The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-21
A STREET CORNETIST.
A MAN WHO MAKES A FAIR LV-
ING AT HIS VOCATION.

Thrown Ont OF Steady Employment and
Forced to DO the street Act "-Bits
of Experience-Class of Customcrs-The
Receipts.
What Brooklynite happening in the vicinity
of the city hall daily has failed to notice
tall, wcll-drcssed individual carrying a cornet
under his arm! If the observer be curious
and take the pains to watch the owner of the
cornet he will find that musician, for such he
Is, will take n position in Fulton street, be-
tween Adams street and Myrtle avenue, and
after many flourishes viii play the opening
notes of some popular melody of the day. y
reporter, in company with score of idlers,
listened to the street musician while he per-
formed selections from the "Mikado" and Ala
Traviata-" Tho impromptu concert was not
confined To- popular music, by any means.
When the cornctist had worked the block for
all it was worth he make his way to n neigh
boring saloon, where he was found by the re-
porter seated at table, quafling Il glass of
beer with apparent relish. He said:
TRYING THE STREET ACT"
1.-TWO years ago l was n member of u thea
ter orchestra in New York, but losing my
position and being Mt my wits ends to earn a
living, / concluded to try the street act
Docs it pay: Well, yes; although | suppose
n steady job would pay better. When IN an
orchestra received $50 per week, but i'll the
summer have made nearly twice that sum
in the same space OF time have just re-
turned from "a tour of the watering places.
InSaratoga passed two weeks, during which
L made sos. 1 put up at a cheap boarding
house and saved my money. At Long
Branch 1 didn't 10 50 well, but managed to
pay expenses. Street curnct playing is no
novelty, but yet many men seem to make
fair living at it"
Are all street musicians artists!'
"Not 10y any means. The larger part of
the violnists, harpistS and cornetists playing
in the street are 'hamfats.' But two street
coinctists whom l know ever played in or
chcstrgls. While / find Brooklynitcs very
generous l always make more money in
Wall street. For the past two months have
visited Wall, New and Broad streets almost
daily. Tho brokers having nothing TO do i'll
the summer congrcGate ON the sidewalks and
hail with delight tho coming OF the street
cornctist. Sometimes in Wall street have
played 10 an audience of 800 brokers and
hcir clerks Money: Wen, l should think
50. Last Friday l collected IS in twice that
number of minutes"
The thought that his musical qualities were
Mt least appreciated on that occasion made
the curnctist SMILE and he condcsccndingly
allowed the reporter 10 "sct 'em up again"
Exhibiting his brass cornct the street must
clan continued:
GIVES n BIGGER VOLUME.
Il had that instrument specially made for
me You see il is larger than the ordinary
cornet and gives a bigger volume of sound
1t is necessary to have such an instrument
for street PURPOSES The constant passing of
trucks lessons the sound of the lower notes of
the cornet. | seldom play anything of "a
classical nature unless requested to, although
l am perfectly competent TO do So Beside,
classical music isn't popular. l find That old
familiar songs and wnltzcS are better appry-
ciatcd Nancy Lee, " Home, Sweet Home,"
"Molly Darling" and similar compositions
never seem to tire the people In many of
the poorer districts my cornet IS enjoyed, |
can tell you. My customers are not con-
fined TO the wealthy. You smile when say
customers Probably you think don't have
such things. l know of two little children
living in Montague street who look forward
to my coming each week with a great deal of
pleasure. They save up their pennies for me
and | am always sure of quarter and
hearty welcome III that street, at least.
"Am married. Nes, and live in Brook
Ign. | support my wife and four children
nicely from the earnings gained by my cor
net. The life of n street musician Is an in
dependent one He can work when he
pleases. and is not restricted us 10 his terri
tory. When Brooklyn and the adjacent
cities become unproductivc, l propose to
move my family TO Chicago. / learn that
the west has not as yet been visited by street
cornetists. In rainy weather l stay home
and help my wife tend the babies. The liquor
stores arc great temptations to street must
clans. Many propr1etors of liquor stores
appreciate music, and seldom refuse to pat
ronize street musicians, but their apprccia-
ton shows itself in the shape of drinks and
cigars and not money If man X
rally inclined TO drink, he viii soon become a
drunkard, if he accepts every drink offered
linn. In winter don't make so much money
as in the summer, but manage To save enough
during the warm weather to help me bridge
over the cold. "-Brooklyn Eagle.