The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-08-11
Has hasty, Frugal Meals When
He Feels He Can Spare Time
From His Duties.
SIMPLICITY RULES HIS LIFE
Unusual Number Of Audiences Granted
by Pontiff in Few Months-Refuses
to Allow Traditions to Interfere
With Mode Of Life.

Rome.-Pius XI Is man who
thrives on work, and he insists, against
his doctors orders on devoting at least
16 hours Of the "a TO management OF
the church.
Probably never since the time Of Leo
granted as in the last few months with
diplomats as well as pilgrims The
papal encourage accustomed to Bene-
diets precision in keeping TO one o clock
as his luncheon hour, find II little
difficult to adapt themselves to Plus
new rule-that audiences come first
and meal time Is a second consdera.
ton. Many thousand pilgrims hastened
TO Rome for the Eucharistio congress
and within a certain number Of days
were due'to be on their homeward jour
ney. In consideration OF this the pope
decided that all the different groups OF
pilgrims must be received and greeted
within this limited time.
This necessltated making the holy
fathers luncheon movable feast
Some days he lunches at two o'clock
and sometimes a few minutes before,
but never at one o'clock or II 80
o'clock, which was always Plus KS
hour Though the popes doctor in
sists that no man can stand this and
keep well. hard work In Rome being
contrary to habit and the climate, the
holy fathers only answer is that he
has always been busy man and likes
No amount Of demonstrating causes
him to change his mind.
Breaks Old Custom.
It always has been the. custom for
the pope to have the walls of his suite
covered not with paper but with dam
ask, and up to the present every pope
has accepted what was tradition in
papal housefurnishing. When Plus NJ
visited his apartments on the third
floor Of his palace he ordered that the
tapestry he taken down, the walls
scraped and white wall paper put up.
with the exception OF his private
chapel, which was to remain decorated
with damask.
The papal private suite consists of
seven rooms, besides waiting room
and n modern bathroom, which was re
modelled this year. There Is, besides
the pope's bedroom, drawing room. din
ing room, two waiting rooms. study
and chapel, suite for the private sec
retaries Monsignor Gonfalonieri and
Monsignor venini. who held their posts
with the pope when he was archbishop
of Milan. Plus XPs chapel Is the room
where Benedict died. The present bed
room was under the last pontificate the
private chapel. II is a moderate-sizet
room, with a brass bedstead, ma
hogaDy chest Of drawers and small
desk. Above the bed is large picture
of the Madonna Of Good Counsel
On the chest Of drawers Is small
mirror, the only one In the suite OF
rooms. Three straight chairs, one ir
front of the desk, one by the bed ant
one against the wall. complete the res
OF the furniture In the room. wher
the private secretaries suggested tina
an easy chair would be OF use hi,
holiness pointed out that he had giver
up sitting In easy chairs. as he fearet
1t would make him grow stout.
Cares Nothing for Tradition.
His holiness Is not one to allow ira
dition to interfere with his usual mod,
Of life. He wishes to follow the sam,
simple customs he has been used {,
all his life. One of these Is that II
his own private apartments he ha
around him only his personal attend
ants, who know his love. .of simplicit.
and abide by Z. In his life dowr-in tn
papal reception rooms he allows tn
trndltion Of centuries to be kept up
For this reason NO one Is allowed II