Year: 1869

-A-1AA119
terry of st. Agnese during his visit there. Wild
rumor had proclaimed that this accident was not
one in reality buta conspiracy upon the lite OF the
Pope


When we congratulated him on his escape, he
most kindly related to us all the circumstances of
the sad occurrence-frst dwelling with touching
eloquence upon the goodness of God which had so
miraculously saved him from terrible death.


The Monastery of St. Agnese is some distance
from Rome, and while the workmen were making
repairs to the eod church. they discovered catacombs
beneath it, the entrance to these were Immediately
closed up, until they could be visited by the Pope.
Soon after he received information of the discove-
ry, he proceeded to the Monastery, accompanied
by grand suite of cardinals bishops priests, and
several foreign ambassadors After they had ex-
plored the subterranean home of the dead, they
entered the monastery near by. In an immense
room which had been the refectory Of the building
long years BEFORE when the monks were more nu-
merous than now, collation. was spread for the
distinguished guests


His Holiness was seated at the head Of the ia
Bile iu a great chair with high back and enormous
arms


Before the repast was served, the pupils of sew
eral neghborng schools were brought in to receive
the Pope's blessing. After he had blessed them
all, he directed the attendants to bring him some
of the delicacies to give to the children. They en-
crced him by dozens and dozens, holding out their
hands to take them, when fearful crash was
heard, and the floor sank into the vault thirty feet
below.


Appalling shrieks Of horror and cries Of the
wounded resounded through the Monastery. The
crowd without, hearing them, rushed into the cor
ridors, and to the refectory hail. The walls of the
room alone were standing Far below there was
mass of stones and wood with the crushed bodies
beneath them.


Save our Father! Save our Father p was the
cry, heard above the frantic tumult Of the agoui-
zed throng After some exertion, the 1r:ar OF the
vault was forced open and the crowd fousd its way
to the scene of disaster. After removing the de-
bris of the floor, the chairs and tables, and some
of the injured children, they reached the great
chair which had fallen over the Pope. At first
they feared to raise it, so sure were they that he
had been crushed to death beneath its ponderous
weight. At length trembling, they lifted it up,
and found him unhurt; his hands oasped in pray
er. The high back and strong arms of the i'm
mense chair had protected him, and thereby saved
his life. Then joyful shouts rang through that
dark abyss, and were caught up and echoed back
again by the crowd without.


Ah! with what thrilling interest we listened,
and impulsively said


''How terrified you must have been when the
floor sank into the vaults below.


Very calmly he answered: mo, no, was not
terrified, for knew gracious God would save
me, were it His divine will but my heart was
pierced with agony as heard the cries Of the in
nocent little children, and thought of the poor
mothers rendered desolate by this horrible accident
for I was then certain that many persons were
killed. However, the result was less severe than
imagined, and many Of the wounded, I trust, by
the blessing of the Almighty, will recover"


He then explained the cause of the disaster,
Upon examination it was discovered that the great
wooden beams which supported the aoorhad given
way near the wall from the weight of the multi
tude assembled in the refectory. This room had
not been used for years until upon the occasion of
the Pope's visit to the Monastery.


AS soon as theinformation reached Rome Of this
accident, it was declared by many in authority to
be an attempt to take the Pope's life, and numer-
Gus arrests were made, and the suspected persons
thrown into prison. The moment His Holiness
heard of these suspicious and of the arrests, he
ordered that every one who had been thrown into
prison should be released instantly, saying:


II have proof that the disaster was entirely the
result of accident. know that my children love
newly then should they wish for my death p


So the prison doors were opened, and the sus-
pected ones came forth free and rejoicing. 7e
Deun,s were sung in all the churches, and gener.
al gladness prevailed in Rome that the good and
Holy Father was still spared to the world.


After an hours interview with him, we with
drew As we bade him farewell, we thanked him
sincerely for his kindness in granting US private
audience and knelt before him as he gave US his
blessing. This blessing will ever be dear to my
heart.


Deeply were we impressed by the noble charac-
ter the benign goodness, and genial manner of the
Supreme Pontif.


In the antechamber, we again met Monsigneur
Talbot, an extremely intellectual man, who had
spent some years travelling through the United
States He attended US to our carriage, and after
pleasant conversation we left the Vatican. 1t
was bewitching afternoon and the grand colon
made of St. Peters was glittering in the golden
rays of the evening sunlight the fountains were
joyously casting up their bright waters, and


"Earh and air seemed In holiday mood"


THE SEWERS OF NEW YORK.


In the Nineteenth Ward bordering on the East
River, can beseen avery neat little twostory frame
house, covering almost an entire square, surround
ed by beautiful garden, the occupant and owner
of which, though German, is what we call one of