She's "at it," from Dicks' English Library of Standard Works, 1884.

"The piano is a wonder box," from St. Nicholas magazine.

Suspense is overrated.  Sometimes it's lovely to have questions answered immediately.  Take the story "Julia's Little Weakness" (from The Lady's Realm, 1900).  What's Julia's little weakness?  The very first sentence illuminates us forthwith: "It was for 'stars.'"  Belated thanks, Philippa Trent, for getting right to it!  (And for beginning her story with a long dash!)

Who ever said a pianist can't support himself?

Did you know that buxom has both an obsolete and an archaic meaning?  Obsolete: compliant, obliging.  Archaic: lively, good-tempered.

An illustration from a 1916 issue of Green Book magazine.  The caption reads: "His fingers ran about the keyboard and seemed to meet her fingers there as before.  She was at his side, her hands crossing his, his fingers lingering on hers.  He turned to clasp her . . . but his arms found only emptiness."

An illustration from an 1897 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.  The caption reads: "A shaggy artist was maltreating a sonata of Beethoven's."

An illustration of a strong woman who can carry a tune, from an 1896 issue of The Strand magazine.

For Jonathan Caws-Elwitt.

An illustration from an 1893 issue of Pall Mall magazine.

A ghostly illustration from a 1901 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.  The caption reads: "I knew him to be behind me."

"The thing grew in sound":  an illustration from a 1919 issue of Munsey's magazine.

A surrealist illustration from a 1906 issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.  The caption reads: "I made a headlong dash down the end of the keyboard."