Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-04-24
VERY ExTRAORDINARY STORY

A lady of Indianapolis furnishes the
People, paper there, with the following
extraordinary narrative concerning Lis
ette Bernard, a girl of French extrac
ton, who was enc of a carload of or
phan, homeless children, sent West from
New York by the Children's Aid Society
there, to find homes: lin lliL-
my husband had spoken to Mr..
Friedgen, the agent of the society,
brother Of the shoe merchant in Wash
ington street, to bring him little
nurse girl the next carload he should
conduct to the West. This was in the
winter of l764-5. That spring, in April,
he brought us Lisette, stating that he
knew nothing of her parentage, and that
he selected her on account Of her gentle
disposition from a number of favorites
at the Orphan Asylum on Randall s
Island, near New York, where she had
been for four years.
"There was nothing remarkable about
her but her very mild ways, and dreary,
weary look from her deep-set blue eyes,
/ noticed Lisette manifested a peculiar
and intense interest whenever played
on the piano selections from any of the
old operas and masterpieces. At such
times / would frequently find her sitting
in the adjoining room utterly oblivious
to everything but the music; from the
effects of which she seemed to awaken
when spoken to, and would then rouse
herself as if from sleep. This absorp-
ton was the subject of frequent remark
in the family. One night last Novem-
Der, at two o'clock, my husband and /
were reused from our slumbers by hear
ing the sweetest music, coming ap-
parently from our piano. Our bed
room was off the sitting-room, all on the
same floor, and of course we were
frightened. The doors from our room
to the sitting-room and the parlor were
all open-the gas by our bedside burn
ing dimly, but the parlor was dark. We
Law a moment listening to the perfect
concord of sounds from the piano,
which we perceived was under the fin
gers of master hand. The music was
from Handel-one Of his grand and
majestic movements, aud not one that |
had played on that piano, and had not
the notes in the house. The playing
ceased moment or two, and soon be-
gan with one Of LISTS fautasias, one
so difficult of execution that none but
the highest professors of art ever at
tempt It. | had heard it the summer be-
fore at Crosby's, in Chicago, but bad
never tried it myself. Mr.. j. and i
hastily dressed ourselves, for BY this
time we supposed some of our friends
had taken this novel method of serenad-
ing us. But who was the performer
then touching the instrument with
skill possessed by none OF my acquaint-
ance, was the puzzling question we
passed noiselessly to the paEior door,
the light from our room by rehectlon
made everything in the parlor visible;
You may imagine our surprise when !
tell you that the performer at the
piano was none other than Las
ette, dressed in her gayest suit,
with her abundance Of hair put up in
style / never saw before on any one. but
very neat and tasty. Her face was from
us, and Mr.. j. motioning TO me to keep
silence, lighted the gas, and we both
vent to Lisettes side just as she con-
ci1ded the fantasia. Her eyes were
closed, and her face unusually pale, was
now deadly ghite. At the same time
Lisette. turning her head toward me and
bowing politely, said 10 lady-like voice
mot unnatural to her That was
LISTS own favorite when / knew him
beautiful. isn't it7 But here is some
thing like better, and turning to the
piano, her eyes still closed, she gave with
exquisite skill 0ne Of Bach's CouAter
Fugues, which is perhaps the most difh.
cult Of all compositions to render, bat
when well delivered, as this was, carries
the hearer from earth to heaven. il l
could render Counter Fugue, as mu-
sieian, should be content. l was so
absorbed in her theme that forgot who
vs. the fne performer As . closed,