The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-24
NEW YORK TOPICS.
CONTINUED From Page Eleven.)

The members of this Italian family,
with one exception, speak Engllsh
with almost no accent. They have a
general foreign appearance, but most
close observers even are puzzled 10
determine their nationality on snort
notice. They have Americanized
themselves in extremely short order,
and were 1t not for their under size
it would be pretty hard to tell the
numerous little Conternos-those OF
the third generation-from cnlloren
with long line of well-to- ra ana ura
purely American ancestors. They are
sent to school with almost enthusiast
tic regularity, they are kept very well
dressed. and, being ambitious puplls,
they stand very high in their classes.
They will undoubtedly be OF some
significance in New York few years
hence. when they shall have arrived at
manhood and womanhood.
There are many instances OF s1mi-
lar ambition among the New York
italians. and there is no sort OF DOUBT
that they are getting ready to play
noteworthy part as American cltlzens
Nv and Inv. The Conterno men to-day
are a political power in their district
ond their mower is growing steadily.
Their control over their fellow coun-
trvrnen is remarkable, and this ract is
shown admirably by the fact that SO
far the Italian laborers on the Ioun-
dations of the new Conterno spart-
ments have not struck as most OF their
compatriots have.
THE desire to remain in America in
stead of to return to Italy is growing
ranidly among the New York Italians,
and it's growth is accelerated every
time there is birth in any OF the
numerous italian quarters OF the
metropolis. For American porn
uo,,ngsters. in the vast majority of
cases no matter what their nation
aIitv have no desire to live elsewhere
tban under the Stars and Stripes. and
unless their parents desire to return
70 Furone before the children have
reached an age worth mentioning
the children remain even II the par
ents do go back.
In some of the public schoois the
Italian children form quite as dis
t,ncttve an element as the Jewish
children do in the majority OF the
lower East Side schools. But no.
where among the italian children Is
there any such persistence OF racial
nride as there is among the young
like the latter, however, the Ital-
ians are extremely eager to learn,
though DX no means 81 piObSANhN -
their hooks And although the ltal-
ians learn more easily to drop their
accent than the Hebrews of South
ern Europe, they are much slower TO
grasp the real meaning OF English
words. or to acquire facility in Eng
fish composition. Some of the Eng
lish attempts of the Italians are In
describably quaint in form, as are also
the ideas they strive to express.
One Of the quaintest examples or
English as she is wrote" came to
the attention of the writer of this let
ter only the other day. IT was received
by an American woman in Antwerp not
long ago. II reads:
Dear Mrs. --: ! Will call on you
another Gay after the great sprinkling
(house cleaning) that we are making,
too. I was sorry ! did not ind you
this afternoon, because ] should have
liked 10 speak you and 20 ask you
little service N Il doesn't trouble you
I'm any way think wen you shall
have received my letter Mr.. -- shall
have received another one with good
reference from a Gentleman called Mr..
Mcpherson. who was on Congo Com
pany. where he a. now, Lost his place
because the next s0n-in-law will take