New-York tribune., 1903-07-12


Is within it's bounds, in East observation-disclosures
ffteenth-st., between First and Pleasant aVes.
Italians from all parts Of the city will march
into Little Italy" on the big days Of the festi-
val. headed by their bands and marching socie-
ties. all gayly caparisoned. Hundreds will come
In from nearby towns the day before the festival
begins. and remain several days afterward-
Tomorrow Little Italy" will begin to deco
rate and otherwise prepare to do the Lady of
Mount Carmel more honor than has ever come to
her before in New-York- Affairs will be erected
in several places. East One-hundred-and-
twelfth and neighboring streets will be spanned
with row after row of small cups of colored glass.
Filled with olive oil and provided with wicks,
these night lights" viii glow for hours and add
much to the beauty of the celebration. There is
further illumination on the tenement house
fronts, hand painted transparencies, candles and
oil cups being freely used. Italian and American
dags fly from every possible point Of vantage
and there is much green bunting in evidence
The street altars perhaps the most strik-
ing feature Of the festival They are built on
the sidewalk, usually where two big tenements
meet and rise forty or fifty feet. Generally
they are Of wood. enamelled or covered with
bunting. with some attempt at fancy carving
The top pieces most elaborate and follow
various designs, generally allowing for floral
decoration Within the shrine are relief fig
ures of the saints to be honored and in front
are shelves for the candles OF those who seek
her favor 1t is a poor shrine, indeed, that does
not cost $1,000, and sometimes they are much
more expensive
Shrines are erected in many OF the tenement
house windows. These are more simple, but an
extravaganza nevertheless, when one considers
the means Of those who erect them. the centre
piece of these private shrines is a plaster figure
Oft no 4
by candles. Poorer families have to be content
with 4 cheap transparency of the saint illulni-
mated with a single candle.
Marching in procession through the uptown
streets will begin early next Thursday morn
ing The curbs, the stoops and the lower land
ings Of the fire escapes will be packed with
happy people, dressed in their best and brightest
clothes Marching clubs of one sort and an
other. with banners flying and their brass
lands making end of noise. will lead the way.
AS they pass the heads of the families which
crowd the side lines will halt their favorite So
ciety long enough to pin few dollars in paper
money to the socety's banner. Before the
marchers have completed the round of the
quarter the banners of popular societies are
almost hidden behind these gifts. The money is
used to defray the expenses Of the celebration.
There are many women and children in the
proCession-pretty, dark eyed girls in white
dresses, and, if they are doing particular pen
ance, in bare feet perhap. expansive matrons,
with infants snuggled in their arms, trudging
along with the rest, and on every face smile.
In the night parades the women carry lighted
candles in their hands, and some have specially
constructed headpieces bearing anywhere from
dozen to fifty lighted candles.
The morning procession ends at the church in
One hundred and -ffteenth-st., where there is a
fine statue Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel This
shrine is decorated with jewel offerings to the
extent Of thousands of dollars. Rings, with
dash!ug diamonds. gold watches. earrings,
chains and bracelets are given up freely under
the spell OF excitement which the festival casts
Nearly every one brings candles for the priests
TO burn in her honor. Some OF these candles
are ten feet in height and so heavy that It takes
two men to carry them. The more expensive
ones are hand painted carved with figures OF
religious subjects. Decorated candles cost from
$5 to $400, the belief being that the more ex-
peIlsive the candle the greater favor viii the
saint return. During a celebration like this
several tons of candles will be left behind after
the serviceS-