The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-03-27
Tie Organ Grinder and Monkey at Home

. The Organ Grindcr and Monkey at Home
The ladies', who, amused at his capers, occa
sionally give the monkey of the organ. grinder
cake, the little boys, who hand him u cen
for his master, the gentleman, who with keeI
sense OF the ludicrous, has stopped to observe
the pecuiarites of that singular individual
the organ-grinder, and the phiz and capers Of
the monkey, that animal who is endowed with
the most wonderful faculty of comical contor-
tons Of the face, yet has not the faculty OF
laughing-all these will be curious to know
whether they have local habitation at all, and
how they dwell together in it. The New York
Journal of Commerce gives US the following
chapter on the subject:
With the return of warm weather, horde
OF monkeys and organ grinders are annually
let loose upon our citizens. We have often
wondered where they came from, and whittier
they went. Their place of rendezvous we
have at length discovered. A lofty building
in Grunge street, evidently designed by The
builder as the abode OF comfort and elegance,
has been for some period in the complete oc
cupancy OF these creatures. The threshold
crossed, the organs of scent, sight and hear
ing-the tunes, the filth, the screeches-leaye
no doubt of the character Of the place. Each
apartment forms the abode of both men and
monkeys; and it would require no great stretch
OF imagination in the visitor, to suppose some
OF the inmates representatives of those interior
African tribes, who are said to possess tails
In the lower ROOMS, JACKIE was generally re.
stricted in his perambulations by short chain
but IN the attic and upper apartments, where
the monkey tribe greatly predominated over
the genas homo, the animals occupied boxes
about foot square, having apertures for vent-
lation, and TO admit food, and were bereft of
companionship. In other cases, the monkeys
are made to occupy small closets, parttioned
Oh INTO small compartments In one room
mus occupied, in part, were three bedsteads,
overspread with tattered aud filthy quilts,
wherein slept, at night. six or nine individuals,
OF both sexes. Adjoining, was an apartment
where, among swinging cobwebs and the sooty
accumulaiions of decade OF years, was to be
seen the whole apparatus of street music
managers, monkeys, and organs-for the wea-
Their was unpropitious for the prosecution OF
the fine arts. Our sudden entrance taking
them by surprise. group of men around ta-
bic pushed from sight the cards with which
they were playing, and cunously eyed the
visitors. One of them then proceeded to show
off avorite monkey, which he said was
worth stree huntred tollar." The ordinary
price ranges from $40 to $50. Close by the
card-psayers, an aged couple, with haggard
visages, were gracelessly stretched ont, faces
upward, over a heap of hand organs and boxes
heavily slumbering.
During the interview which ensued, various
information was ELECTED The receipts of Or
gan-players are now small compared with
former years, on account OF the great compe,i-
ton in the business; but il is not unusual for
these warrants to make dollar or even 81 so
aday. The monkeys are imported, but their
constitutions are unable to bear up under the
rigors of winter in these high iaiitudes, and
they ere obliged TO spendt he most inclemenl
part of the season in the Southern States
There are at present but few monkeys in the
city. in consequence of this temporary all
seace. The cold weather has the effect 10
induce rheumatic pains, cramp in the stomach,
eiaFrhea, &C., attended with loss of Hesh.-
The city does not hold out so great induce.
ments 10 itineraLt organists as the country
the former being fur less liberal in its parfon-
age. 'N'o"
honkeys are not at oil fastidious as IN the
nature OF their food. The hand.organs are
generally owned by TIE performers, and are
manufactured abroad. There are ins,sp noes in
.hen tnsy are the property Of some eani,alist
nc'uaen ~ the fraternity who hires Them ~,
of certain percentage OF the nro;ss Taa
performers are chiefly FROM ItaIy: ana ,ho,s,,
N the instance here referred 10 living snss,h,
g ~ considerable numbers, associate ralhsr