PARALYSED "BOY" MUSICIAN AND HIS WIFE.

NZ Truth, Issue 59, 4 August 1906, Page 5

PARALYSED "BOY" MUSICIAN AND HIS WIFE.

'•--,.- QLadies and Gents* '■■[■' " : Kindly Assist the ■ . • paralysed boy. JThe Smallest Donations thankfully received. i Pedestrians ia Queen-street cannot have failed to. read the above m- i scription carefully stencilled on a large piece of white cardboard, stand- i ing m a prominent position m front of a small carriage wherein sits one of Nature's unfortunates. The poor fellow is what he claims to be, to a certain extent, right enough ; and •'Truth" pities him, as anybody might, for the sight of his paralysed limbs wbuld move a stone to com-pass-ion. Far be it from our intention to divert the flow of coins from the pockets and purses of kindly sympathisers with the young fellow m his sore affliction. That he is noidler is proved by the energy and ttoe not inconsiderable amount of skill" with which he produces from his: Whistle-pipe any number of airs— and, apparently, his repertoire is a fairly extensive one. But what may. be! objected to— and objected strong^ to — is the fact that the money l so liberally donated by a generous public to keep this young fellow from want is put to a- use little dreamed . of by its donors. For, much as it may surprise ", and shock bur readers, Iq and behold the paralysed "boy" is a married man, and his wifei unless, she has changed her mode of living;; xadicallv of late, is a. bit of a goer, right enough. Some few months ago- [. .this young gentleman .plied his avo-* cation m the streets of Wellington, ! and, if report, said truly,- his musical talent and the sight of his horribly distorted nether limbs, chiefly the ■latter, brought him m a sum weekly eiftual to that' of many a frock-coated, bell-toppered bank clerk's screw. Certain it is that he had only been on the streets a short time trolling his tin whistle before he was able to add an up-to-date gramaphone to his paraphernalia. Thereafter the game ■was a little gold mine to him, for when his. wind gave out ' and the whistle-pipe wobbled, hey, presto ! he had only to turn the key of the gramaphone and its melodious strains 'were fiosrting through the air and a~i i -further shower of coppers and thrums followed, as a result. The paralysed .--"boys wife was m ecstasies. , If her hubby wasn't anything to speak .; of physically, he was a little gold ' 'mine financially and as he dutifully , took home all the booty that the little cash box on his chair contained, she was on velvet. It is even said that she used to book seats for herself and friends at the theatres -and "^ enjoy . herself generally all round. What induced the poor paralysed *'boy" to leave Wellington when things were booming so beautifully isa mystery. Whether he has brought his wife to Auckland is a hidden . ' secret. But if he has, and she should happen to/ catch sifffrb of this par. perhaps she will see fit to amend her •^ays : and 3 save the money, obtained so easily. for a raliny day. Otherwise "Truth" may say something more on the subject,* for it objects to-., see' money, given for sweet Charity's sake, absolutely frittered; away by a. i frivolous feminine^ But MTruth" hears that the lady has left her devoted cripnle and cone elsewhere with' buite another party.