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Show 247 Sometimes I saw Mr. Cope. He remembered me and always asked if I was enjoying the piano, seemed pleased to hear that I was. I played it a good deal, gave my daughters lessons on it, and it was the heart of our family. Finally Gordon moved to California. After ten years I began to look on the instrument as my personal property. Then one day I received a telephone call. It was from Gordon's sister. "I understand you have my piano, " she said, after identifying herself. "I thought it was Gordon's, " I told her, and how I had come into possession of it, how generous he had been to let me keep it. "That's Gordon! " she said. "That piano is mine. I had it in storage and Gordon got it out without my permission, took it to Mr. Knaphus' studio for a party, and there it has been ever since. Now my little girls are getting to where they need piano lessons, and I need it. " "By all means, come and get it, " I told her. "I have enjoyed it for ten years by courtesy. I have cleaned it up, had it tuned and repaired, but have certainly gotten my money's worth out of that time and time again. " She came with a salesman to look it over, tried it out, decided it wouldn't do for her home. How much would the salesman allow her? "One hundred dollars, " he said. "I'll play that much for it, " I said, and the deal was made. At last the piano was really mine. I have another one now, a Chickering which suits me better. |
