New-York tribune., 1906-07-29

Induction into the fascia, in which he spends the
rgt year or two OF his life The fasca is strip OF
cotton somewhat on the order OF rurklsn eO"el- ~
ling three or four yards In length and as many
snc9ea IN width If Is sometimes white but more
oFten mink or blue. lemon, with raised wnlLe
8eures and cunuingly interviewer IN the gooas WAN
IA NET names for the baby, "Bambino DAetOo'
sqaovnhsuo "a Mamma and on, which corFe-
o,5 70 ..F3abv Darling" and such pretty terms OF
.e16earnent known mothers the world over
TVhen the new little Ttelian-American citizen IS
"a ba etraDnsd yp he is laid his back on
large square OF white muslin. whscn is iOiue0 O'
orS fans FAR below his feet. Then the fascia is
~,ITf under his shoulders and wound round ana
round him When II reaches his feet the musnh
81 s1lded hack over the latter. the fascla passed
over il ana snugly tied by the strings at eirher
end when this IS accomplished in orthodox fash
so0 4he poor mites arms and legs are strapped
sugnovably down. No American baby would stand
a. .or q minute but the Italian bambno endures II
with q mute, uncanny patience which Is stuDefylng
10 an American onlOokeT.
n ytaIz, everv baby. even 20 the child OF the
rZtnp IS rolled llp thus Just the Indian mother
coils I'D her pappoose: though the bamblno is not
hung on a tree out OF harms way, ike the pap
moose In Italy the bambinos arms are usually
freed at end OF i've or six months but MS poor
siftle legs remain seQuestered Cor year OF year
and a half.
But in this country che fascia Is gradually going
the way OF all Odd country customs even IN con-
sservative Mulberry street. The babys arms are
seldom bound now except by newcomers ana his
legs are freed ln nine months or sooner. Stin the
bright band survives, quaint hst Of local color
down Mulberry way Il Is noS 70 be foana gen
srally in the stores. but comes by way OF private
importation, pedler merchant. or perhaps some
housewife with an eye TO business writing TO some
friend in italy 20 send out dozen or so at time
Italian mothers generally would rather have boys
than girls; ana sometimes they pray 20 the Ma
donna and burn candles at her shrine In supphca-
ton for a boy. But this is only because life Is
hard and a boy can win more easily. When Che
girls they 5ust as much loved as the Boys
GIRLS AS WELCOME AS BOYS HERE
"7The man does not suffer as much as the
woman" says the Italian mother patiently. But
st is to be remarked that IN this country where
girls have earning capacity often equal TO that
OF the boys IN the lower grades OF factory ana
sweatshop labor, the extreme desire FOR boys found
among the lower class mothers In italy dies out.
But, boy girl, Italian parents love their chill
dren very much. and not only theirs, but others.
No reasonably decent italian is guilty OF physical
brutality to his children, although constrained by
grinding poverty or the peasant thrift engendered
by generations OF such poverty he puts them to
work at as early an age possible. The New
York Founding Asylum. conducted by Sisters OF
Charity has for years followed the custom OF giv
1ng babies for the first year Of their lives into the
care OF Italian mothers who have lost their own
snfants This employment Is sought most eagerly,
for It IS worth $40 month. and SO pays the rent
uL Elney are aNays goo9 ana klIlG To- % tns MsIe
when she must give up the foster child
life is the christening. IN Italy this occurs within
twenty:fonr hours, but IN this also the immigrant
ooned for months Eventually however the baby
the godother holds the blessed candle at the altar
Godparents Importance among. Italians
that is unknown among Americans. They are re-
gaFded through life as second parents. The father
enough fTiendS and FeIatiyes to iii two or three
coaches. But the mother usually stays at homo TO
welcome the guests their for it is always
festive occasion Sunday is the christening day,
and the peopie. being free from work crowd the
little tenement rooms. Ice cream and brilliantly
frosted cakes from the con6ectioners windows are
.n evidence, though, generally speaking, sweets
never appear upon an Italian table TRe italian
6 i car, possibly be Afforded; II not the humber
Perhaps a eddie mandolin or guitar, perhaps only
the plehean accordion. but some instrument will
can impart TO Italian gathering. They sing the
nttle canzonl oI Rome or sicily or Naples, IN AZ
masculine soul is moved TO the improvisation so
which IS forgotten on these prosaio shores.
s @ 9SePe eSs a the fes World I ef rect IS 50 c pTe
ny S6 GTo Bor Sy 81 tbs ge{g n9gether ana tax
no RACE SUICIDE.
But tbs christening is hardly over when the storlz
Brings another little one. Nine, ten, eleven. even
twelve and fourteen children to be found TO
The family In the Italian quarters OF American
cities One IN Baxter street has had sixteen
children OF whom twelve arc alive; some Of them
married. some stiu running at her heels. visit
ang nurse sent 20 investigate the circumstances
OF young man threatened with consumption, who
11ighed her with blanks for recording the crcIlTo-
stances OF the family on which were nine spaces
3or placing the and ages OF the various
children in the family. The visitor wrote in space
another and wrote steadily until that too, was
alled- Eighteen cbildreni When the nurses report
snendations: THAT the sick boy be sent to italy.
end that the mother be recommended TO President
Under such circumstances the baby's migration
Of older brothers or sisters. As soon as he can
toddle ne goes upon his own feet. As a result In
the Italian. as u all the poorer quarters. many
and injuries IN the crowded life OF the
1ong lights OF tenement stairs. dsFegarded even
unknown at the time. develop later into eforTnity
Tie Italian child OF the quarter is always being
70 get him into school at an earlier age than the
Jaw permits; and. again. some says lle' to
Jag allows Wages simply win not go around
80 ne ny y ,b 199n6hs n ana pairs Of feet ap6
ineostz1a4 word before he has fairly had time 20
Forget nov. nov his a little .PaRoose band felt.
n the tenements that permits the utilization Of
ses1n even at the age OF seven. and very often at
5e: % aea 1oTn me bindings at the knees Of boys
tloweTs BY attaching the stems 10 the blossoms
10 the artificial SWer factories to or3 ~ sn se r. GO
favoTite trade With them, and Italian girls never
home over night Italian girls watched over
and chaDerened u extent that does not prevail
i IS for this reason that the Italian Immigrant is
never a factor in the domestic service problem.
CHILDREN AS WAGE FARMERS.
Now and then Mulberry street one sees a boy
or girl sitting beside basket or washtub fun of
leaves. These the little green sellers. Their
fathers or mothers or more often the old grand
mothers go among the Jersey or Long Island
fields and pick dandelions chicxweed or buy
children sell them on the street Italians eat
greens ell the year around and consume for this
Many Of the boys are bootblacks. They do not
han frrrO lTnE Gt1fV and