The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-02-04
THE
som ethIne InterestinG Abou th'
"~svvartny Organ Men,"

Something In~tersstins Abeu ire
"svvarthy OrRan Men,"
James Greenwood, the too celob, lted
"casual" OF the Pail Mall Gazette, relates
much u%nction, THE Private Life Of a Pub-
lilo Nuisance e. the domestic habits of
the representative organ-grinder: and
Georgia Augustus Sala, the most thorough
ly-travelled literary man in the world. he's
pictured him in his native Bohemia, where
comic lining is Art, and Literature is
journalism and the stage.
London, probably, is the greatest organ.
grinding centre in the world. At seven in
the morning you may sec the grinders in
droves trudging over the bridges toward
the southern half of the metropolis, organ
ON back, aud monkey OF arm, prepared TO
Law strategic siege TO the housewives of
Oamberwell and the park. But in New
York there Is 10 such army.
At daybreak, you will see the grinders
leave their homes in Baxter street, and de-
part on their several ways. They have reg.
ular beats or divisions apportioned to
them by their employers, or amicably set
tied among themselves. For the honor of
the profession, be il said, that instances are
not known where orean.grinders interfere
with each other in their peculiar districts,
although they frequently meet with oppose
ton from members Of other musical pro-
f%essions. For instance, in q very quiet
neighborhood in which the writer has the
honor to live, ten o'clock is marked by the
appearance Of three Italians with harp,
violin and picolo; eleven, by the sudden
appearance Of r grinder; twelve, by that of
a full German band; one, by the singing Of
a woman to the cheerful strains of the
tambouripe, and three, by a native of
Hindostan, who dances all over the street,
and beats the tom.tom with fendish monOt-
ony.
The earnings of grinders are ridiculously
under and over-estimated. OnC would
suppose, upon the ono hand, that the
swarthy Italian, who bows so submissively
10 the child who hands him a few pennies,
never expected to see more money at one
time rs long as he lived; and on the other
hand, to see the grinders at night, spend
ing their money libetnlly, and playing cards
for considerable stakes, is to be convinced
that they make a pretty decent livelihood
by their prOfes sion. The truth lies be-
tween the two extremes. The orgnn-grind-
or who is not absolutely ugly, and carries
a monkey, can depend upon an average
income Of from three to FIVE dollars a day;
without the monkey be can only hope
to receive two. There is an organ-
grinder living in Baxter street, who has
been fortunate enough to procure a black
bear, which he has taught to execute va
rious TO the sound of music. -
This mans receipts mp town have been
known 10 range as high as ten dollars n
day, ont of which stipend he has TO pay
the salary of akeeper, who follows his or
gan, conducting the bear by an iron chain.
But this Is an exceptional case. Another
instance Of high earni ga IL that Of the
organ grinder who carries with him a small
troupe of white mice. These little ami
mails are so especially pleasing 70 children
and from children the organ grinder Feaps
his richest harvest.
Without such adventitious circumstances
as bears and white mice, however, the or
gan grinders existence 10 !c the high
est degree precarious, unless no IS
fortunate enough to travel with q
handsome Italian girl furnished with a
tambourine. In that case, his earnings are
considerably more tina those OF his con-
freres with their bear and mice, although
not so legitimate. The girl makes il her
business TO 20 into billiard and liquor sa-
looms, and thrust her tambourine under
every mans nose, and of course by this
means she compels contributions. 1t IS in.
directly, at all events, an immoral proceed
ing, and one of the few sins for which the
organ grinder has to answer beyond the
ever present one Of disturbing the rest and
shattering the nerves Of delicate persons.
Often, the woman is the wife of the man,
and in these cases it requires no Augment
to show hat the immortality is deeper than
when she has only a co-laborer.
The cost Of living OF tho maternity is not
expensive rs 10 themselves, but decidedly
costly as TO their monkeys, There is in
Baxter street a regular monkeys boarding
house, at which the members of tho mi
metic species are boarded aud lodged for
two dollars a week. II Is easy to see, there
fore, that there is a wide margin for profits.
Are organ-grinders q nuisance? Well,
that depends. In many cases they arr, but
we have seen in some poor neighbOrhoods
troops of little children, hand-in-h0nd,
dancing ioyously round the swarthy organ.
man, who in turn mods smilingly to them,
and in such a case one 10 APP to condone
the annoyance he causes persons of more
advantage.