The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-01
LITTLE STEPHANO, ANGEL.
THE FEATURE or A SAINTS DAT
CELEBRATION IN HOB0REM

Italians Who Handled the Ropes, which
Furnishod the Motive Power In Place Of
wings. Were Responsible for . Failure
and for Little stephano's ChaErin.
Thursday was the feast Of 81, Michael. and
the Italian colony Of Hoboken decided that an
angel was needed for the celebration. not an
ordinary angel who would pose on q platform
In tinsel wings. but an out-of-door angel who
should ascend Gloriously and descend again
with blessings for the people. To such an ex-
tent did st. Miohael's Society. which IL con-
nected with st, Francis's Roman Catholic
Church. purpose celebrating the day.
Little stephano Angelo has long curly hair
and large black eyes. He objects seriously to
the hair because IL is q decided handicap In
case OF differences with other small boys. They
take advantage OF 1t for foul holds, and black
eyes OF an artificial nature accrue to 6tephano.
But whatever human disadvantage his long
hair might have..i t was Just the thing from an
angelic point OF view. St. Miohael's Society
went to the little Stephano and asked him IL he
wanted to be an angel. Stephano regarded
them with distrust. He remembered having
seen q little playmate fall out OF q tenement
window once. The little playmate no longer
came around to play. When Stephano asked
where the little boy was he was told that he
had gone to be an angel. II being an angel in
volved such q process he didn't think he had
any ambitions In that direction.
what must I do 2" he asked the committee
having the matter in charge.
Go up in the air in beautiful shiny cloth
ing" they told him.
stephano cogitated. It sounded pleasant. but
there might be something behind 1t.
And COM Town again p he asked. finally.
Certainly" said the committee.
II won't do it." shrieked Stephano. and he
ran away to hide.
The committee labored with Stephano's par
ents. They pointed out that he was peculiarly
fitted for the part; even his name corresponded.
All there would be to 1t was for him to be
hauled aloft on ropes and to make a little
speech when he came down. The committee
would provide the clothing. Mr.. and Mrs.
Angelo decided that little Stephano should
take the part. When they told him Of 1t he
crawled under the house and remained there
until hunger forced him out. To persuade him
that his part did not involve falling from q
great height upon a stone pavement was q difl-
cult matter. Time after time he cited the case Of
his little dead playmate: Finally they, showed
b 6I% op the ESHss o1 wsicH Ha let S DO TIt b 6f0T I'M the and 50G I6s
stand IN, It looked SAFE, Besides. there wore
to tdo % an lS Sns Tdl'1 Ana Iay il p would Ifddte only Va" last i : LITTLE
I Sal1s; fhai s piece. fft Il Ras C. be G 3 Roft 81 be aRa
diction and exhortation to the children Of the
society. The place was to be at Sixth and
At the appointed time a wagon drove up con-
loop Of rope attaohedH to two or ropes osSe extending Hhns to
;tssss, "a, IND : Sc az S6i%p %bos q t dSsy S Is I'd. e
tie wrePpinEs with which he had been covered.
seEi19G glory, the crowd of children in the street
~ ~ - "a oobt Ton,k khot lovolrtp
Little Stephano felt. that he had not lived In
vain. Being an angel might be trouble some
had it's compensations Having reached the
extent OF his ascent, he stretched forth his
SFRs 9 and g l1tsas sh .sSc c6 IF Gs1Sf ssls RaBSsd fol- iof
the bits Il had been shd plsnapned that e. he ',t De.
cue cue, for tpr. the b, P men n at the S1b ropes Az Ail had had gone % g
yere sIso hidden from esoh otfheE. did pot:: work
in such unison as might have been desired. The
went renewing a. IiohpQEs:I ..
plunge Of six feet and . suppressed wall of
dSR : Tt6 from saS angel sT3sG y yoq The are S,f here , Tp0I1
eeive tho blesSsinFIoV,l' Don't yiSsis that
centre 5sPsntS sn Tfc q tRrs the s1ssdS rop, t IF 9S6 p 20 tos
saint of lten-foot slue to the left Of the patron
f pdrSn' q le shi me ds drop II Fl Fl lid M 9sa tNavi name mo-
ton back ana forth and another siue TO the
i Snd he Rs g Slsss Shild III g.. MisS SSTn hst q down i
The men had let down and the angel had
landed upon the hard flooring Of the wagon.
children. The angel was rapidly driven away.
Under. his house the little Stephano lurked
during the rest Of the afternoon while the other
children enjoyed the fireworks in 81. Michael's
honor, Stephano repeated. loudly and with
heartfelt emphasis the Italian equivalent for
damn. His Borrowful mother sought In vain to
get him to come out or to mitigate his Ian
You. won't. &c. to heaven. stephano. IL you
use euoh words" she said.
Heaven T. ered Stephano. " Don't want to
20 there. Had all the angel / want. Cut my
hair on Tomorrow. or I'll run away"
And continuing his %elocution he rubbed dirt