Cured.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 71

Cured.

Different persons may not agree at all as to the desirability of hand-organ music, but all city dwellers will agree that when the owners of tho band-organs have formed the habit of \isiting certain places regularly it is hard to get rid of them. The New York Ledger tells an amusing story of the plan adopted by Mx-ry, the French novelist. He was one day visiting Sandeau, when an oigan-grinder halted m front of the academician's house and began to play. Sandoau, with a gesture of irritation, rose from his seat, took a half-franc piece from his pocket, and flung it at the tormentor, calling out as he did so — " Be quiet and go away !" "What!" said Alery. "You encourage that detestable kind of thing? That man will now return every tiay. and not only that, but he'll pass the word to all his comrades." "But what am I to do":" asked Sandeau. "The street I live in," replied Mery, "is on? of those infested by organ-grinders. I had onlj- ju~t moved into my apartment and opened my window for the first time, when one of them planted himself on the pavement oppoMte. "He giound out the 'Miserere' from 'II Tro\atoie.' I manifested a lively satisfaction. "After the 'Miserere' ho obliged me \>ith a waltz. I took a chair and seated myself on the balcony. " He then played me the air of oup of the most popular songs of the cay. I clapped my hand* enthusiastically. "'Then he passed to the ail of a sentimental song; I railed to my ser\ants to come and l^cen to it. "-' Encore!" I cried. He played the tune o\er again, then politely took off hi- cap and held it toward me. whereupon I in-i-tantly banged th<* window shut. "I went through the same pantomime with fh c or six of the colleagues of my first musician, and then the cure was complete. Better than that, even: for yesterday morning, as I was quietly taking the air, I saw approaching a, man in velveteen trousers and with an organ on his back. " He rawed his eyes to mine and quickened hi- pace, 'after making a gesture of disdainful defiance, as much as to say : ' You'd like me to play you a tune or two, wouldn't you? But yoa've l&kun. me in once; you'll not do it again !' " '