Milford chronicle., 1889-01-11
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y.arties prefer Singrlarly enough, the
perambulating musicians rarely omit to pay
their organ hire. They usually trundle the
ponderous machine within the huge iron
gates on storage over night and its hiro Is
promptly deposited with the young lady In
charge. This young lady is the 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. OF Italian birth, she also speaks three
or four other tongues She can, In addition,
manage the several varieties of Italian dia-
leets. She is beautiful, che Is graceful, she
! is full Of tact. In her dealings with these
curious people she manages always TO pre-
serve their intense regard for her. And the
Italians are much moved by their emotions
Their system Of bookkeeping, if Arcadian, is
certainly upright The money for the organ
hire, if there are two in business, is divided
down to even an odd half penny each, and
grimly paid into the treasury presided over
by the beautiful Nineteenth century young
Pandora.
There is one organ which makes its weekly
appearance in London which is in charge Of
a small family. There are man and wife,
sister Of wife, little girl Of and baby. The
latter is carried about in a rude sort Of per-
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fastened at the back Of the piano organ.
When it rains a small awning is stretched
above the box. When it shines the baby lies
there sleeping sometimes, often wide awake,
staring in round eyed wonder at this great
world about it, at the leaden skies or sunny
atmosphere, as happens. The baby is often
carried by the mother, and again she rests
her wearied limbs on some friendly doorstep,
nursing and grooming to her little one in a
way tenderly peculiar to mothers whether
peeress or peasant. Compassionate house
maids sometimes give the poor body a 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 4-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, to be surel It is a
mystery where she learned the scores Of
operatic airs which tumble from her little
quiyering throSt 10 her lips. The wifes sis
ter helps by turns with the care Of the baby,
and also joins in duets with the little girl,
scarce more than a baby. When first
noticed the family tho wife was carrying the
present 4-year-old as she carries tho current
baby. There was no sister, She came on !
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present small member of the family. She |
can speak no word of English The father is |
the best English linguist Of the party, and he |
adds strong flavor Of Italy to his talk. |
They seem a contented 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
operatic, you see.
District Bible visitors In the Saffron hill |
region, the veritable Italian quarter Of Lon
don, say that as a rule, these people live
quiet, peaceful lives, and those only are trou-
blesome who are half breed Italians and
English mixed. Such are decked out in gor.
geous head handkerchiefs and big hoop ear.
rings, and are usually members of the lowest
type Of creatures who haunt the streets. But
tho genuine Italian girls are virtuous and
simple. They have a Catholic church in
their particular parish. Once a day on Sun.
days a sermon is preached in their own Ian.
guage So they have no lack of religious
training. Sundays being day Of rest to the
organs the church masses and vespers attract
crowds Of these poetic, impassioned people.
It has long been a show place to London
strangers as we'll Once a month there is a
high choral service at this continental old
church in which the works of great COM
posers are rendered in a most skilled manner.
Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.