The Westminster Gazette of Wednesday quotes from the Debate a
really delightful story of the Pope. It appears that Leo XIII. is a great chess-player, and that his favourite opponent is a certain Father Guile., with whom he used to play when he was Cardinal Pecci. When he became Pontiff, he summoned Father Guile. from Florence, and gave him rooms in the Vatican. Esther Guila is said to be a master of the game, but to have a very violent temper, and sometimes during play he bursts out into an ungovernable fit of rage. When this happens, the Pope immediately interrupts the battle, and delivers a little homily on the virtues of Christian resignation and self-control. That is a really charming pic- ture of the two old friends at the chess-board. Note that there is no talk of the Pope pompously drawing himself up, and tell- ing his friend to remember that he is speaking to the most august of earthly Sovereigns. Leo XIII. merely speaks to his old friend as he might and would have spoken had he remained a simple priest. We hope the story is true ; it is so kindly and quaint, and yet so human.
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