The sun., 1883-12-16
ONE WHO PLAYS FOR TIE DANCERS.
A Little Woman's Narration OF Her Expert
ences In Fashionable Houses.

A modest looking little woman, with n
somewhat worn face. but an agreeable and
constantly recurring smile. answered a re-
porters ring at the door OF q small house in
Harlem yesterday. She led the way into n
par!or furnished with horse-har chairs and
sofa. ingram carpet. and cheap prints. and
dropped mechanically upon tho stool OF a bad
gcrcd piano. She said pleasantly:
Il advertise in the papers for engagements
to play at parties because there Is more money
in it than in teaching. know that it is the
general impression that the musician is more
or less looked down upon mt u party. but my
experience has been JUS. TO the contrary. with
PIE who ara in the best society and live on
h ino sena o for ba me IT. is whsn
@SS SmptS S'1' anpcs 81 other s tnay %
play pay ior ne these people that feel my position
most koeny They, send n cab for me II they
arc in n hurryiand pay mo literally. brt 1t is
the hardest money 10 earn in tho world; for
they treat me from the moment | enter tho
house nnt;I leave ekaet'y as they treat their
in any other light than rs IL meniaL"
Goldfish aristocrncy" I"
II suppose SO, and set all Tho wealthy society
| people act that way slnll never forget the
lirst time Mr. IL: men!i'9ning the name OF q
Httioi sent Tor mo. lad been teasLins itts girls
mud boys to play the piano for several years,
and had gradually driltch into playing for
months. when one. night u coach drove up to
the door and tho footman in livery, asked for
and he told me his master had sent for me to
play for some people who had haprened in after
coacl on %as my asa s E' ne R%a
would get in too. was afraid Of him. he looked
a1 so un tho box Was s R
to snow, and the carriage was delightful and
Very saas nt aa a n@9F ST ws as
ttpkeq il at ths basement door, Then
woman, and asked me, to follow him up stairs.
! began to feel wretchcd. Then | was taken
into The small music, room adjoining, the par
lors. and told to play waltz. ! had only
w Mers IN ha
hss seemed ssiP ike iSkE arv and 80 But is
II played a waltz and had stopped for a
mpate; when the host stunped into M the room
me to play a Guadrille. felt like crying his
manns.s ma ,,r we're SO rude, After had played
house found fault W with ii s my sslsetions Ono @
would have thought, TO hear her talk. that
was a kitchen maid, couldn't understand
After a while they went down to supper.
stairs to watch mo while waited. Then they
came back and danced some more Al hal
ts sSsr IN nra '%a GS%a
two.dollar bin; He gavo me this. and said hi,
master. considered i sufficient. as / had no
Se fH1 bascmeat s door, He was snd
offered to get me an extra shaw
from the, cook. ,as IL was showing YER
hard but rushed out. crying like n goose.
had 10 walk all the way TO Third avenue il
snow that was ankle deeD in order to get IN
cars. / didn't get asleep till morning, and suf
I. | fered for weeks from the cold. never Wen
I again to that house. though We been 10 man
Z similar ones. The servants are better bre
I than the masters"
. Where is it most agreeable to play?"
9 r, In the houses OF plain. everyday peoplt
There are no nicer people in the world thN
5 those who form what the English would ca
the middle class Of New York"