Hi Fellow MMDers, I wandered into our local bric-a-brac shop last week
and idly flipped through a pile of old kids books. I couldn't believe
my eyes when I saw one entitled, 'Christie's Old Organ, or Home Sweet
Home'.
When I opened it up, I was thrilled to see that it was illustrated with
engraved pictures of an old man with a barrel organ. The book has a
stamp on the fly leaf which reads, 'Newton & Co. Opticians to the
Queen and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales'. This would be Queen Victoria,
it and dates the little book at over a hundred years old, but there is
no date to determine its exact age. It was published by The Religious
Tract Society in London and was written by Mrs. O. F. Walton.
The story, which has religious overtones, is about an old organ grinder
who becomes ill and passes his organ on to a young beggar boy who uses
it to make a living and to better himself. A real moral tale!
I am planning to reproduce the book, complete with illustrations, and
I would like to hear from anyone who might like to buy it when it is
printed to see if there is enough interest for me to go ahead.
I think the book is a real gem, and it cost me the princely sum of
50 pence!
Dave Smith
|