Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-04-07
MONKEYS AND ORGAN GRINDERS.

often wondered where they came from anu
whittier they went. Their place Of rendez-
vous we have at length discovered. A lof-
ty building in Orange street, evidently de-
signed by the builder as the abode of COM
fort and elegance, has been for some period
in the complete occupancy of these crea-
lures. The threshold crossed, the organs OF
scent, sight and hearng-the fumes, the
filth, the screeches-leave 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 I'M.
agination in the visitor to suppose some OF
the inmates representatives of those interi-
or African tribes who are said to possess
tails. In the lower rooms, Jacko Is gene
rally restricted IN his perambulations by a
short claim but IN the attic and upper a.
partments, where the monkey tribe greatly
predominated over the genus homo. the AMI
mails occupied boxes about foot square,
having apertures for ventilation, and to
admit food, and were berett of companion
ship. In other cases,th the monkeys are made
to occupy small closets, partitioned Oft IN
to small compartments.
In one room thus occupied, in part, were
three bedsteads, overspread with tattered
and filthy quilts. whereon slept. at night,
six or nine individuals, of both sexes. Ad-
Joining, was an apartment where, among
swinging cobwebs and the sooty accumula-
tions of decade of years, was to be seen
the whole apparatus of street muSic-man-
ayers, monkeys and organs-for the wealth
er was unpropitious for the prosecution OF
the fine arts. Our sudden entrance taking
them by surprise. group of men around a
table pushed from sight the cards with
which they were playing, and curiously ey-
ed the visitors. One of them then pro-
ceeded to show off favorite monkey, which
he said was worth "three huntred tollar."
The ordinary prince ranges from $40 10
$50. Close by the card-players, an aged
couple, with haggard visages we're graceless-
ly stretched out, faces upward, over heap of
hand organs and boxes-heavily slumber-
ing.
During the interview which ensued, va
rious information was elected. The receipts
of organ-players are now small compared
with former years, on account OF the great
competition in the business but it is not
unusual for these vagrants to make dollar
or even $3.50 day. The monkeys are
imported but their constitutions are unable
to bear up under the rigors of winter in
these high latitudes, and they are obliged
to spend the most inclement part Of the
season in the Southern States. There are
at present but few monkeys in the city, in
consequence of this temporary ABSENCE
The cold weather has the effect to induce
rheumatic pains, cramps in the stomach,
diarrhea, &C.. attended with loss OF flesh.
The city does not hold out so great induce
ments to itinerant organists as the country
the former being far less liberal in its pat
ronage.
Monkeys are not at all fastideous as to
the nature of their food. The hand-organs
are generally owned by the performers, ,and
are manufactured abroad. There are in
stances in which they are the property OF
some capitalist included in the fraternity,
who hires them out for certain per cent
age of the profits. The performers are
chiefly from Italy; and though, in the IN
stance here referred 10, living together in
considerable numbers, associated rather
from instinct than interest. As the monkey
musical season will recur with the COM
mencement of warm weather and the con-
scquent return of the monkeys from their
Southern tour, the pecuniary result is look
ed forward TO with no ordinary interest.--.N.
Y Journal Of Com.
CoRK'-Many persons see corks used
daily without knowing from whence come
those useful materials. Corks are cut from
large slabs Of the cork tree, a species of
oak, which grows wild in the Southern coun-
tries in Europe. The tree is stripped of its
bark at about sixteen years old but before
stripping it off, the tree is not cut down as
in the case of the oak. 1t is taken while
the tree is growing, and the operation may
be repeated every eight or nine years the
quality Of the bark continuing each time to
improve as the age of the tree increases.-
When the bark is taken of, it is singed in
the fans OF strong fire, and after being
soaked for a considerable time in water, it
is placed under heavy weights IN order TO
to render it straight. It's extreme lightness,
the ease with which it can be compressed,
and its elasticity are properties so peculiar
to this substance, that no efficient substitute
for it has been discovered. The valuable
properties of cork were known to the Greeks
and Romans, who erployed it for all the
purposes for which it is used at present,
with the exception of stopples. The anci-
ents mostly used cement for stopping the
mouths of tottles of vessels. The Eggs
tians are said to have made cofins of cork,
which being spread on the inside with re-
sinous substance, preserved dead bodies
from decay. In modern times cork was
not generally used for stopples to bottles
till about the seventeenth century, cement
being used until then fol that purpose
MONUMENTS TO WITcHEs.-In the Leg
islature of Massachusetts on Mondays "a pc
tition was presented, praying that the State
would hunt up the places, in the towns of
Danvers and Salem, in Massachusetts,,
where, in the olden times, persons were
buried after being hung as witches or wiz
ards, and that monuments be erected over
their graves This record of what was done
in o'den times, is due alike to those who
suffered, as to show the spirit which NOV
ed those who inflicted the punishment
The petition says:
Your petitioner believes there should be,
if it can be constitutionally done, good
monument erected, with the names inscrib-
ed thereon, of persons who were hung for
witches or wizards, at the so-called Salem
witchcraft time, so that they may in future
be considered as martyrs. And, truly they
were the best of Gods People, who had
rather diethanli lie. For if they had said they