ians 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 ten o'clock in the morning. Two hours had elapsed since
Filippo, or Phil, as I shall call him, for the benefit o