Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07
ORGAN GRINDERS LOTTERY.
Receipts Bigger Than In the Mon
keys Day-Expenses Also Larger


From the New York SUM-
It's a lottery. In these days what you
are going to get" said the hand organ man.
but not so much of lottery as you might
think; we don't often draw fve-dollar gold
piecesi SOS 80 +
THE ways of giving are different now in
the city. in these days of high buildings
and you never know just what you are
going to get. and with this uncertainty
about it there's always a chance and we
are ell hoping 1t will turn out big. We
never get strange letter. you know, with
out wondering whether somebody has not
sent us a fortune in 1t. You know also
how 1t generally turns out
You see. 1t used to be that all hand
organs were small. and a carried one
around by strap over his shoulder ard
supported 1t on stick In front OF him
when he PLAYED Then the hand organ man
carried monkey which. besides being
great attraction. was his collector as we'll.
AS he ground the crank the organ man
sent the monkey around at the end OF a
rope to collect. The little monk carried
tin cup in which those who gave dropped
their coins. In those days the organ man
always knew what the monkeywould bring
back. Whether they were given by chil-
dren standing right around him or by some
BODY on the steps or down In basement
to whom the monkey had held out the cup
the coins dropped in it were always cents.
Now everything has changed. Ths
monkey has gone completely from the city
and so have most of the little hand or
gans. The hand organ of today Is the big
plano organ carried about on wheels, and Il
may be drawn about by horse. and 1t is
always operated by two men, one acting;
the organst and the other as collector
1t takes some money TO go into the hand
organ business now. and the returns must
be larger, and they are. People earn more
WAR; tny 10
on a bigger scale, everything. including the
houses, and it Is here that we come to t..e
different WAYS in which the money that
the hand organ man gets Is given to him.
Much of It now Is thrown down to him
from the high windows of tall tenements
fats and apartments. OF this some Is
thrown down to the watchful collector. who
stands in the street and with hat politely
extended sweeps with his eyes the fronts Of
the tall buildings Sometimes the coin so
thrown NAV be lost. and now 1t is common
for givers high up to wrap their gift in a.
piece of paper before throwing 1t.
Just here comes in the lottery. We do
not know when see IL fall what the pack
age may contain that comes by mail: there
Is a mystery about 1t. and at least until
have opened 1t we may hope. This mystery
this possibility as to what the package may
hold, appeals to all organ collectors alike,
though not all may plainly reveal their in.
terest. but II you will watch you may see
more than one collector show 1t frankly,
too frankly.
When the collector has gathered up q
package thus thrown. what he should do Is
to bow politely in acknowledgment to the
giver. and then before opening the package
turn away and open 1t leisureiy, so az not
to eyince undue haste curiosity with the
doubt that It might imply of the giver's gen.
erosity. This. L say. is what he should do.
and 1t Is what the polite and philosophical
and experienced collector does do; but on the
other hand YOU may see some collectors who
cannot curb their curiosity to wait, or who
having the gift. are now thoushtless of the
giver. who will pick up the package and
still standing facing toward him. open 1t IN
the giver's face. to shame him IL the gift
was small to anger him IL it was large.
In whatever manner this package may
be picked I'D the thought of what IL may
cannot see within 1t there is a chance that
1t may contain anything: there Is the eie-
ment of lottery about 1t. But, alasl IL Is
a lottery that Yields few prizes.
Il have known dimes to be drawn in it.
and sometimes quarters: but for the most
part the prizes In these packages are cents.
or two. ands the biggest bundle may con-
tain but single cent: but that may be
thrown down by child. to whom ir was a
treasure. and should be received accord
ingly.
"stia. while it's mostly cents, we get now
more of them than we once did-and we
get semetimes two or three of them in a
paper package. and sometimes nickeis. Alto
gether. we get more than we once did ard
yet with all this IL you will take as you
must. the ORGANISMS greater expense, there
is but .scant. IL any. improvement In his net
reward. In these DAYS. though. In the little
closed packets that come flying down, there
Is always-the chance!'