The Old Player Piano

Written by Loraite (Rossman) Teays

1988

    This story began in the year or 1917, the year I was born. It was fall and dad had worked very hard on the farm, as always.  He had a very good
potato crop and had several hundred dollars left over, after paying all of his outstanding debts.

     There were six of us children by then and mother and dad decided it was time to purchase something really nice, that the whole family could enjoy.
 They finally decided that a piano would be the answer. After talking it over more seriously, they settled on a player piano, so every one could start
enjoying it immediately and with plans to let the two oldest girls, Maudie and Jeanie take lessons to learn to play it by hand. Later on, I too, was
allowed to take lessons, which I really enjoyed.

     The piano was a very good one, made by “Story and Clark”. It was very heavy and though it had rollers, it took 3 or 4 people to move it, when
mother house cleaned. As I found out in later years, the piano cost $500, which was a lot of money in those days. Even so, dad always said, the
pleasure “derived” from it, was well worth the cost.

     How well I remember us all gathering around, playing the rolls, as someone did the pumping and all of us singing the old favorite songs.

     Some I remember best are, “Til We Meet Again”, “Smiles”, “Bells of St. Mar’s”, “Always”, and many more, plus the old familiar Christmas
Carols. My mother’s favorite carol was “Noel”.

     All family parties and special occasions ended with everyone “singing”, around the piano. The Sturga brothers (who worked for dad, on the farm
before W.W. I) used to have to come back and visit us, from Detroit, and join in the singing. Two of dads “hunting buddies” from Pontiac – Bill
Kennedy and Ferd Thiefels were very good singers and it was very enjoyable, when they would join our “songfests”. Uncle Dan Clinesmith was
another who would join in with much enthusiasm.

     Whenever any of our friends were “visiting”, playing the piano and singing along, was our favorite pastime. What wonderful times we had!

     After Maudie and Jeanie had taken lessons, I remember being so proud, to hear them play “solos” and “duets”, for company. I couldn’t wait, until
I could learn to play. Of course, mother always told us, if she was going to spend money, on our lessons, we had to be “gracious” and play for guests,
whenever we were asked. Even though I was always “shy” I tried to do my very best.

     Later on, in the year 1955, I was able to buy an electric Hammond Organ. I was always “grateful” of the start, that my parents gave me, many
years earlier, in learning music. Finally a “life-long” dream, came true-when I was able to play organ music, for weddings.

             The End

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