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

|
NJ helpless innocent walked in the
streets of a great city. After ten
years spent chiefly within the walls OF
a convent. among a group Of pale-faced
women who knew almost as little Of the
world as myself, was like a grownup
child suddenly launched into life.
The noise confused and the traffic
frightened me The crowds going diff
ferent ways, like ants on an anthil; the
carts and carriages; the bicycles, auto
mobiles and electric cars; the beggars
crouching at the church doors ana the
,ad,as in CAV costumes driving on the
p,rc,o: the shouting Of the cabmen; the
screaming of the news vendors the
notice: the carabinieri; the soldiers on
foot and on horseback; the unshaVen
.,,-,o,+s. tho bare-footed monks; the
men sitting on the pavement outside
the cafes drinking from cups ano
olas res-all the human maelstrom OF
the most fascinating city in the world
distressed and terrified me- and many
a time I wished to be back In the calm
silence of the convent school.
At length the bishop came to say
that the necessary business had been
COMPLETED. and that to mark II satisfac-
tory settlement the pope had signiheo
his Willingness to receive In private
audience both my father and myself
This threw me into a state of the
greatest nervousness, for 1 had begun
10 realize that my fathers business
concerned myself, so that when, early
The following morning (clad according
to instructions, my father in evening
dress and I in a long black mantilla
yeIl). we set out for the vatican, was
in condition of intense excitement
A Pale and Sanity Face.
What happened after we got out OF
the carriage at the bronze gate near to
st. Peters I can only describe from a
vague and feverish memory.
I remember going up a great stair
case. past soldiers in many colored
coats, into a vast corridor. where there
were other soldiers in other costumes.
I remember going on and on, through
salon after salon, each larger and more
luxurious than the last and occupied
by guards still more gorgeously dressed
than the guards we had left behind.
I remember coming at length to
door at which a chamberlain, wearing
sword, knelt and knocked softly, and
upon its being opened announced our
names. And then I remember that aft
er all this grandeur as of a medieval
court l found myself in a plain room
like a library with simple white figure
before me and-I was in the presence
of the holy father himself.
When I had recovered myself suf1i-
ciently to look up. l saw that he was an
old man, with a very pale and sanity
face; and when he spoke it was in such
a soft and fatherly voice that l loved
and worshiped him.
He spoke 10 me about marriage say
ing 1t was a holy state, instituted by
the Almighty under a natural law and
sanctioned by our divine Redeemer into
the dignity of a sacrament. so that
those who entered it might live togeth-
er in peace and love.
"It is a spiritual and sacred union, my
child" he said; "a type of the holy mys
terry of Christ's relation to His church"
Then he warned me that when l en-
tered into the solemn contract of holy
matrimony I was to do so in the full
consciousness that it could not be bro
ken but by death.
Whom God hath joined together lei
no man put asunder-remember that
too. my daughter"
Then he raised me to my feet, and al
a touch from the chamberlain, / backed
out Of the room
After my audience With the pope. fol.