The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-17
LITTLE TOT" WILSON, ELEVEN YEARS OLD
 PIANIST, TELLS DOLLY SOME QUAINT THINGS
By DOLLY DALpYMPJ,m

It was one of those blistering swelter- ing, awful, terrible days. when you are so hot not warm) that you don't even feel like nice white folks'-you are so per spir-y," and-well, there's another word that means the same thing only more" but it's so homey 1 won't use it.
 Once inside the spacious rooms of the well appointed school, however. with the sound of piano and violin reverberating through the corridors, you forgot about the weather and quickly fastened your at tention on a group of young folk who were eagerly engaged in rehearsal" Four dear. lttle tiny, wee thlngs-the pianist. little Tot Wilson, pupil of Mrs. Flournoy Rivers, and Reginald Thomas, also her pupil, and two little violin pupils of Mr. D'Agostino, were the participants
 They were going over the programme which the Sherwood Music school an- nounces little Miss Wilson will present this evening, assisted by her three little fellow workers of the school
 These children are ali under 12 years of age, if you please. and they play like little artists.
 Nothing short of marvellous could pos silly describe little Tot Wilson's pianism.
 sat for an hour and listened to the child.
 It was simply wonderful.
 She is an honor to Mrs. Rivers thor ough ard musicianly teaching, and credit to the big Sherwood Music school of which Birmingham is very proud.
 Little Tot Wilson Is really remark ablei
 Her little fingers, dainty, slender and aristoeratic. fairly flew over the eyboard, and h.r bright little face reflected the surpassine understanding of every tonal quality that came from her weli-trained little hands
 Eleven years old
 Can ycu imagine Hat age doing anythirg but playing with dolls and making muc TIes and chasing around in q game of hide and seek with a lot of cher youngsters?
 Not with little Miss Wilson.
 You'd be rloIe apt to lind ner rea5ing Ibscn. ur Shakespeare, or Shaw ale- worthy when she isn't playing Beethoven, or Schubert or Liszt, or Wagner.
 Really
 The child is perfect wonder
 Some people would call her prodigy"
 But
 Somehow prsdigies always spell to my mind. queer. 'freaky sort of creatures, un- balanced, except on the one subject they are proficient in.
 But
 This little girl
 She's just as sane and sweet and nat ural and precious as she can be.
 Great, big expressive brown eyes look at you from beneath the most wonderful lashes, and her dear little face frames the wonderful thoughts that originate in that tremendously big brain of hers, and make you stand aeha. intelligence and philosophy.
 She's a child with extraordinary talent who has had teacher worthy of her a teacher whose masterly musicianship has had full swing and has shown it's ability in every detail. Nobody ever seems to think that little ''Tot" Wilson has any other name than just "Tot,"
 She looks "Tot," she acts "Tot," and she is-"Tot!'
 She is just the darlingest little bundle of sweetness and talent and childish beauty and charm that I've ever seen anywhere.
 She sat before the great. big piano. heaps and heaps bigger than she is. like little queen and played for me-ohi such wonderful things-Bach, Chopin, Raff. Jensen, Lavellee and goodness knows what else
 After she'd done an especially beautiful thing I caught her little hand. and spueez- ing it so tight that it almosts hurt her, said:
 Do you know you are a wonder?
 She looked up at me in the sweetest and most knowing sort of way and said gently:
 "Oh, no; it's music that's the wonder"'
 This was a distinct shock to me, as you might imagine, hearing this little. tiny wisp of a child answering me in words that even world-experienced artist might not have chosen.
 q cannot ever get over how many beau- tigful things the little tones make!' she said.
 You love music so much, then?" asked. l The child's eyes opened wide. and with that magnetism which belongs essentially to the real artist. she replied "Of course I do; I couldn't help it if I wanted too"
 Tel me what you like best about music" I said. "Oh. melody,'' she cried at once.
 Do you like melody better than har- mony?" 1 questioned quickly.
 She laughed out. "Why, yes: you couldn't have any harmony without mel ody. because you see the top notes of vour harmony would be melody. Tha