HOAXING AN ORGAN GRINDER.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5026, 20 February 1885, Page 3

HOAXING AN ORGAN GRINDER.

A hoy saw an Italian the other day id charge of a new mitrailleuse piano, and * going up to him with a very innocent look . asked," How many tones do you play ?" "Zixteen shunes—nice, sweet shunes," replied the man. "My father is fond of music, but ho is a little deaf," continued the boy. "OO f dat make no difference, I make him bear." The boy led the way to where a plaster bust of Sir, Isaac Newton had been afranged in a bey window to look like a living man, and the Italian moistened, his hand and got to work. He ground out all the tunes in rotation, and then began at the bottom and ground back ' np to the scale till be got thronp,h the tunes again. The man in the bay window didn't more a hair, and the Italian drew a iong breath and sighed: " Play moar mnzeek—make him hear soon." He ran out eight tunes and threw some gravel at the window. . The bust didn't work its ears, and the Italian leaned against the organ and sang loudly— Oh ! who shall dink* of me some moar When I am far a-wa-y ? The seven other tunes rattled off at a lively pace, while the man coughed, whittled, kicked on the pavement, and kept bowing, in order to attract the deaf man's attention. "Sing louder—play louder," called the boy from close by. The Italian moistened his hand again, and 51ayed " Sweethearts "Waltz" and " The 'wo Obadiahs "• at express speed, and a orowd began to collect. He kept his eyes on the bust, and paid no heed to the crowd, and the organ-box was smoking hot, when he paused to wipe his face; and then, leaving the handle, he went up to the window to have, a good look at the father who was fond of music—the man whom he had made his victim. His quiet grin faded into a look of woe, and misery ,-and murder, and getting his eyes on the boy, be ran after him, till a noise behind warned him that someone was turning his handle; when he returned. It was fortunate for everybody that they did not understand bad language in Italian.