The Washington times., 1938-11-14
NOON OVER MULBERRY STREET
Bv IzoLA FORESTER

IL Nlll llU 81 N''AlNt - vi =
window of her uncle'S five
story apartment house dowr
on Mulberry Street. It was the
feast of San Genaro in Little
Italy. Her dark young eyes
roved restlessly over the
pageant view.
All the way from Prince Stree
down the old Five Points section
the street was festooned with col
ored lights. The push carts alons
the curb were laden with fruit anC
figs and fancy cakes, each with its
gay orange flare of light. Girls
like herself we're dancing down ir
the middle of the street around the
hurdy gurdies to music of OLD
Italy.
The easements of open win.
dows as far as she could see were
lined with eager, Watchful faces of
women, too old to dance. They
were waiting for the high point in
the festival. the passing of the
saint through the streets. Among
them, she knew, would be her
aunt, Tant' Elena.
THE MISSES PEPPINO
The melody set her own slip
pered toes tapping on the floor,
but she had not heart to join
them, girls dancing with flowers
in the hair and laughter on their
lips and young arms swinging
them, not stout hairy arms like
Luigi's the banker.
Whenever she thought of Luigi,
and she had to think of him too
often now, there were always those
arms ready to clasp her, and his
big hands with their rings. one the
diamond which he assured her he
would place on her finger at their
marriage in November.
Marriage with Luigi in Novem-
ber. and already the air was full
of the intoxicating tang of autumn,
and the moon was almost at its
full over Mulberry Street. 'Sunta
shivered and drew her faded blue
silk shawl tighter about her Shout
derS.
It was the same deep sky blue
of the Virgins robe in the old
paintings. All it needed were gold
stars. 1t had come all the way
from Sicily in her small luggage,
but she loved to feel it about her
because she used to wear 1t when
she walked along the shore OF an
evening like this, with young
Peppino.
She had been in America for a
whole year and a half, and heads
turned admiringly to watch her
when she walked to work along the
street, because Luigi the banker
loved her, and had notified her
uncle and aunt that he was will
ing to make her his wife. LUCKY
girl said Mulberry Street, but
'Sunta always thought Of Pepplno
back home.
She had told them all that she
was betrothed when she arrived
and they had laughed at her. VINO
was this Peppino, her aunt had de-
manded? She was in New YORK
now, not Messina.
Before she knew it, she was hur-
ried off to work in the necktle FAC
tory. Day after day with only
four letters from Peppino in spite
of those she had written to him
begging him to earn money and
come for her quickly.
DISTURBING NEWS
At supper her aunt had read the
letter she had received that day
from her sister, 'Sunta'S mother,
and suddenly they had all caught
the hidden warning she had slip
ped into it, with other news OF the
family in italy.
1t was said that young Pepplno
Tolandino had left for America:
Uncle Berto had scoWled and told
'Sunta not to go with her cousins
into the streets. She was glad
to see it troubled them. They
would not believe her. Now, any
thing could happen.
'Sunta remembered once seeing
a woman with a strange curved
scar on her cheek, and asking what
it meant. 1t was the mark OF
faithlessnesS to her betrothal VOWS,
she had been told. She would not
mind so terribly if Peppino did
that to her. Perhaps it would
make her ugly and Luigi would
not marry her.
The hurdy gurdy was playing
Santa Lucia now, and she felt
the tears fall on her folded arms
When you saw Luigi sitting at
his big flat topped desk over in his
bank. you would never imagine he
could ever want 'Sunta for his
wife, she was such a slender, little
girl. He had had two wives al
ready, the girls told her, but Luigi
would say briefly to any criticism.
of his choice.
Il like my wives young and
simple minded. I don't like smart
girls"
He did not know that when
'Sunta lowered her lashes before
him, it was to hide their aversion
and sadness. She would never for.
get Peppino. When she knelt at
the altar, she knew she would say
goodbye to youth and lover for
ever.
And there was no question where
her duty lay. not with Uncle Bertc
owing Luigis bank money, and
her own mother owing Uncle Bertc
money and plenty of gratitude fol
the helm he had given to her fam