Phil the Fiddler | Page 3

derive calculated using the method you already use to calculate
your applicable taxes. If you don't derive profits, no royalty is due.
Royalties are payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Benedictine
University" within the 60 days following each date you prepare (or
were legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent periodic)
tax return.

WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU
DON'T HAVE TO?
The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, scanning
machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty free copyright
licenses, and every other sort of contribution you can think of. Money
should be paid to "Project Gutenberg Association / Benedictine
University".
*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN
ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*
Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software
donated by Caere Corporation, 1-800-535-7226. Contact Mike Lough

PHIL, THE FIDDLER
BY HORATIO ALGER, JR.
PREFACE
Among the most interesting and picturesque classes of street children in
New York are the young Italian musicians, who wander about our
streets with harps, violins, or tambourines, playing wherever they can
secure an audience. They become Americanized less easily than
children of other nationalities, and both in dress and outward
appearance retain their foreign look, while few, even after several
years' residence, acquire even a passable knowledge of the English
language.
In undertaking, therefore, to describe this phase of street life, I found, at
the outset, unusual difficulty on account of my inadequate information.
But I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of two prominent
Italian gentlemen, long resident in New York--Mr. A. E. Cerqua,
superintendent of the Italian school at the Five Points, and through his
introduction, of Mr. G. F. Secchi de Casale, editor of the well-known
Eco d'Italia--from whom I obtained full and trustworthy information. A

series of articles contributed by Mr. De Casale to his paper, on the
Italian street children, in whom he has long felt a patriotic and
sympathetic interest, I have found of great service, and I freely
acknowledge that, but for the information thus acquired, I should have
been unable to write the present volume.
My readers will learn with surprise, probably, of the hard life led by
these children, and the inhuman treatment which they receive from the
speculators who buy them from their parents in Italy. It is not without
reason that Mr. De Casale speaks of them as the "White Slaves" of
New York. I may add, in passing, that they are quite distinct from the
Italian bootblacks and newsboys who are to be found in Chatham Street
and the vicinity of the City Hall Park. These last are the children of
resident Italians of the poorer class, and are much better off than the
musicians. It is from their ranks that the Italian school, before referred
to, draws its pupils.
If the story of "Phil the Fiddler," in revealing for the first time to the
American public the hardships and ill treatment of these wandering
musicians shall excite an active sympathy in their behalf, the author
will feel abundantly repaid for his labors.
NEW YORK, APRIL 2, 1872.
CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.
PHIL THE FIDDLER II. PHIL AND HIS PROTECTOR III.
GIACOMO IV. AN INVITATION TO SUPPER V. ON THE FERRY
BOAT VI. THE BARROOM VII. THE HOME OF THE BOYS VIII.
A COLD DAY IX. PIETRO THE SPY X. FRENCH'S HOTEL XI.
THE BOYS RECEPTION XII. GIACOMO'S PRESENTIMENTS XIII.
PHIL FINDS A CAPITALIST XIV. THE TAMBOURINE GIRL XV.
PHIL'S NEW PLANS XVI. THE FASHIONABLE PARTY XVII.
THE PADRONE IS ANXIOUS XVIII. PHIL ELUDES HIS

PURSUER XIX. PIETRO'S PURSUIT XX. PIETRO'S
DISAPPOINTMENT XXI. THE SIEGE XXII. THE SIEGE IS
RAISED XXIII. A PITCHED BATTLE XXIV. THE DEATH OF
GIACOMO XXV. PHIL FINDS A FRIEND XXVI. CONCLUSION
PHIL THE FIDDLER

CHAPTER I
PHIL THE FIDDLER
"Viva Garibaldi!" sang a young Italian boy in an uptown street,
accompanying himself on a violin which, from its battered appearance,
seemed to have met with hard usage.
As the young singer is to be the hero of my story, I will pause to
describe him. He was twelve years old, but small of his age. His
complexion was a brilliant olive, with the dark eyes peculiar to his race,
and his hair black. In spite of the dirt, his face was strikingly handsome,
especially when lighted up by a smile, as was often the case, for in spite
of the hardships of his lot, and these were neither few nor light, Filippo
was naturally merry and light-hearted.
He wore a velveteen jacket, and pantaloons which atoned, by their extra
length, for the holes resulting from hard usage and antiquity. His shoes,
which appeared to be wholly unacquainted with blacking, were, like his
pantaloons, two or three sizes too large for him, making it necessary for
him to shuffle along ungracefully.
It was now