ention
had been put out in the Vatican gardens.

You can have no idea of the incredible amount of slippers sent
(thousands of them); church _vetements_ by the hundreds, embroidered by
millions of women who must have worked themselves blind; the most
exquisite articles of needlework, incrusted with pearls and precious
stones which have probably cost a mint of money.

The Princess del Drago's gift was a large diamond cross with an
enormous emerald in the center, an heirloom from her mother, the Queen
of Spain. There were many other private gifts which were equally
valuable. Almost a ship-load of canned fruits and vegetables sent from
America; these were arranged in a gigantic pyramid. Just to look at
them made my mouth water and me homesick.

Ridiculous objects from _naif_ donors, such as babies' socks and
jackets, and silver things for a lady's toilet-table, and other equally
inappropriate things, must have surprised the Pope when he saw them. I
have not mentioned the millions of francs the Pope received in money;
he can easily dispose of that; and he intends, I believe, to make
presents to every church in Italy of the different objects which can be
useful. But what can he do with the babies' socks?

On last Thursday the Pope said mass in St. Peter's. It was the great
event of the year.

As we are accredited to the Quirinal, of course I never can have the
opportunity to be received by his Holiness; therefore I was very glad
when the monsignore who is still _Dantefying_ us offered to give me a
_carte d'entree_.

I was obliged to be at St. Peter's at a very early hour, and succeeded,
owing to having a "friend at court" (the Swedish chamberlain to the
Pope, Marquis de Lagergren), in getting an excellent place where I had
a good view of the Pope and the whole ceremony. Ladies are dressed
entirely in black, with black veils instead of hats, on these
occasions.

There was a great deal of noise in the church--much scraping of chairs,
rather loud talking, people being shown to their seats, and, above all
other noises, _the organ_.

I cannot honestly say that the music was beautiful. With the exception
of the days when the best singers of the Pope's choir sing, the music
in St. Peter's is not good. The organ is as antiquated as the organist,
who plays with all the stops pulled out.

The center of the church was filled with wooden benches and chairs. The
altar was brilliantly lighted with hundreds of wax candles; the c