[Illustration: AFTER WORKING HOURS, MESSINA.] Mr. Griscom, to whom I sent a copy of your attack upon the Red Cross, brought the matter to the attention of Countess Spalletti Rasponi, the President of the Queen’s Orphanage, who, as such, has general supervision over the branch of the same known as the American Red Cross Orphanage, and for which latter Mr. Bruno Chimerri is Chairman of the Executive Committee. The following is a translation of a quotation from a letter from the Countess Spalletti to Mr. Griscom, the American Ambassador, dated Rome, April 19, 1909: “After reading the article published in the _Catholic Transcript_ of March 25, 1909, I consider myself, as the President of the Queen’s Orphanage, bound to reassure your excellency, and send you some information regarding the system pursued by those placed in control of the orphans in choosing a place for the orphans and abandoned minors, with the tutelage of whom we have been charged by the royal decree, dated January 14, 1909. “The number of wretched creatures left destitute of any support and guidance being considerable, we have undertaken to take the place, as far as possible, of the parents in their education and start in life. We have proceeded in accordance with this principle, and have decided that the minors should be, as far as possible, brought up in the religion of their parents, and educated in conformity with the conditions in which their families were, with the only tendency to ameliorate those conditions. We consider it to be our duty to bring up these children in the religion of their parents. “Referring to the article published in the _Catholic Transcript_, I have to point out that the Mayor of Rome, Mr. Nathan, is not the President of the Queen’s Orphanage. He has no connection with it whatever, but is President of the Executive Board of the Central Relief Committee for the earthquake sufferers, of which committee his royal highness, the Duke of Aosta, is the President.... “It is, moreover, to be noted that the President of the Palmi Subcommittee is the Bishop of Milito, Monsignor Morabito. Our representative in Messina has been another most worthy Catholic Priest, the Rev. Luigi Orione. “I am confident that this summary will be sufficient to remove from the souls of American Catholics all apprehensions.” In forwarding this letter, Mr. Griscom, our Ambassador to Rome, remarks in substance: “You will observe that the governing body of the Queen’s Orphanage have exercised the greatest care to place Protestant orphans in Protestant hands and Catholic orphans in Catholic hands. I am satisfied that this wise policy has been consistently carried out. American Protestant Missions have received the tutelage of the children of the members of their missions in cases where there were no surviving relatives to assume the burden. I am satisfied the _Catholic Transcript_ would not have published such an article had they been in possession of the full facts....