The New York herald., 1922-01-22

when cordial was administered to
him. To-day being the fete day OF st.
Agnes, patron OF Capraniga College. in
which he was youthful student. the
Popo asked TO be shown a small statue
of the saint with which the students of
the college had presented him. The
statue was placed on the altar Of the
chapel where a number of masses were
said.
The worst period for the Pope during
the night occurred just before day.
break. He was extremely low at this
time, gasping for breath and apparently
suffering intense agony. Shortly after
7:20 o'clock the sun began 20 peep
through the mist OH the Alban Hills.
shedding Z roseate glow through the
clouds. The attendants and prelates
who were present went TO the window.
one of them remarlSing. Now 1t Is
dawn; 1t brings hope"
Throughout the night there was al
most absolute silence at the Vatican.
with only a few guards pacing up and
down and here and there various at
tendants performing thoir tasks. The
top floor. where the Pope's apartments
are, was almost deserted save for one
guard. who was on duty near the en-
trance to the Pontiff's chambers.
Inside the spacious apartment there
W
by hour the night passed. with the con-
dition of his Holiness apparently becom-
ing progressively worse. Eaci, visitor
who had been in the pontifical bed
chamber was received with questions as
to the Pontiff's state. Most of them
simply signified with their hands that
the condition OF his Holiness was pre-
carious. their solemn faces additionally
testifying to the gravity Of the Pom
tiff's case.
Outside the Vatican crowd fingered
all night before the huge bronze gate
leading from the square of St Peters.
every one endeavoring to gather from
the persons going in and out of the Vat
lean whether his Holiness was faring
well or i'll. Some of the interested
watchers took n position near the Egyp-
tlan column in the center to see If from
the light In the Pontiffs room they
could gain any inkling of what was go
ing on. Then as daylight broke tho
forms of the Cardinals could be seen
passing from the adjoining rooms.
Prince Chigi-Albani entered the Popes
apartment at 12:30 O'Clock. 1t is his
duty to take possession of the apart
ment in case of death of the Pontiff
and to act as n,ashal of the conclave.
The scenes at the Vatican as mo-
ment by moment the sands of the life
OF Pope Benedict seemed TO be run
ming out were most impressive. In
the simply furnished room where he
lay growing shorter Of breath and more
rapid of pulse. with apparently moth
ing remaining to be done except to
await the end. the attending Cardinals
In their purple cassocls and the papal
penitentiary In black were kneeling in
silent prayer. The only sounds heard
We're the sobs Of the Pope's personal
attendants. the low chanting of the Peni-
tential Psalms. or an occasional word
in delirium from the Pontiff as his
maiady slowly undermined the Won
derful store of nervous energy which
was still resisting its progress
The Italian royal family has been
following anxiously the phases of Pope
Benedict's illness, as the news was
brought to them by Mgr. Beccaria. the
court chaplain. When the church bells
of Rome summoned the faithful to
prayer for his Holiness the members
Of the royal family met for prayers in
their private chapel