The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-08

IlS1DfQSNNAXH rate MS Snop ON Colum-
IlQ\NXsI@@ah bus Day.
lMSSS1cSN@A He stitched shoes, but
lWAsNAYbXH he was keenly aware
I$Q1VSSA2UmIN that the rest of Grand
10y Avenue, from the
GAINESVILLE bridge to St.
Johns Street, had lowered into bunting.
The apothecary's at the corner, generously
styled Farmacia Italiani, was swathed in red,
white and green; SO were JewsH's and
Marescas and Aaron's and Miserendino's,
while Salvestri, "tonsorial artist" had two
little banners and wreath of paper roses.
In this riot of color the dull red brick of
st. Patricks, grimy with railroad smoke,
orbore to wear a garland, as did the fat
sheep, smoky and undecorated, that re-
clined on the steps Of the sanctuary. Both
seemed to keep in countenance Salvatore
dingy little basement shop, with its black
and yellow sign, Salvador Masserino, First
Class Shine Five Cents, and its seven broken
stone steps to the sidewalk. The area is so
abrupt that only the upper half of the cob
bler's window is above ground, and Saliva
tor, at his rk-bench, sees nothing but a
long procession of feet, of all sizes, kinds and
ages, passing and repassing from morning
until evening, from evening until morning.
On Columbus Day there were many,
many feet, but he continued to stitch, al
though he saw the scene outside with the
eyes Of his spirit. He knew all the little,
black-browed dago children, infant bandits,
that sprawl on the dirty pavements; he knew
the long rows of -blackened houses,
the jubilant banners, the wreaths of paper
flowers on the market stands, the gold let
tered liquor shops, the motion picture mills
doing business with the Messina earth
quake at FIVE cents head. He knew the
long lines Of smutted wash on pulleys, and
the celery and pepper plants that flourish
exceedingly in tomato cans on the upper
sheds and window-sills of Little Italy. He
could smell the aroma of roasting peanuts,
mlngllng with other odors more varied and
vastly more poignant He could hear the
poyglot jabber of the good American citi-
zens on the street, for here the Tower Of
Babel was undoubtedly upset and its con-
tents spilled. But Salvador was deeply dis
Outraged; the dream of his heart-like the
dreams OF other hearts was long deferred,
and ne waxed his thread with vicious
witch. His window was darkened by a
tlhrong OF pedal extremities like cloud
burst of locusts. The Italian band was
struttlng past behind its gay drum-major,
the street blazed with red and green and
aashes of royal purple; it was vivid with
orass buttons and bright cockades. Then
!ne blare of martial music sank tunefully
INTO distance, the feet in quick accompany
ing occasional, and Salvador stretched his
arms over his head and yawned.
Madonna" he murmured, "a fine day
% 90 to Savin Rock in an automobile
TIC was little brown man, Sicilian,
with face like dried raisin and black
oeadhke eyes, and he had never been in an
automobile in his whole life.
4 new pair of feet crossing the upper sash,
uescended the steps and Salvador threaded
ING needle in his machine. Beppo Franzone
safried his old shoes folded carefully in the
nan sheet of last nights paper. Beppo was
frugal with his newspapers, for he frequently
uolled ns coffee over them. He was rich, he
owned tenement with leaky roof and
water IN the cellar, but he was Familiarity
An NO ", on the Bowery as tight wad.'
Flne day, Salvador" said the magnate.
.9b replied the Worm sullenly.
will pay only fifteen cents this time for
my heels, he said, dictatorially, and mind
you hammer down the nails inside.
ne price, smooth, is twenty-five cents. :"
tie was charging up FIVE cents for the con-
ascension. Thus do we sometimes achieve
oloodless satisfaction. To condescend is
sometlmes to tread on the rattlcr's tail.
j. It's usury!" grumbled Beppo. you all
sn,nk me rich, you all rob me. cant even
=. my rents. Behold me. pluckcd Ike a
Soose There, but now, is that little
aussy, Ziola Marcsca, she's paid no rent for
s sl,ee weeks, not ccaNsi'no, and | see her
,solioM,lng the band with new yellow
a:ah,dkerchief on her head She pays to-
i al, or she goes ZIP Salvador pushed a
,saln ne strap slowly under the machine
aseole. Iiola was promised to Leo Bcr-
1su'sfdo, hasn't he sent for her yet? +"
~ .= 49,. r..
sSssss-sy .-ss.iis.s. Ian.