The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-24
Must Be Willing to Serve Holy
Father Without Pay or
Allowances.

ranks OF his Noble Guard to
~ Americans of the Roman Catho-
lie creed and of unexceptionable rec
ord, whose applications to join 1t are
Endorsed by their diocesan. and who are
willing TO serve the Holy Father In
military capacity without pa: or al
lowances, 1T may be we'll to explain just
what the Noble Guard really Is.
Unlike the Swiss Guard and the Pala-
tine Guard of the Pontiff, it Is OF rela-
lively modern origin. 1t was instituted
on May II, 1901, by Plus VIII. to take
the place of the so-called Cavallegieri,
who were abolished by the French re-
public when its armies seized Rome in
1898. The Cavallegieri had been In ex-
istcnce since the reign OF Leo "
The Noble Guard of the Pope was
designed at the time Of the creation of
the corps TO serve as his principal
hodyguard, and more especially to act
as his mounted escort when he drove
through the streets of Rome Until the
overthrow of the temporal sovereignty
of the papacy. In 1870. it was mount
ed corps. But since that time its
horses have been done away with. and
although Its members stf1l wear the
breaches, the bis Jackboots and the
spurs of caralryman, there are many
OF them who have never bestridden a
hcrse in their life. Their duties nova
days are almost exclusively ornamen-
tai, the actual guarding being done by
the Swiss Guard, which dates back
as far as the days OF Michael Angelo,
who designed it's queer medieval uni
form. Still, the Noble Guard makes n
brave show on all state occasions, and
the antechambers of the Holy Father
and in attendance upon him when he
appears at any ceremony, or when he
takes his daily airing in the grounds
of the Vatican.
In its Inception. it was decided to
restrict the Noble Guard cXcluaivcly
to scions OF the patrcian families OF
Rome, that is to say. of families whose
names figure in the Golden Book OF
Rome, compiled some 300 years ago,
and which included only those who at
that time could show noble ancestry
extending back two or more centuries.
But this was found impracticable, and
during the last two decades men have
been admitted to the Noble Guard
whose nobility was OF very recent ori-
gin.
Now even this standard has been
found difhcult To maintain. largely
owing TO the fact that military SER
vice in King Victor I2mmanuers army
is obligatory upon every Italian citi-
zen, and that IL is impracticnble to
be Il soldier or commissioned officer
OF the Pope and of the King ut one and
the same time. That Is why the Noble
Guard is now being thrown omen to
foreigners. instead of being restricted
as heretofore entirely TO Romans.
The rank and file have hitherto re-
ceiVed pay at the rate OF o francs
per diem. while the stipends of the Of
fcers have been corrcspoudinGly large
This remuneration will be continued
to those who are already enrolled, but
those who join from now will be
required TO serve without pay.
From the time OF the creation of the
corps until seven years ago its COM
mand was vested in the hands OF one
or another of the princes of the his
toric house OF -titicri. But since the
death of Don Paolo OF that ilk, who
left son under age. II has been com
manded by Prince Camille Rospigiiosi,
OF the senior branch of that ancient
family, and whose mother was one OF
the best known figures OF Rome, where
she virtually ruled society. her salons
being for near half n century the most
famous in all Italy. One OF Don
Camillos sons is married TO Miss
Ethel Bronson. of New York. Another
son, Prince Ludovico, is also married to
an American woman, formerly Miss
Mildred Hazeltine; while Don Camiilos
eldest brother. Giuseppe. who is also
Duke of Iagarolc. is the prince whose
marriage to Miss Mary Reid, OF New
Orleans. formerly Mrs Parkhurst has
given rise to so many ecclesiastical
lawsuits at the Vatican
1t may be added that the uniform OF
tho Noble Guard. at any rate the ono
in which they arc usually seen. consists
OF black tunic, with gold cpaulettes,
darit blue trousers. gold bra ided, and
steel helmets. with n gold crest
Prince Louis of Bavaria has Just is
sued an amnesty in honor OF his ac-
cession to the regency OF the kingdom
an amnesty which has had the eff
feet of restoring TO freedom near o.
600 prisoners and OF reducing the SEN
tcnces Of as many more.
Amnestios are fow and far between,
especially those which restore to tho
benefited the rights Of citizenship
Napoleon III. granted IN amnesty TO
all political Offenders at the close OF
bis victorious campaign In Italy In
1859. and his uncle. the first Emperor
OF the French. issued n similar am
nesty after his return from Elba. The
present French republic on tho recon-
mendation of Gnmbetta, Issued In Jan
uary. 1879. an amnesty in favor OF the
2.245 men and women sentenced to va
rious forms OF penal seryitude for