is
bothered with govt One of the old
fashions of those calling on the head
Of the church was to kiss his foot.
This custom the present pope has dis
continued along with others Of similar
nature. When one delegation asked
for the old privilege Of kissing the
papal toe he replied. ''No, It is ILL.," Egg
Stopped Old Customs and Graft.
But Plus KS democratic tendencies
do not stop merely with abrogating
old customs, but enter into his policies.
For hundreds of years there has been
In connection with the church an acad-
envy for noble ecclesiastics. None out.
side of the nobility was eligible to ad-
mission to this exclusive school. It has
furnished the church with all her dip
lomats for centuries. Many popes and
other chief men Of the Catholic world
4 have been trained there. Through the
operation of this institution diplo-
matte career and other high church
positions were closed to all not Of blue
blood The pope decided to shut up this
institution forever and to throw open
all positions to the sons of the poor
and untitled as well as to those of
wealth and family. Not only so. but he
has named for many Of the chief sta.
tons under him those Of peasant ori
gin, like himself: He has halted the
policy Of Capitalization. He has stop
ped graft. One notable instance war
shown in the gifts Of insignia of Office
Happening to ask the price of one Of
these ornaments, Plus was struck By
the exorbitance. On inquiry he founi
that twice as much was asked for tht
articles as they were worth. He tracet
the dishonesty to its source and found
It originated with middlemen. 81,
thereupon ordered that in future th,
1eweler should deal direct and Their
should be fixed scale Of prices.
This most democratic Of the ponti6
smokes, jokes, says If he were younl
he would ride wheel, is reputed t
have been freethinker In his earl,
days, freely expresses his opinion tina
the church should have little Or moth
Ing to do with politics, but shout
concern itself with spiritual affairs
shows an unbounded interest In Amer
lea, is a friend Of the king and man
statesmen Of modern Italy. with whor
all popes are supposed to be In
deadly feud, upsets moss grown VA
lean rules, makes his visitors trea
him like man rather than like
monarch, loves games and plays then
from chess to bowls. and general
conducts himself like q reforrner an
q man of the new age.
The power Of the pope is general
} orerrated. He Is subject 20 his ca,
dinals. just as a president of the Uni
J ed States is subject to the senate. !
, some things, however. he Is suprem
and his influence is potent ever.
where. Should Plus x. be spared
few years longer 1t Is believed he wi
take still more advanced steps.
RnIouod hv fha Dnovla