Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-05-07
WONDERFUL.
Extraordinary StOry-A MnsleaI Medium
from the SIHms OF New York.
A French Child from RandalPs Island
Plays Bach's FHgHes and BeethO-
VeR's SOnatOs.

AIady Of indianapolis furnishes The
Reople, a paper there, with the following
extraordinary narrative concerning Las
cite Bernard, q girl Of French extrac-
ton. who was one of a car load Of or
phan, homeless children, sent Westfrom
New York by the Children's Aid Society
| there. to find homes. Ny husband had
spoken to Mr.. Friedgen, the agent of the
society, brother of the shoe merchant IN
Washington street, TO bring him a little
nurse girl the next carload he should
conduct to the West. This was in the
winter of 1S64-5. 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 IA
vorites at the Orphan Asylum on Ran
dall's Island, New York, where she a
been for four years. :
seThere was nothing remarkable about
her but her very mild ways, and dreary,
weary look from her deep-set blue eyes.
[ noticed Lisette manifested q 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
i'm the adjoining room utterly obllvlous
to everything but the music; rom Lhe
effects of which she seemed TO awaken
when spoken to, and wOuld then rouse
herself as if from sleep. This absorption
was the subject Of frequent remarks IN
the family.
zone night last November, at two
o'clock, my husband and 1 were reused
from our slumbers by hearing the sweet
est music, coming apparently from our
piano, Our bedroom was off the sitting
room, all on the same floor, and of course
we were frightened. The doors from our
room to the sitting-FOOm and the parlor
were all Open-the gas by u bedside
burning dimly, but the paTlor was dark.
We Law a moment listening to the per-
feet concord of sounds from the piano,
which we perceived was under the I'm
gers of q master-hand. The music was
from Handel-one of his grand and ma
iestic movements, and not one that l had
played on that piano, and L had not the
| notes i'm the house. The playing ceased
a homer or two, and soon began with
one of LISTS fantasies, one so ditncul
of execution that none but the highest
professors of art yer attempt It.
~ had heard it the summer before at
Crosby's, in Chicago, but had V tried
it myself. MI. J. and | hastily dressed
ourselves, for by this time we supposed
some of oHS friends had taken this novel
method of serenading us. But who was
the performer then touched b instru-
ment with a skill possessed by none OF
my acquaintance, was the puzzilng
question. We passed noiselessly to b
parlOr door; the light from the o by
reflection made everything i'll the par10r
visible. You may imagine vi surprise
when l tell you that the performer at
the piano was none other than Lisette,
dressed in her gayest suit, with her
abundance of hair put up in a style l
never saw before on any one, but very
neat and tasty. Her face was from us,
and Mr.. j. motioned me TO Lisette's
side lust as she concluded the fantasia.
Her eyes We're closed, and her face,
usually pale, vas now deadly
white. At the same time Lisette,
turning her head toward me and bowling
politely, said in a lady-like vOice-not
unnatural to her-'That was LISTS own
favOrite when / knew him; beautiful,
isn't il? But here is something / like
better and turning to the piano, her
eyes still closed, she gave with exquisite
skill one of Bach's cOunter-fugues, which
is perhaps the most difficult of all CON-
positions to render, but when well de-
livered, as this was, carries the nearer
from earth to heaven. If L could render
a cOunter-fugue, as a musician, L should
be content. / was so absorbed in her
theme that | forgot who was the fine
performer. As it closed, Lisette rose
gracefully, and bowling, said: That is
for this child tonight; she
must now rest. Please, kind friends, do
not wake her in the morning; | will
arouse her at the proper time;' and bow
ing again with a wOmanly grace Lisette
had never attained, she passed TO her
room.
"The next morning Lisette, usually |
early riser, slept until ten O'Clock. !
said nothing to her of what we had
witnessed, nor told it to any one else
that day. On the second night after we
were awakened about the same hour by
q similar performance in the parlOr.
went in again. The pieces played
were all classic, mostly from Handel
one or two from Beethoven-and their
execution perfect; only one of which
had ever been played in her hearing.
Between each she made remarks
and criticisms as naturally as if she
were some accomplished performer
presiding at the piano, and not u little
girl. AS she closed this perform
ance she astonished us more than ever
by saying: Good friends, l much thank
you for your kindness to this child; i
her mother, and / am training her
unconsciOusly TO herself. Please do not
tell her of this practice, for / fear she
will not long remain with you, s she is
very delicate and bowed herself out as
before.
a. m. Lo;r~ o
every alternate night after, became
annoying, especially since
seemed to be declining rapidly.
The physician prescribed for her, but
never seemed to understand her case.
time at the piano. On me Occa-
sion she turned to him and said:
"tOh doctor! / see you don't under
stand this; Lisette is not before YOU ex-
3ept in body. / am her mother. | can
Use her body. My name is Therese Ber-
lard. / was reared in Lorraine, mar
red in Paris. / taught music in Paris
was my grand passion. My husband
lied on board ship rs we came to Amer
ca. / died in New York a few months
have watched Lisette ever
,ince-you need not give her medicine
she will oon be with ms and Louis
"She fingered till January last and
lied a painless death 1t was a gradual
away. Her performance ceased
December. After her death, Mr.. j.
wrote to the asylum whence she came to
know what the record showed concern
ng her. The answer so far as appli-
is as follows:
"Bernard Lisette-Entered January
%, 1861, from Blocker street, tenement
Supposed to be four years old;
died of starvation; said to be a
French music teacher. Lisette sent to
Indianapolis, April, 1861
"She never Touched the piano then,
Dut she would like to learn to play it.
Nor did she, with but two exceptions,