THE LATE POPE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 31, 30 July 1903, Page 29

THE LATE POPE

SOME REMINISCENCES Since the death of Leo XIII. his Grace Archbishop Murphy, of Hobart, is the oldest prelate in Christendom he having been appointed Bishop by Pope Gregory XVI ' and consecrated on October 11, 1846. ' European Rulers. The thrones of Em ope have nearly all had new incumbeiilt, binu; the late Vo\ic w.^ crowned in 1878. But Francis Joseph of Austria and Christian IX. of Denmark have been rulers for halt a century, and Leopold 11. of Belgium and Oscar 11. of Sweden mounted their respective thrones a few years before Leo. The News of the World. Leo XIII. was a great reader of newspapers, or more correctly speaking he was deeply interested in their contents so far as they related to the internal affairs of the countries of the world. In the evening after he had recited the Rosary his favorite secretary went to his bedroom with the newspapers of the day, and read aloud, often until the small hours, while the Pope remained propped up in bed with woollen wraps around him, listening attentively to what was read, and making numerous comments. A Wonderful Memory. The late Pope had a wonderful memory. Some time prior to his death he told a surgeon who was attending him that a small scar on his finger was caused seventyeight years ago. when he was a boy, by a ball striking his hand while he was playing a game called ' boccia ' in the garden of the Pala77o Colonna ; and he even remembered the name of the chemist who bound up the wound and the si (nation of Ihe shop .All through life, even to the very last, Leo XII I. 's memory for faces and events was marvellous. The editor of the ' N.Z. Tablet ' was present at an audience given by the late Pontiff in 1882 to the students of the Panal Seminary. There was an absence of formality, and in the course of the conversation one of the students ouoted a line in Italian from Tasso's ' CTerusalcmme Liberata.' The Pope followed it up at once by iepeatmg the following stanzas from the immortal poem, which, it was stated, he knew word for word, notwithstanding the fact that it runs into se\eral books. Pr Lapponi. The name of Dr Lapponi, the late; Pore's physician, was frequently mentioned in the bulletins anrl cable ! cws, and consequently a few particulars regarding him <vill be of interest at the present time No one (says a Rome eorrpsprneVrit wiifinp a few months ago) would think tb.it Dr I a->poni draws as salaiy only £120 a year, yet that is nist about t he amount in Knglish money Processor (liuseppe Lanponf has hold his position since 18RS At that date leo XIII. , laung b'^en left with on'v a sure-pon, and the need of a doctor being much felt, Dr Laiipoiu, whn was pia(tismg at Ompio, on Hip Adriatic sieV cf Il'e Pe;nr.si:la, came o\ery week to Rome to \t<-i1 him .Shortly after the surgeon died, :<nd the Prp r cs<-or became and has lem a) nod Ihe only physician to his Holiness lie has Gradually so pained bis corfiden''e nrd friendship rs to Vc to him vvliat Dr Schwcningcr was to Prince Bismaick Dr. Lapponi is Hie only person who ever succeeds in o\ercomipg the natural ohstipotv <,f Leo XIII to tal-e certain precautions, in wh'ih he shows jrreat retuicnflnce. Them a;<\ linwexer, habits v, huh the persistence of <Ie (loiln la> i'oi supteor'rd in eiad'Hmr" I r is Holiness sli',l pri'i'-ts m nurnlU'O. a chiir m the hbiary to get rlov v t''e books for l.Mi^e'f, and w lu>n remonstrated with o\er the danr' r e^oll .to a yoMngci poison leplies, I know the way, I krow tl:e v/ay.'

A Pretty Incident. An incident occurred when the late Pope was seven years of age which illustrates that kindheartedness for which he was distinguished through life. He had been to Anagui, a neighboring village, with his tutor. While they were driving back home he saw a poor boy with tori and dirty clothes lying on a stone by the roadside. Nino slopped the carnage, jumped out, and ran up to the poor boy saying : ' What's the matter with you ? Is your leg broken ? ' J • I don't know,' the shepherd lad replied, as the tears lav uo\vn Ins dirty face. ' Ten minutes ago one ol the shepherds was driving his cart fast through the street and before I could jump out of the way knocked me down, and the wheel ran over my ankle. The man didn't listen to my cries, but drove right on. , Oh, how it hurts ! ' ' Joachim ran to a hollow, where there was a small brook, filled his cap with its clear water, and cave it to the boy to drink. Then he washed his foot and tied it up with his white linen handkerchief. * Where do you live ? ' said Nino. ' 'You can't get there like this. Come to Carpineto with me, and we will help you.' The poor boy smiled and limped to the carriage, leaning on the arm of his benefactor. ' What are you doing now, Joachim ? ' said his tutor. What am I doing ? What every true Christian ought to do. I am helping the unfortunate. Could we leave this poor little wounded boy here helpless on the road ? ' ' Do you want to take him home ? What will father and mother say ? ' ' They will say that I have acted rightly. Is it so extraordinary to succor a poor wounded child ? Wouldn't any one do the same thing in my place?' The teacher slapped him kindly on the shoulder, and all rode on to Oarpineto. Joachim's mother was angry at her son at first when she saw a stranger in the carriage, but when she had heard the story she sent for the family physician and had him attend to the suffering boy Joachim had tears of joy in his eyes while the ankie was being properly cared for. r ' Did I do right, mother ? ' said he. ' Yes, my dear child, your act was a noble one,' and proudly and joyfully she folded him to her motherly heart.