The Arizona sentinel., 1889-01-12
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
4 Dealer Chats About the Latest Pads and
 Other Interesting Matters.

4 Dealer Chats About the Latest Pads and
 Other Interesting Matters.
 ''The latest fad in musical instru' ments that 1 know of, said a dealer, is the ocarina.
 ''It is not so young either, having been introduced over five years ago, nor has society taken it up to any ex- tent. It is a mere fake, introduced first by song and dance man proba- ply. It resembles a bagpipe without the reeds and is made of iron in all sizes. Each size is in a different key. It produces burlesque effects in ac- compartments.
 There are signs of a decrease in the popularity of the mandolin. The req son is plain, I think. It is a charming instrument, but only an artist can ex- tract its lovely effects. The young people who took it up found this out and many abandoned it in despair. The banjo is popular instrument yet in so- ciety. It can be learned by almost any body. How many thousands and thou sands of banjos were sold after society elevated the instrument into its parlors 1t is impossible to compute. Many people have profited by that freak of fashion. First the manufacturers, next the instructors. They sprang up in scores everywhere and reckoned their pupils by the hundred. The leather, wood and plush wOrkers-most elegant cases were ordered by young ladies for their beloved banjos-the jewellers the stems of costly instruments were frequently incrusted with stones-the tailors who made gowns for young ladies to wear at their banjo recep- tions, the florists who decorated their parlOrs on those occasions-all profited by the craze. A fancy of fashion when it is general let's loose money in differ ent directions.
 ''The number of young ladies who have taken up the violin seems to be increasing, though the devotees to it are changing. Some of the instructors have as high as forty pupils. The violin is the king of instruments. It is ladies' instrument, artists will tell you, and whispers to her touch more softly, delicately and tenderly than it responds to a man. provided she is mistress of it. Our experience teaches us that girls are more plucky than young men in facing the difficulties of learning the instrument, but that most of them give it up after they marry"
 ''How about the piano?"
 ''It retains its position at the head of nome instruments. Nothing ever will rival it. The sale of pianos is grow ing all the time. There is hardly a family who have an income that leaves a little surplus after their wants are provided for who do not possess a piano. Of course, the installment plan of payment and the enormous reduction in the price of instruments are ac- countable for this Almost any work CT can afford the five dollars a month that will buy really fine instrument.
 ''Do we meet with losses in the in- stallment business? Yes, but not often. The percentage of loss is small, taking into consideration the different classes of people WIG sell to. Most houses in the business take mortgage on the instrument, although there are some which sell on contract. Are attempts made to beat us? o, yes. But they are few. Occasionally a man or woman-yes, the latter as often as the former-moves a piano away, but we generally trace it. The most preten- tFous attempt to beat the houses that I | know of was made by woman. She | visited a number of firms, bought four teen pianos, made the first payment, and shipped the lot to Milwaukee. But one little error in her arrange ments gave our man a suspicion, and following it up he unraveled the scheme. It was easy enough to get the goods back. "-C Chicago Tribune.
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