The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-05

stopped to watch |
the game and
didn't leave before making small con-
tribution to the musical fund. When Tony
counted the total proceeds he discovered
it amounted to Sass. Not so bad for a
quiet morning on the East Side.
That same afternoon, freshly washed,
shaved and hair slicked back, Tony in
vaded the theatrical district. He perched
OIL an iron grating, few steps away from
hotel entrance. Right in the beginning
he let his hat fall down, as it had in the
morning There he made his metropolitan
debut, without any billboards announcing
his arrival or any conductor directing his
tempo. He merely sat back and played his
guitar and chanted his melodies. realizing
at once that 1t was the dawn of his career,
supreme antidote for the poorhouse.
For every East Side penny, he found a
dime waiting for him in the Rialto; for
every nickel, at least a quarter. There
was this much to be said for Tony:N he
passed out the same grateful smile for
penny that he did for a half dollar. And
his smile was contagious, even though his
music was atrocious.
Really Thinks It's Music
That Brings In Money
You couldn't have convinced Tony then
or now that he was qualifying as a head
line mendicant. He wasn't beggar; he
was musician. The world Was his stage
the world his audience His contract with
tile general public might be pretty much
OF haphazard affair and his financial
guaranty wasn't quite what one could call
hard and fast, but he wasn't worrying any.
To-day Tony is still street musician
and beggar of sorts, rather af1uent, per-
haps, but not boastful OF his holdings in
any of the trust companies. He is philo-
sophical in vague outbursts and often
quite moody. For display purposes he
clings to his cheerful SMILE 1t is his main
s!ockin-trade.
Il gotta much friends In Moo York." said
Tony, making his appearance two days
after the ice and snow hurricane had swept
the city. >"I gotta regular dollar friends,
four-bit friends and many, many quarter
friends. / like Moo York Nice, eh?"
NO" He raised his hand in solemn pro-
Every day I gotta work. Good days like
bad. Hard times, these. Everything cost
so damned much. Bad for street music
business. But l not complain. 1 make
enough all right. But not too much
"All time / save for 60 back to Eetaly.
Some time I buy nice leetle place near
Sorrento. Nice leetle house, with vines
grow all round. Big fields, too, with much
crop. Perhaps | buy me store leg and
work out in fields. But 1 guess not.
have man, lotta mans. do work for me.
make lotta money, yes?
Perhaps find nice Rosa girl back home
who not mind because am a Grip Rosa
and live in leetle house side by each. All
night long I sit in moonlight and play
pretty songs. Rosa help me sing. Not bad,
eh?"
Probably these suppressed thoughts OF
Tony explain the smile that accompanies
his music. Thinking about Rosa and the
"leetle" house near Sorrento in the moon
light, no wonder Tony smiles in spite OF
the weather and regardless OF how his
musical efforts are received on the Rialto.
Also no wonder the passing stranger gets
a catch in the back of his throat when he
spots Tony and rewards him according to
bis means.
do you make this regular hang-out?"
we asked Tony.
Make no difference to me. Forty-four.
Forty-fve, Forty-six street. like 'em all.
First one come TO I SIT down and play.
People all the same. Go TO theatre, have
dinner come out and find me. IL they no
like my music. just smile. They pay me
all the same.
'Some time get tired OF people round
here. go uptown by big church. Good
people there. Plenty money. plenty eats
But when I stop away from theatres long
time, people miss Tony. When I come
back people say: Tony been sick7 say
no been sick, but they give money just the
same. Nice business. Ell? All time play
no time work"
And isn't IL nice free life, provided
you are without a prejudice or an ambi-
t!on? What's the use Of crowding some
willing worker out of job II the great
public simply DiH support you? Answer
these questions, social philosophers