The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-10-02
Letter from Bost0n.
Correspondence of the Journal.

L6ttp1 from BOstOn.
Correspondence of the Journal.
Boston, Sept. 30 1873.
Perhaps no better illustration of the say
ing, ''one-half the world knows nothing
of how the other half lives,n could be
given than that which great city presents
in tinerant musicians, sidewalk merchants
and related callngs Their diversity is
something marvellous, and as much origi-
nality and inventive execution is displayed
by this open-air fraternity as is often found
in our proudest marblc-fronts, and their
enterprise is fully commensurate with
their talent, and the latter is not suffered
to pail by disuse
STREET MUSICIANS
These can hardly be called a business
class, but, on the contrary, generally be
considered mendicants: vet "a they have
usually no other avocation, and evidently
earn. as fan As hard work on their part
can do it. the money they pick up from
their pleased or distracted audiences, we
cannot justly put them on a level with the
importunate beings having no equivalent
to offer for the coveted scrip other than
story OF dire portent, enough Of itself to
prove that truth CD is stranger than fiction,
on perhaps a scared eyeball, u scalded
visage, a mutilated member, or some such
cumulative addendum to their drearv and
otten-t0ld tale. At the close of the war
soldiers, wanting an arm or leg, who had
taken To the hand organ rs Il means of
raising the Wlnd, and We're generously en-
d"Wed by paSsers-by, not in appreciation
of The musical entertainments. but in pity
of their crippled condition and in graft
tude for their services in the field. This
der the control of two or three Sleck-look
ing performers, with improbable uniform,
a cross between a ma or-generafS and a
powder monkeys, and these virtuosi man
aged fora few years to turn many an honest
penny. But they have disappeared ut last
and their field is worked by another variety
importation, a creation growing out of the
Franco-Prllssian war, and consists of dis
ablcd heroes. but, unlike our republican,
veterans, they spurn all mechanical labor,
and give only vocal music There We're,
until week or two back, two fine looking
French soldiers, each Of whom had lost an
arm at Sedan, who perambuIatcd the
streets, making them ring again with the
patriotic airs Of their native land, and their
stirring music. 50 tunrful and vigorous,
welded a plentiful harvest There has al
so been French singer in the dress of
sailor, but his voice was husky and his stay
short The other side of the European
| conflict is represented by German boy,
some sixteen years old, who is possessed
Of an e>qui>itely sweet and powerful tenor
,, voice, and who sings The Watch on the
Rhine and other melodies of the Father
land with telling effect. And who that
| has been in RuSton has not seen the little
old woman, the presiding genius OF the
| lillipnian organ which emits but uncertain
sounds and can be heard only when the
| utmost quiet prevails? More wrinkled
| than a calf's neck, and darker-s k inned
| than the mahogany of which the little
| hurdy-gurlv is made. there she sits, rain
OF shine occasionally changing her loca
| ton but with emusic wherever she goes"
| her lite "one dem'd horrid grind" Then
| AGAIN among our .'fNtureS' we must not
forget the two little girls, equipped with
ACCORDION and guitar, daily seen in the
| Vicinity of the Court llo.l-r The girls
| are neatly dressed, and show unmlstaken
| evidence of a mothers care, which indeed
| they have, and a mother who is a hard
not kindly to labor and the children are
| brought into reIuiSition to keep the pot
| :l-boiling Their music, heaven save the
mark is the worst thing about them. The
| elder child 'preSides' at the accordion.
| and the anguish she contrives to squeeze
| out of that instrument is simply wonder
| FIJI in one SO young. Her sister carries Il
| guitar and tim cup, the latter for contrbu-
| tons; her performances on the former are
| confined tn what is intended to pass for
| 'tuning;" for ear hath not heard a sound
| from this guitar after the performance has
+ commenced, though from the position in
which it is held and the pantomimic action
of the bearer. II deaf man might be en-
| tranced by the rapturouS melod it is sup
posed to cNude Not satisfied with the
| eNecrable accordion, they lift up their
voices in holrd d>cord, making a combi-
nation of agonieS A cornet-player made
his appearance one day recently, pouring
| through the mellow horn a few old Scotch
| and Irish tavoritcs but he was not APP
! preciated, and he has passed on to more
| genial climes. The conservative hand
| organ, the Simon pure. still lives, aS it ever
! will until time shall be no more but amid
| the many novelties Of these modern days
it is more neglected than formerly. TO
conclude, the street band, OF some eight or
ten pieces, has become a power i'll the
wandering minstrel line, and some of them
| discourse most elOIucntly.
| ITINERANT MERCHANTS.
| This profession embraces some seedy
specimens, il is true, but it also has among
| IFS members some pnterDrlSlnU and sue
cesstul spirits, men possessed OF abilities
fitting them for almost any walk in life
Peaslee, the prizecandy man, is carrying
on a large business, and though several
suits are pending against him for maintain
| ing y lottery, he continues to dispense
candy and dollars to large and eager
| crowds. He claim, his transactions are as
| legitimate As those of the brokers on State
l