Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-03-02
LoNpoN's ORGAN GRINDERS.
Upright Life and Abssemious Habits of
tho Genuine italian.

Upright Life and Abssemious Habits of
tho Genuine italian.
London's street musicians are, roughly
speaking. TO 10 divided into the fairly good
and the direly bad. or course, the organs.
aud those Of tho piano sorts. keep tho streets
very lively. Aud, rs In other countries, the
Italians form the colony Of organ grinders.
They travel In pairs. Sometimes 10 Is n man
and wife. Sometimes two men, as often
strangers rs relations Again, a father and
daughter These make up tho fraternity.
They save money. for their food consists Of
bread, chccse. maccaroni and bologna saus.
age, hence house expenditure Is low, exceed
ingly, IN the food line And their sleeping
apartments are cheap and wretchcd. After
few years they. many OF them, save enough
to return to Italy. there to spend tho balance
Of their days In semi-idleness. For Italy 10
tho earthly paradise toward which the eyes
Of the faithful turn ever longingly.
As rule, the London organ grinder does
not own his instrument. lie hires IL at 80
much per day. On Saffron hill, locality
described by Dickens. thero Is large manu-
factory for organs These are sold or hired.
as tho parties prefer. Singularly enough. tho
pcrambulating musicians rarely omit TO pay
their organ hire. They usually trundle tho
ponderous machine within tho hugo iron
gates on storage over night. and its hiro Is
promptly deposited with tho young lady In
charge. This young lady Is tho daughter Of
the most extensive maker Of street organs In
London, as he Is one OF the most extensive In
the world. She has been brilliantly edu.
Gated. or Italian birth, sho also speaks three
or four other tongues She can. In addition.
manage the several varieties Of Italian dia-
lccts She Is beautiful, shc Is graceful. she
is full Of tact. In her dealings with these
curious people sine manages always 20 pro.
serve their intense regard for her. And tho
Italians are much moved by their emotions
Their system Of bookkeeping, u Arcadian, is
certainly upright Tho money for tho organ
hire. II there nre two in business. Is divided
down TO oven an odd half penny each, and
grimy paid into the treasury presided over
by the beautiful Nineteenth century young
Pandora.
There Il ono organ which makes It's weekly
appearance in London which is In charge of
small family. There aro man and wife.
sister OF wife. little girl Of Z and baby. The
latter Is carried about in n rude sort Of PER
anibulaior. This Is n box cushioned and
fastened at tho hack OF the piano organ.
When 1t rams u small awning is stretched
above the bqx. When it shines the baby lies
there sleeping sometimes. often wi'lc awake,
staring In round eyed wonder at this great
world about IL, at the leaden skies or sunny
atmosphere, as happens Tho baby is often
carried 10y the mother, and again she rests
her wearied limbs on Some friendly doorstep,
nursing and grooming 10 her little one in "a
way tenderly peculiar TO mothers. whether
prcrcss or peasant. Compassionate house.
maids sometimes give the poor body n cup Of
tea and piece OF bread and butter. She looks
her thanks from her great, wistful eyes. and
says over all the broken English she has
command Of.
The I-year-old Is a bread winner. She
sings and dances, keeping herself In time and
tune with an odd pair Of wee castanets. And
how that child can sing. 10 bc sure! IL Is a
mystery where shc learned the scores OF
operate airs which tumble from her little
quiycring throst TO her lips. Tho wifc's sis.
ter helps by turns with the caro- Of tho baby,
aud also joins in duets with tho little girl,
scarce more than baby. When first
noticed the family tho wife was carrying the
present i-year-old as she carries tho current
baby. There was no sister. She came on
the scene evidently with the advent of the
present small member OF the family. She
ntN'hA W. Npiu W Auc -
the hest English linguist Of the party, and he
ndds strong flavor Of Italy to his talk.
They seem a coutented little party and have
many good friends. who delight TO listen to
their really excellent organ and the quaint
singing OF little Lucia, for her name is
operate, you see.
District Bible visitors in - Saffron hill
region, the vcritablc Italian lt ter OF Lon
don. say that AS n rule, these, Seoplc live
quiet, peaceful lives, aud those oil \ar. trou-
blcsomc who are half breed \ans and
English mixed. Such arc deckcd J in gor-
geous head handkerchicfs and hi W pop ear
rings. and are usually members of .iie lowest
type Of creatures who haunt the streets. But
the genuine Italian girls nrc virtuous and
simple. They have Catholic church In
their particular parish. Once II day an Sun
days sermon is preached IA their own Ian
euaSe SO they have no lack "f religious
training. Sundays being day of rest 10 the
organs the church masses ninl vcSicr> attract
crowds Of these poetic, ini!,asSioii,ri I'cople.
1t has long been show place To- l.oudon--
strangers as we'll Once month tier, Is a
high choral service at this continental old
church in which the WORKS ot great COM
poSers arc rendered ~ IA muet skilled manner.
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle