The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-29

and the Dult6 WClb HIOuDou kuulb VI
italians, Young and old. playing at their
national game OF mOr0-a simple game enough,
as the reader is perhaps aware; sort OF comoi-
nation OF the English boys games OF "ouck
buckD and 'todds and evens, +" the seated players
watching the upraised hands Of buck" and In |
their turn anticipating the number OF fingers |
"buckn intends displaying oy tne ume nus
rapidly descending fists reach the taDie-top. III |
fbe hands of these Italians, however, 1t was |
terrible game. With flashing eye anu dis
hevelled hair the callers, too eager TO keep their
seats half rose and leant over the table, roar |
ing out their guesses, wp tnStr S,l ces+ oaaSS
of The men, the hieh-pitched clamor of
the lads, the laughter OF the lucky
puessers, and the disappointed gfoWls OF the
unluCky ones, blending TO make scene most
bedlamitish 1t seemed conflict for blood
rather than for beer. Nevertheless, they were
a Jolly, goodJempered crew enough; and as the
games came to an end there were at least malt
a.dozen games in progress at the various tables),
they came jovially to the bar and drank their
liquor, with much joking and friendly shoulder
slapping. They paid down their losings, too,
with the air of fellows who had spare sixpences
to spend; indeed, they seemed to be so flush Of
money that we began to doubt If they could
possibly be men who mucked up day searnings
a hallpenny at time by grinding at an organ,
ard took opportunity to ask the waiter (the
poor wretch, probably, who afterwards was so
nearly fatally stabbed in the stomach) if such
we've the case.
of iem are picture-frame makers, and image
coves They are about half organ men,
"They seem to spend their money pretty
ireely.n
What, the organ menW
''Organ men, ah A pence tells up, don't
yer know. They picks up jolly sight more
than me and you, as works hard for our livin'."
There was nothing in the dress OF the moro
play ers to distinguish the organ grinder from
his friend the ''image cove.n All were dressed
alike-and very well dressed. after style.
More than anything they looked like body of
seafaring men-foreign sailors, recently paid of,
Their long blue jackets we're those OF holiday
dressed sailors, as were their black satin waist.
coats, their navy" caps, their pumps and their
earrings, and their abundance of silver watch
guard. Moreover, most OF them wore bright
eolored worsted comforters, as do foreign sailors
invariably when dressed in their best and ashore.
Altogether their appearance was such as to
entirely change ones views concerning the beg
carly trade of organ-grinding.
Meanwhile our friends carouse, and the moro
| players cluster thicker about the tables and
butts, and the din becomes such that the tall
| and muscular landlord has to hold his hand to
| his ear that he may catch the orders of his GUS
| toners. Suddenly. however, q sound of music
| is heard, and instantly there is commOtion
amongst the play yers, and all but those who are
| In the middle of game hurry towards door
| at the end of passage beside the bar. Joining
| the throng we too approach the door and enter
the room 1t opens into.
1t is that to which the organ builder recon-
mended us, 'it we must dance" Is is aspacious
| room, with BARE dirty walls, and scant of furni-
ture as the casual ward of workhouse There
| is only one large table in the place, and atop
of that is mounted Woodworking grinder, in
his everyday clothes, with his organ at his side,
and laboring at the handle of it as stolidly, and
with the same business air, as though he were
standing in the gutter in the Edgeware road.
Amongst the throng that crowd the room he
must recognize many friends-relatives, per-
haps-but he looks as unconcerned as a soldier
on duty in a barrack yard. Perhaps he would
| not get so many halfpence if he affected to
| regard his services as merely friendly,
As it is he does not fare badly. Between each
| polka and waltz he makes significant pause,
and the dancers fee him. There are female
| dancers as well as male; and, strangely
enough, the females are not one of them
Italian, They are chiefly English and Irish
| girls, working in the neighborhood as looking
| glass frame polishers. We were informed by
| Italians never bring their countrywomen with
them to the dancingroom. Perhaps this may
be accounted for on economical grounds; did
they bring their countrywomen with them,
they would naturally expect to be treated with
some degree of generosity whereas the
| grinders treatment OF his English or Irish
partner was as shabby as can we'll be imagined,
her only reward being pull at the pewter pot
out of which he himself regaled, True, he did
not ask much of her; indeed, his contract
with her could scarcely be said to amount to q
partnership, the dance being managed in this
strange fashion:- -Jacko and Antonio make u[
their minds for dance, and select each
damsel; but Jacko and Antonio dance together
and the two damsels dance together alongside
Jacko and friend. When the dance is over
JaCko orders four pen'north of beer, and tht
four divide it amongst them. rL
''Stingy beggars, ar'n't they 7" whispered the
damsel who had given us the bit of information
| concerning the organ mans peculiar method o
| dancing; thinks as much of a shilling a
another man would OF five. 1t amt as though
| it was every night" f|.
''They don't come here every night in tn
weekW .T-
"Bless you, no few on Mondays sometimes
| but nothing to speak of. Saturday night is thei
tlme-their time out, | mean: Sunday is thei
! time at home. .
''Their time for what ?-not dancing?" I
dancing, mol no room for dancing, will
twelve or fourteen of 'em in a bit of a bac
| parlor. Drinking and cards and dominoes
that's what they getup to. Let 'em alone; the,
can come out strong enough enough amongs
their own set. Plenty to eat and drink, plent
| of rum, plenty of everything" e 1N.
81 shouldn't have thought that they earned
| sufficient money to indulge in such luxuries y
'They don't earn 1t all: see what their wive
earn at aruhciaifoWer making and cigar
making"
'Then they have pretty comfortable homes ?,
"Well, comfortable as they look at it, yo,
| see, they are people of such strange ways al
for Clubbing They club together to pay th
| rent of room; to buy joint of meat; for thei
beer, for their tobacco, for everything; eatlnl
and drinking and smoking together, q who'll
| houseful of 'em, Just as though they were al
brothers and sisters. Plenty OF everything, yoI
know, but such hugger-mugger.n :
| The young woman spoke as one that knew
| and 1t was very much to our annoyance that
just at this moment, Jacko once more advance
| towards her, and invited her 70 stand mn anC
earn another drink of bad beer; and so we los
| sight of her. W w
We had CLEANED enough one way and another
| however. 41c hot