How We Came to Have a Piano

Aunt Bertha came to talk to Daddy. He let Blanche and me remain in the room this time. She was much calmer than the last time we saw Aunt Bertha and was able to explain what happened. Someone at the bank reported to the bank president that Uncle Horace, who kept the books, had been drinking quite a bit.

The president walked into the office where Horace was working and demanded without preface, "How long has this been going on?" Horace, startled, said, "Six months." Then the president asked, "How much?" and Horace replied, "$2000." The cat was out of the bag. Horace had no idea the president was asking about his consumption of alcohol. By the time the president realized that drink was the smaller of Uncle Horace's problems, he had left the bank and Aunt Bertha brought him straight to Daddy.

When Horace ran away, Aunt Bertha went to his father and told the whole story, at least as much as she knew. Mr. Dowd went to the bank president and repaid the money that Horace had 'borrowed.'

Now Aunt Bertha has heard from Uncle Horace and he is very sick, having had weak lungs ever since the flu epidemic of 1918. He wants her to come to Mexico to take care of him until he's able to return home. She has no money, so she asked Daddy if he would buy her piano. Daddy told her he would give her a hundred dollars, which is more than she can get for it from a merchant since it's considered used now despite it being in like-new condition.

This is very much like our piano. Ours has 'New York Grand' in gold lettering just above the keyboard.