The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-21
FIESTA IN LITTLE SICILY.
VIEW ITILY'S SONS All OUT TO DO
HONOR 10 ST CYRUS.

HONOR 40 ST CYBUA
Elizabeth Street . Biazo Of Color by Day
and Night In Memory Of the Good Pa
tron of 1Iarineo-First Celebration Of
His Day Here IL In Mulberry Bond,
Though every Sunday II moro or less gay
In Little Sicily. the people OF that part Of the
italian quarter never crowded 30 much Of q
good time into few hours as they did yester-
day. II was all on account Of st. Cyrus. the
patron OF Marineo. a town OF twelve thousand
souls IN the province OF Palermo. The festival
began tho day before and will be kept up
tomorrow. but Sunday ia the day on which
such a celebration is In it's best flower Then
there are no hods TO be carried. no streets TO
be cleaned. tho sweat-shop machines are
stllled. most OF the push carts arc stacked in
the alleys. and everyb body. man. woman and
child. is arrayed in Sunday best. Then IL 10 q
fiesta In the true sense. the sense so dear to the
heart OF the Sicilian: when one does no work,
eats rather well. and drinks-to his grand
pleasure"
The Society OF Marineo. which got up the
celebration. resolved that this the first essay
OF the kind in New York. should be mem
orable event In the colony's history. To that
end every occupant OF the tenements In
| Elizabeth street. on the blocks between Prince
and Blocker streets. was requested to display
the colors Of Italy and the United States at
| door. window. fire escape. roof cornice. chin
ney. or any other place that would hold flag.
| 30 hearty was the response that yesterday.
when the festival had renched its 1ood-tide
the fronts OF the houses looking up the street
| from distance. were not visible because OF the
| forest OF flags on either side. II was marvel
lous faring OF color. worth any ones while to
| 60 and see. In the whole town Of Marneo
there are not so many people as herd them
selves in the scilan quarter Of New York.
| Hitherto the Neapolitans have been most In
evidence with their feasts. In July their OBJ
| servance In honor Of the Madonna OF Mount
Carmelo brings out great multitude. who pass
! the day In hilarious amusemonts. not quito so
| wild and unreined as in Italy. however; and in
/ September occurs the big demon stration for
| BIT. Januarius. whose blood bols once a year IN
| Naples, The latter has been the greatest
| thing In feasts that Mulberry Bend has known.
| but II 10 likely. after the showing OF yesterday.
that the Feast Of st. Cyrus will take first place.
All day and In the evening when festoons OF
colored lamps reaching across tho roadway
were aglow. the sidewalks were thronged with
the people OF the quarter and their guests bid
den from the Little Italys OF Brooklyn. Jersey
City and Newark. When you entered the
street at that point you heard buzzing sound
that grew louder as you advanced to the heart
Of the sicilian section until 1t seemed to I'LL the
air from pavement to roof. 1t was the talk OF
the people. not boisterous but apparently sub
dued from the wonted staccato sinG-sonR and
shrill utteranoe that commonly assails the ear
when these men and women wag their tongues.
Everybody was enjoying himself. but in q
quiet way. for the police had forbidden any
music In the band stand. and the idea had got
hold that the Sunday must be passed quietly in
every respect. The loudest things were the
Ill whN ,aI No., iii
difficulty in the crowds were dressed nearly all
in pink froeks. with stockings to match and
shoes Of harmonious hue. The women. some
OF them long past the slender stage. were gor-
geous In blue or scarlet satin. with shawls Of
fantastic patterns. woven nowhere but on the
looms OF their native land. As to footgear the
women were less pronounced. but for this they
atoned with coiffures that were triumphs Of
Sicilian art. Their hair was sleek with poma-
tum and smooth as glass. while from the
wondrous chignons tall combs projected. some
OF them. made OF nickel or gilded metal. CLINT
ing in the sunlight.
Every man had on boiled shirt. and coll ars
and yavats could be counted BY the dozen.
Thert was plenty OF smoking and drinking OF
course. but you would have looked in vain for
Adrunken man.
Never were so many youthful couples seen
about on Sunday in that part OF New Italy.
They prqmenaded In fnery that had touch OF
modishness. and were not especially Interest,"
Ing unless you happened to know that most OF
them had been betrothed that very day. st.
Cyrus Is o canonized father who In life pos
sessed q good share OF homely human sense
as we'll as qualities OF holiness. The maxim Of
HE teaching might have been Trust in God,
but take your medicine regularly" He was
famous healer. but did not encourage faith In
the divine power Independent OF the apothe-
cary's drugs. Nor did he hold that the drugs
were OF any use without faith. that heaven sane
toned cure. So he warned his patients that
they need not expect relief unless they were at
peace with God In this way. 1t is said. no
was the instrument In accomplishing many
wonderful cures.
Now how the sicilian alias the nractical
methods ~ the saints doctor,ng With n. tin,.-
honored custom OF making betrothala m bis
fenst dav the son NJ Narineo doe, not e,nIoin
He Ia confident. however. that thera "a he No
,nor. orsnioiou. oooosion - A., n,n..a.t