MELODY'S WAGE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1720, 10 April 1913, Page 8

MELODY'S WAGE

; — AND A LITTLE PHILOSOPHY. Sunshine—and music. These , were the .conditions at the corner- of Grhuzneo and Cuba Streets yesterday afternoon. Tho weather was in thoroughly repentant mood, really making the amende honorable, and the'crowd around the peripatetic "one-man band" was quietly enlarging.' But the music; it was not' forthcoming—the '■"one-man band's" estimation of the valuo of its'performance was still one shilling aud elevenpence Short of the fixed quotation. The' "band" was addressing himself to the dense circle. "On'y a couple of bob and you'll 'ear the cleverest performance in! tho world—legs, ■arms, and 'cad all "a-going at tlio same ; time, beating, a whole band to pieces. A I born, natural show. Niitliiii' from foreign j lands—l'm Noo Zcnlan' born—it's all Nco J ZcalanV Not a coin more jingled on tho road. "Don't let us stand here admiring one another's beauty—all 'andsome people—bn pay to 'ear this turn—nuthin' like it on any stage. I'll 'arsk you a question—Why do you pay your money before you go into .a.pictcr shpw I ?...J??pusq (triumphantly) you c'arn't see the picfers till 1 you do. And you carn't 'ear'this band cither till you pay." Still no coin was flung. • "A beautiful'day,"'went on tho 'Tjand," •whose tinsel adornments wcro glistening in tho sun, "but night will soon be 'ere, and then (waniingly, and with a shrug of the shoulders) it's pack up. I don't arsk' you to waste your money—pay for yer hentertainmeut. Save yer money—yer all should be mating with wives one day, an' settlin' down in tho little 'ome. I 'ope to. Don't spend it in drink and make Guy Fawkeses of yerselves. Not that I say anything' against' tho drink—" one or two and leave it* alone. Look at the geniusss it's killed, friends of tho worker>. , for instance, not that I say drink really killed 'im, more 'igh livin', too much fizz, and 'o 'adn't been brought up 011 it." The springs of generosity did not flow even at vhis'burst of eloquence. ' A gaunt, sallow coniplexioned man, dented hard hat, and varied attire of u'' faded green, stepped up to the "band." : He glared round him. "Don't take on' so. I know wot it is to make a living in Wellington— they're all rcg'ler skinflints.'" Someone from the balcony of a near-by building threw some grapes on to tho "band. Belligerent the ' band" became. "Don't throw your graipes 'ere, interfering with a one-man band making'its livin'. It's a boulder I'll throw to you, tormenting a band. Yes and a winder [you'd 'five to. pay fer.' An' I'd be in I tho right, 100. I'll 'ave yer, up before the Beak, and then p'raps the chap with the 'ood 011 'is 'end, throwin' rubbish at my band, yer. 'E'll settle yer. 'Ad _ii chap un once for throwin' two banai'nere, and (addressing the crowd once more) V got fnipd two pound—a pound a banarner —dear banarners those, ell?" A little wheedling was now tried on tho adamant listeners as tile "band" began to adjust itself—'"mouth, arms, 'ead and feci all a-goin' at the same time—let us put the pedals oil the little feet, and on'y oii3 and eleven to set 'em workin'." A penny whirled through the air and jangled on the. triangle. This caused'n small stream of small coinage to flow in and the "band" sat down to business when threepence was still wanting. "If I get anytliiii' over the two bob," assured the "band," "I'll play a bit oxtry." And then ho remembered: "Insult me with them graipes" and he smote tho drum.- "I've got their number though— tormenting a one-man band, making its livin'." And the "band" then soothed itself and made good to the tardy contributors by a clanging onslaught-on ail nir from that much-worried, and immortal. "Maritana."