The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-12-28
GIRLS NERVE FAILED
THEM.
THEY. MIGHT HAVE EARNED THE
RENT WITH A HAND ORGAN.

KENT WITH A HAND ORGAN.
A Young Woman Whose Mother Was
in Need Hoped to RepIenish the
Family Purse as Street Musician
But She and Her Companion
Were Frightened Into DESERVING the
Organ by the Curious Crowd in Fin
anciaI District-Italian Garb Did
Not Deceive the yonlookers.
A mild sensation was created one
day recently in the downtown financial
district by the appearance OF two
young girls wheeling hand organ.
They were dressed in imitation Of the
+ Italian women, who are by this time
familiar figures in the street, but they
were Enthusiastically American, and
equally unmistakably Of a gentle
class. Starting from Hanover square,
they made their way slowly through
an ever increasing crowd Of curious
spectators. Questions rained on them
from every side as to their business
In doing such thing, but they mere
ly went their way and said nothing.
by the time they had reached Liberty
street they were surrounded by near
1y 1000 people. The small boys in the
neighborhood commenced to pelt them
with fruit and other missiles, and the
crowd was growing unruly.
At this point policeman 1nterfer-
ed to protect them, and the tall light
haired girl who was playing the or
gan broke. down, stating that she
would not go another step. The other
girl, who was the prettier of the two
and evidently the leader, urged and
coaxed her to keep on, reminding her
constantly Of the money they would
make and of what it would mean to
them. But the player refused to be in
fluenced, and the organ was deserted,
and the two girls turned towards
home. In answer to an urgent ques-
tion, enc of the two girls said that she
came to New lork with her mother
five years ago from their home in
Pennsylvania The mother was a
dressmaker. She thought that she
could make more money and give her
daughter a better education in New
York city than in her native town.
"But after left the high school,
about year and half ago. she said,
fN
my eyes, and on going to a physician
discovered that cataracts were form
ing. It was a great blow, as my ambi-
ton had always been to be q teacher,
and the doctor told me. this was out OF
the question"
Through the influence Of a friend
for whom her mother had made some
dresses, the daughter obtained work
last winter, and for time earned $40
a week, and on that and what her
mother made at dressmaking they
managed to keep little home. This
last summer, however, everything
seemed to go wrong. The work ceas-
ed, her mothers customers all left
town early, many Of them leaving
their dressmaker unpaid, and 1t COM
menced to look as though the home
would have to be broken up. AS the
| first Of October approached they COM
menced to worry about the rent. One
evening, about 4 week ago, the mother
and daughter sat in consultation
about ways and means, and as they
sat by the window an organ drawn
by two Italian girls came in sight It
was seeing them that put the idea In
! to the girls mind that she would DO
likewise. At first the mother oppos-
ed this plan, but later she consented,
because they were nearly destitute.
From an Italian organ-grinder In
the neighborhood the daughter OBJ
tanned the name of a man who rents
out the large piano organs. At the
/ same time she con6ded her scheme
to a young friend who promised to as
sist her. From old-fashioned clothes
of her mothers they fixed up the cos
tunes as nearly like the Italian girls
as possible. The rent that they paid
for the organ was SO.
The day before they made their
appearance in Wall street they took
the organ up Broadway and in two
hours made over 81. Although they
were followed by a. crowd, no one an
noyed them. They were asked frequ-
entity if it was on a bet, and nodded
yes when this question was asked
them.
Flushed with triumph at the money
they had earned up town, they decid-
ed that the downtown financial would
yield an even richer harvest They
started the following morning, there
fore, at Hanover square. A crowd col
lected Immediately, which attracted
the attention of policeman. He
came over to them, speaking In the
roughest way, and threatening to call
a patrol if they did not move on. They
moved on in fear and trembling, and
| o,, ....hod Tho cornor ~ 1jhertY