The other night we were at a private musicale, next door to one of the hotels. Some girls, and a certain princess, played and sang extremely well. In the midst of the evening the door opened and who should walk in? It was Franz Liszt. He was in his slippers just as he had been in his room next door. He had heard the music and had just dropped in. Quite a little emotion was created among us all, when after standing and listening a little bit, he went straight over to the young girl at the piano and put a rousing kiss on her forehead. She blushed, and was stamped for immortality. To her last hour she will remember that approving kiss of the master.

After the musicale I was presented and was glad he remembered me so well from Zurich. He recalled a kissing scene that I had witnessed there as well, and laughed heartily about it.

But Liszt is getting old. He has had his day of great life. What genius and a great deal of work can do for a man in this world anyway! Liszt, with his genius, worked too at the piano like a galley slave, years before any soul applauded.

*****

Yesterday, one of the Bonapartes came to the office on some business. It was Napoleon Charles. He owns the villa Bonaparte and is a rich man, for his villa grounds are to be sold off at great prices for the new Rome rapidly building. I observed him closely because I had been told that his is the real Bonaparte face. He is taller than was the First Consul. His family name is still a power in Rome. It interested me to see one who is closely connected with the Great Napoleon. He wrote me a pretty French note of thanks, and that is pasted in among my autograph letters from interesting people.

[CHAPTER XXVII]
1885

STILL IN ROME​--​PRESENTED TO POPE LEO XIII​--​STORY, THE POET SCULPTOR​--​RANDOLPH ROGERS​--​TILTON​--​ELIHU VEDDER​--​ASTOR RESIGNS​--​SECRETARY OF LEGATION DIES WITH ROMAN FEVER​--​I AM PUT IN CHARGE OF LEGATION​--​CAPRI​--​GOVERNOR PIERPONT​--​THINGS SUPERNATURAL​--​TALK AGAINST GLADSTONE​--​SHAKESPEARE WOOD​--​SENATOR MOLESCHOTT, A REMARKABLE MAN​--​INTERESTING LETTERS FROM GENERAL SHERMAN​--​PARTY STRONGER THAN PATRIOTISM; MY RECALL​--​MONEY LENDING AND TAXES​--​KEEP OUT OF DEBT.

February, 1885.​--​On Sunday morning we (myself, wife and son) together with others, were presented to the Pope, Leo XIII. The card of notification told us how we should dress. Full evening suit, with black cravat and black gloves for the gentlemen; black silk dress for the ladies, with black lace veils over the head, instead of bonnets. Our carriage entered the court yard at a private entrance, where dismounting we entered at a side door and went up the Bernini stairway. The Swiss guards, glad to hear their own tongue spoken, were very polite to us. Colonel Schmidt, their commander, is also a personal friend, who had visited us in Switzerland. He soon turned us over to the Pope’s personal body guard. These are young Roman nobles. We were led through a labyrinth of apartments, and put in charge of some of the court officers at the reception room.