New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-17
FAIRY VISITS EAST SIDE
Finds Bertha's Poor Home and
Leaves a Piano.
HER DREAM is REALIZED
Family Is More Crowded than
Ever, but Little Lame Child
Is Now Quite Happy.

Bertha had her first music lesson yes
terday.
Nothing wonderful about that you say?
Maybe; but to Bertha il was the most
wonderful thing in the world--so wonder
ful that there was a radiance not Of the
East Side in her pale little face all day
yesterday, and such a CULVER in her voice
when she talked about It that-wel, she
just couldn't tall very much
Music lessons are indeed wonderful
when YOU have wanted them all your life
and knew you couldn't have them. In
a damp stuffy cellar II is about as posi-
BILE 10 have piano as a golden ladder TO
heayen-and as matter of fact more
children do mount golden ladders 10
heaven out OF damp, stuTy cellars than
have pianos or music lessons. That is
why II vas so wonderful for Bertha
kimes.
Tho golden ladder is the only kind she
could mount, anyway. poor little soul. be-
cause she has a leg that drags when she
tries 10 walk. Sometimes il is i'm steel
brace for months al time. The brace
always hurts. but it never cures the leg
that drags That is why Bertha doesn't
follow the hurdy-gurdies on Third avenue
or satisfy her mUsic loving little soul with
the folk dances I'm the public schools and
parks. When you can't run and play, and
do love music, why. somehow the one
thing YOU want most of all is piano.
and you almost never mention II, because
it only makes mother feel bad
What can mother do but feel bad
when her little girl has a leg that drags
and "A wistful little soul that wants a
piano? 4 ianitress can't buy piano. not
when there are four or five other little
children with healthy legs that wear out
stockings and healthy appetites that de
mand bread and meat and apples.
So Bertha sat in her corner and mother
scrubbed the floor Of No. 2i3, and the drag
ging leg ached, and the cost of living
scared higher and highcr-until the fairy
godfather came. II is a fact that fairy
godfathers do come occasionally outside
Of story books, and even on East 18th
street
This one appeared IN the form Of a
genial. Jolly old doctor, who made Ber-
tina laugh the first time she saw him. The
second time he carried her up out of her
cellar corner and set her I'm the sunshine
on the front steps. She was a very lit
tic girl then. and he was very great
man, but he always had time 10 play a
bit with the lonely child. So IL wasn't
long before Bertha came TO sit in the
sunshine in the grand front room which
was the doctors Office. and read the won
dcrful stories brought her each week
from the public library As she grew
older the good man intrusted her with
the care OF his telephone every afternoon
when he went out. and as the phone stood
on "A little table right beside the piano.
II was quite possible for the wondering
child TO finger the keys lovingly, for the
telephone wouldn't ring sometimes for
half hours at time.
OF course. the kind old doctor found out
an about that very soon, and because he
was fairy godfather in disguise he
waved a wand and 10, there was vel
lowlsh music book that another little girl
used to play from years ago
And then the fairy godfather went
away. The papers said that DR.. G. A.
Won Ramdhor had died and told OF his
work FOR the advancement or medical
science A little girl with a leg that
dragged shut the piano and went back
10 her stool in the cellar, and then the
most wonderful thing OF all happened
The doctors wife came down into the cell
lar on. day and whispered In little Ber-
has rar something which lighted in
those tired little eyes the glow that hasn't
gone out yet-the doctor wanted Bertha
To have his piano.
II YOU visit 40 243 you will be taken
TO see il. otherwise you never could be-
Iieye that such a wonderful thing could
be as a fne upright piano for a little
lame girl in iantors basement. Father
and mother and all the little brothers and
sisters have less room than ever To live
in The beds fairly overflow the tiny
rooms. and the tiny Christmas tree had
TO stand on the folding bed. because there
wasn't space for 1t anywhere else. But
what Of that? Little Bertha had her
piano. and the whole family would sleep
standing up if necessary, just to keep
that happy look in Bertha's face.
So sh. had her first music lesson yes
terday. II was from the good Sister at
the Epiphany School where it costs only
% cents. and If mother, the Janltress
and little brother, the newsboy and all
the rest of the family can earn enough
25-centses little Bertha will go right on
being happy until she knows enough to
play the piano In concerts.
It's a big ~" though. % cents is a
Iot to spend on music when potatoes are
50 dear.