Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-11
AN AUDIENCE WITH
THE POPE

FEVER before, surely, had such
M helpless innocent walked In the
streets of a great city. After ten
wears spent chiefly within the walls of
convent, among a group of pale-faced
women who knew almost as little of the
world as myself, l was like a grownup
child suddenly launched into life.
The noise confused and the traffic
frightened me. The crowds going diff
f4rent WAYS, like ants on an anthill; the
carts and carriages; the bicycles, auto
mobiles and electric cars; the heggars
,rorcbine at the church doors and the
aides in CAV costumes driving on the
PIrcio; the shouting Of the cabmen; the
screaming of the news vendors; the
police; the carabinieri; the soldiers on
foot and on horseback: the unshaVen
PRIESTS. the bare footed monks; the
men sitting on the pavement outside
the cafes drinking from cups ana
glasses-all the human maelstrom OF
The most fascinating city in the worlo
distressed and terrified mo, and many
time wished to be back In the calm
silence Of the convent school.
1t length the bishop came to say
mat the necessary business had been
ompleted. and that to mark it satisfac-
DRY settlement the pope had signihed
his willingness to receive in private
audience both my father and myself.
This threw me into state of the
greatest nervousness. for l had begun
10 realize that my fathers business
concerned myself, so that when, early
he following morning (clad according
% Instructions, my father in evening
lress and I in long black mantilla
VeiD, We set out for the vatican, l was
IN a condition of intense excitement.
Pale and Sanity Face.
What happened after we got out Of
me carriage at the bronze gate near to
st. Peters can only describe from
vague and feverish memory.
| remember going up a great stair
case, past soldiers in many colored
coats, into vast corridor, where there
we're other soldiers in other costumes
! remember going on and on, through
salon after salon, each larger and more
luxurious than the last, and occupied
" guards still more gorgeously dressed
man the guards we had left behind.
l remember coming at length to a
0oof at which chamberlain, wearing a
WORD, knelt and knocked softly, and
upon Its being opened announced our
James And then remember that aft
all this grandeur as of a medieval
.ourt found myself in a plain room
ne library with a simple white figure
.io'e me and-I was in the presence
me holy father himself.
"hen | had recovered myself suffi-
-'sn'ly to look up. saw that he was an
~ man, with very pale and sanity
'e' and when he spoke it was in such
SUI and fatherly voice that ] loved
'"u Worshiped him.
Nf''NV " me dDOuI marriage, say =
rs II was holy state. instituted by
"e almighty under natural law and
TONED by our divine Redeemer into
ulgnity of a sacrament, so that
use who entered it might live togeth-
N peace and love.
Is spiritual and sacred union, my
'.'u ne said; "a type of the holy mys
~ of Christs relation to His church -
neh ne warned me that when | en-
LEU INTO the solemn contract of holy
1''''nony l was to do so in the full
..1 that 1t could not be bro
'4n but by death.
b, @nom God hath joined together let
man put asunder-remember that,
~ ~ my daughter"
neil he raised me to my feet. and at
~. ''.h from the chamberlain. backed
VI. Of the room.
'''9i my audience with the pope, fol