The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-06-03

4. over the fish stand Of Giacomo Burro
zacchiello in Mulberry Bend there hangs
a large glass globe wherein, filmed
stranger of absurd shape and rainbow
scales may be seen swimming about on
any bright day. When there is no sun
shine in Paradise Park the fantastic alien
lcses interest in the affairs of men Then
ne mopes away the hours and stirs not
the water save by an occasional flicker
of his tail ventral fiange, which as
sures his solicitous owner that he is alive
and as we'll as may be expected under d
black sky. He is a fish with an interna-
tlonal history. But for his migration
from the Mediterranean to New York a
fortnight ago a certain wedding break
fast about which Luigia, the garlic
woman, has gossiped herself hoarse would
not have been given; nor would Giacomo,
the young fishmonger, be to-day the hero
Of grand social and commercial triumph
over the allied forces of the first families
of the Calabriani, the Siciliani and the
Napoliani.
That man so young and strong as
Giacomo should keep a fish stand had be-
come a reeking scandal in New Italy.
~SoSA
the voice of the Bend spoke with no I'M
certain sound: Giacomo should earn mis-
living with pick and shovel like other
able-hodled men, says the New York Sun.
The light work belonged to the grand
fathers and the men who lose their health
in river tunnels or their limbs in railway
accidents. when strong waters have weak
ened the lOokout's memory of the gang
at work ballasting around the curve. OLD
women openly proclaimed him a lazy dog.
and young housewives who disburse the
family expenditures, meeting In the street,
would remove from their heads huge pans
OF fresh-baked loaVes, set them on the.
sidewalk, and thus discuss the situation:
lis the Policastran still In business?"
bah! Don't ask me- Listen, mia cara,
and I will tell you what think. Well,
think he is not worth talking about
"Ah, 81; not worth talking about? Does
he count himself better than my husband,
who works eight hours a day in the sewer
mud?' 3
ITO me he is nothing, for every soldo
that spend for fish goes to old Daniello,
the Genovese, who was here before him
and is toos weak for @psaslFcar ri.
"Neanche da me ricevra I'm soldo. - ."
"We'll starve him out, think"
IT don't doubt IT, ~. q
And the tide of this sentiment swept
unstemmed from China Hill to the church
yard, carrying along the first families of
the Calabriani, the Siciliani and the Ma
politani, who rule the social, commercial
and political destinies of the~Bend.
~ In supplying the facts for this chronicle
Giacomo said that he felt as though the
whole world had turned against him. He
would have given UP the struggle In Its
earliest stage, he believes, but for two or
three loyal souls from his native place,
little fishing village on It e shore of the
Gulf of Policastro. If the money these
spent for dried cod and baby cells was
very little their pats on the back and
prophetic assurances of victory In the end
were priceless and gave him heart to
hold on until the day of his deliverance.
Whatever happened to his fish stand, Gia
como had resolved never again to work as
q laborer in the city bitches. He had had
two years of that and had thrown down
his pick for good one day when two men
shoveling just behind him were buried
alive by a caVe-in.
With the little money he had boarded
Ie crened the fisfsta1d 1t had never &C.
CURED to him to sell anything but fish.
Nearly I'LL his life had BEEN spent aboard
the srnacks of the Gulf of Policastro, and
his only taste of bargain and sale he
got by helping the master fishermen turn
their sea fruit into silver. He reflected
that as seller of fish he had succeeded
" ell enough with the housewives of his
own country, and Why could he not do
the same in Mulberry Bend? But he had
Fryer of Pepper Pods and the power of
the triple alliance. He had begun to des-
pair when one morning there came Il let
ter that revived his hopes. 1t was from
Policastro, and in the clear round hand
of the public lett.,r writer told him that
old Simone, fisherman, the father of his
sv eetheart,. Diodata, had at last. with
the girls help, got together $50 lire, and
that with this sum, the amount of her
dowry, all in gold. she would sail for
New York within the week to become
the wife of Giacomo.. She had been his
promised wife for two years.
One hundred and fifty lire! The dis
heartened man vanished, and in his place
behind the tishstand stood a Giacomo full
of hope aud catching glimpse OF the
dawn of a new and glorious commercial
career He would invest this capital in
his business, and by the richness Of his
display, put to shame every fshmonger
liz Mulberry Bend. The Calabrianl he
would lure with tho red snappeGs that
neither their eye nor palate could resist
with black whiskered periWinkles he
would captivate the Siciliani, and before
q leaning tower of Kills oysters, a tumu-
lus of Canarsie clans and a writhtng ex-
ihrbit of Gowanus Holsters he knew the
rapolitani must surrender. So elated was
lGiacomo that he went to the cafe of the
Good Appetite that very morning and
staggered Signor BOccabeila, the proprie-
itor by ordering a quart bottle of the
very best wine Of Ohio. To every one
present he gave a glass, and his guests
repaid his lavish hospitality by listening
attentively and without single bah,
while he bored them with an exultant
recital of his project for a golden future.
before another hour had gone by he was
making practical arrangements for the
investment of his capital, but-to his
shame he admits it-but to Diodata, the
promised wife, who was sailing over the
sea bearing the key that should unlock
ito him the door of success, he gave not
single tender thought.
.i31. When the Saale swung into her dock
at Hoboken Giacomo was on the wharf.
lAnong the Storage passengers who
crowded to the rail he caught sight Of a
face that he thought might be Diodata's
but he was not sure. She was seventeen
when he left Policastro. The image of
her that he carried away then was the
one still in his mind-the image Of pref.
ty bud, instead of a beautiful full-blown
rose A ships officer drove the herd Of
ksteerage folk from the rail before Gia.
/ como could catch the eye of the woman
he believed was his promised wife. but he
1o,l11u ner arterward at the barge ONCE
All about sher was the usual tumult that
the children Of Italy make for themselves
upon landing in the New World. Rela-
tives and friends were falling upon one
another's necks, kisses resounded all
data seemed to have some one to chatter
with or embrace. She sat on bench,
all alone, weeping.
..Diol&ta!',cr cried Giaearno.