BARHAM AND THE BARREL ORGAN.

Western Star, Issue 2220, 8 July 1898, Page 6

BARHAM AND THE BARREL ORGAN.

As Mr. Barham, of Liinehouse, is only a stevedore at the docks.it is not prebable that he is well versed in mediaeval Italian history or acquainted with the fact that the. inhabitants of the numerous principalities which then abounded along the Apennines regarded a sound cudgelling as a sufficient reward for servici § to their liege lord, and were rendi red peculiarly happy if allowed to depart without undergoing a line as well "We do not so much grudge the prilica what he has taken from us," was a common saying among tliem, " as we are glad he has left us eveu what we have." A remnant, of these old traditions seems to linger in the breast of Giacomo Giuseppe Siunino of Stratford, who, indeed, may be a descendant of these now happily-extinct arbitrary potentates, but if so he has relinquished his lands and titles in Tuscany to let out barrel-organs to his fellow-country men in the K«st-md of London. Mr. Barham found a derelict organ standing in the street, and knowing that Sianino is a padrone or jobmaster of these instruments, he kindly wheeled it to the Italian's house. Here his unacquaintance with medieval tradition brought him into I rouble. Sianino, instead of feeling grateful for the service rcndired. fired at the honest stevedore a volley of Italian epithets Barham could not understand, but which sounded to his untutored sure like sweariiig. Moreover, in his excih ment the man broke into what appeared to be a song no barrel-organ could possibly have accompanied, and which exercised on his auditors quit* a differeut effect from that produced by the singing of his famous countryman Oassela, who, according to Dante, chanted so sweetly that voyagers newly arrived in Purgatory forgot to begin the assent of the mountain until recalled to thsir duty by old Cato. Far from having the soothing ell'ect the padrone's words roused to fuiy six Italians who were in the house, and they at once set upon the poor but honest Englishman, bit him, buffeted him, belaboured him until he was black and blue, and then expected him to depart, in a lii jtily-thanklul frame of mind. But Barham sued .Sianino in the Bow County-court, where Mr. Gray, his solicitor, pleaded that the complainant had no locus standi, since the Italian had already been fined for the assault at the police-court. •' Quite right," said Barham, " hut Mr. Baggallay told me to takeout: another summons here for damages." " Very good a<i vice," remarked Judge French, who ordered Hianino to pay 40s. compensation and costs, and another half-crown for Barnaul's attendauue. The moral is that derelict organs should he left severely alone, in the hope that they will be ultimately appropriated for firewood.