The Portland daily press., 1890-10-14
Roston's Strange People.

10 he EdttoT OF the FreSS:
1t may not be known to the general reader
that in the very midst and heart OF the old
North End, Boston, is planted colony Of
from ten to twelve thousand Italians. They
| have come tN this land Of freedom and privi-
lege with all the ignorance, superstltions and
| vices Of the old world, and here, almost with
| in a stones throw Of that historic church the
light from whose tower sped Paul Revere on
his midnight ride. they have colonized trans.
forming this once aristoeratic quarter Of old
puritan Boston into veritable bit Of old
Italia.
In passing through North, Salem, Rich
mond and adjacent streets, one sees and
hears strange things. The high brick tene-
ment houses are literally swarming with life;
sometimes as many as three or four families
are living in one Iosm. On a summers dag
one may see scores Of these swarthy faced,
| grotesquely clad figures Of all ages on the
street, from the old gypsy-looking beldam to
the baby Of "a few weeks wrapped in bright
/ purple and yellow swaddling clothes.
Here and there are their grocery stores.
| filed with the peculiar products Of their
country. Notable among these products are
garlics innumerable, Zone ceases to wonder
what the puDgent odors are that salute one
from every doorway and windOw,) olives,
very unlike those to which we are accustomed,
kind Of brown, shrivelled and oily fruit;
macaroni of all kinds, beside many other pre-
sumably toothsome viands. but whose flavor
is unknown to the average untravelled Amer
lean.
Numerous are the liquor saloons with their
varying attractions, from the underground
den where the lowest Is made welcome, to
the elegantly appointed saloon for the aristo-
crat; for even here society Is divided into
castles.
We chance to see two belligerents who had
"tarried Ger long at the cup" and who were
emphasizing an animated discussion with
forcible blows in each others face, while
from their erratic movements they were a
constant menace to the pedestrian. Very
quietly one of Boston's big policemen led
them to the patrol box, where wagon was
quickly summoned into which they were
hustled aud driven rapidly away.
1t does not take long to collect crowd In
any LhOr0ughfare, but in an incredibly short
time this arrest brought together such a
crowd Of men, women and children that one
instinctively wished ones self very far away.
IL was not an ill-natured crowd however,
only here and there could be seen traces Of
hostility towards the officer, enough TO show
the occasion for serious disturbance. IL has
been said that nearly every man carries a
stilletto; stabbing ARRAYS are not uncommon;
only few days before. murder mad been
committed not far from the scene OF the
arrest.
In religion these people are Roman Catho-
k6eSstc eaYf III III AZ WpxoAdcted
what dear old Father Taylor would have
said could he have looked forward a few
years and seen his church, that stronghold
Of Methodism given over TO the dominion OF
Roman Catholicism. They are more under
the power of the priest than In the old
country; for here, as one OF them told US, the
priests are more energetic and aggressive, and
look well after them. Our people have gained
but little influence over these Italians as yet.
| So far as we know there Is but one proIes-
| tant mission whose work Is exclusively "lth
| them. . ,,-
This mission is located at 1S2 Hanoyes
| street and Is doing good praesiiSa,a a vesk
| They have Industrial classes twice ", meen, az
where large numbers Of girls anu nssses MoH saS
| tauOht M sew. once q week are GRASSES AOi
| Bible study, attended mostly " {yasr 49, ~ tbe
for the women dare en- nII he study Of English.
Rrhes, ,,vorsbip ey ~ Sunday IN eollh0ul-
ons sunny hall. Everything Is uoIe nt aD " ~
the rooms cheerful, orifp fSe difference be.
oa, snOm ;benS and their own MONIES OF such
s,mmsneakable sQualor and wretcnedness;
These people, with many thousands OF
sirss osnrss IN make their homes; many thons-
ands more are constantly coming Inc
ieS,ian mat appeals TO US with most persis-
stpnt force and clamors loudly for reply Is,
What VIVA Is 10 be done with them? Shall we be
| ahis 10 mould them into loyal citizens OF this
grand Republic, who will, as such. conserve
| fine great principles upon which our govern
/ ment rests, or, with the power OF franchise
| to which 50 short reside CO entities them,
/ will they attempt ito undermine and over
throw our institutions, establishing IN thelr
/ stead systems and forms Of government
| which have made Europe what Il Is today?
| This question has been ably discussed
| from pulpit, platform and press. Many OF
| our leading statesmen and clearest thinkers
| have given It their best thought, yet II re-
| mains unanswered, and year by year II
| grows more complex aud difficult Out Of II
/ are TO come tremendous issues which, before
mary decades, will decide the fate Of our
i nation NJ " CoIE