The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-07

Colonel Ellery told the following
story today about Liborio Lomonte,
one of his trombone soloists:
'One day 1 was talking to Lomonte
and remarked to him that he must be
outside the yale of the church since
his name. contrary to the almost uni
versal custom in Italy, appeared to
nave no. connection with any saint in
the calendar Lomonte. however, de-
MED with some Indignation the accusa-
ton of being saintless, declaring that
Llborio had been a duly sanctiffed per
sonage even though he had fewer
halos than some of the saints with big
ger regulations. There are lots of
stories about the original Liborio, said
Lomonte, and then proceeded to tell
me this most diverting legend:
1t Is a well known fact that every
little town and village in Italy has its
patron saint who is supposed to stand
guard over its interests moral and
physical. Now. way down in Calabria
in the toe of the boot-shaoed italian
peninsula, there is little bit of a viii
Iage that claims Saint Liborio as it's
special property, and every year, as is
customary, the gentleman has his
1esta or holiday set aside for the ceIe-
oration of his virtues and glories The
worst OF 1t was that it never failed to
rain on Saint Liborio's day. and after
the citizens spent lots of money in
bringing bands into town: saving 1ID
their pennies for tinsel decorations and
networks. it always rained cats and
dogs causing the jubilee to break I'M
in confusion. After MANY wears If
these msfortunes. the citizens got to-
getner and appointed a special com
inlttee TO carry out the usual festivi-
ues, placing at the head of it the town
ollaf dcler, man of originality and
sense of humor Leave TiboTio n
me, said this worthy. 'TIt fix him and
II ne dont give US good weather. I'll
nn ..e him up in fine style
so everything was prepared for tho
great gay; On the preceding night a full
moon held sway in all her glory and great
rain-malx king saint was going to rba1 noe
ms tactics The sun rose all right on tRe
fsr als morning and people gathered from
an colors of bunting and tissue paper. dec
olatloHS. me paraders and bands were
t. ,,-1iS m the market place ready for
!ne procession, when. all at once seeming
~ WITHOUT any warning whatever threat
S, ling ciouas began to gather from all
tnIte-quarters of an hour and lust as the
procession was ready to start biE dronS
besI an co 10 Ia an and before two blocks had
t III covered the rain was coming down in
torrents and the holiday makers vere
scattering in all directions wei
NOW, as Is well known the rrirci,,sl
ieature OF these feastday parades in TtaIv
IS me statue of the patron saint carries
1Ii1ns upon the shoulders of select com
Ldoorlo's statue. unfortunately for him
va maze OF papier mache, beautifully
e4idCas anu II ndQ been the
custom IN former years to hustle the saint
on 10 ms IN niche in the village church as
soon as the raindrops began to descend
But this time the select conmitteeToaT1
We H one With the sense of humor, made M
us nina that he would get even with the
saint, SO instead of hustling him back r.
ehurch he lowered him quickly from The
sn9ulqers OF his brother committeeman
ano showed him under a water pipe which
Was pouring forth volumes Of dirty waite,
from the roofs of the adjacent buildings
Inai less thar half an hour the effigy wa.
Ieouced 10 shapeless pulp and was rim
nlng down the gutter tn pieces sine,
Ihat Gay saint Liborio has turned ove;' Z
NV leaf and now causes the sun to shin.
a fiesta for him. % " e1iiiN7'