o America for a wider range and a more promising
home for his boys. With German prudence, he sent one of them to New York
to see what prospect there might be there for another maker of pianos.
Charles Steinway came, saw, approved, returned, reported; and in 1850
all the family reached New York, except the eldest son, Theodore, who
succeeded to his father's business in Brunswick. Henry Steinway again
showed himself wise in not immediately going into business. Depositing
the capital he had brought with him in a safe place, he donned once more
the journeyman's apron, and worked for three years in a New York piano
factory to learn the ways of the trade in America; and his sons obtained
similar employment,--one of them, fortunately, becoming a tuner, which
brought him into relations with many music-teachers. During these three
years, their knowledge and their capital increased every day, for they
lived as wise men in such circumstances do live who mean to control
their destiny. In plain English, they kept their eyes open, and lived on
half their income. In 1853, in a small back shop in Varick Street, with
infinite pains, they made their first piano, and a number of teachers
and amateurs were invited to listen to it. It was warmly approved and
speedily sold. Ten men were employed, who produced for the next two
years one piano a week. In 1855, the Messrs. Steinway, still unknown to
the public, placed one of their best instruments in the New York Crystal
Palace Exhibition. A member of the musical jury has recorded the scene
which occurred when the jury came to this unknown competitor:--

"They were pursuing their rounds, and performing their duties with an
ease and facility that promised a speedy termination to their labors,
when suddenly they came upon an instrument that, from its external
appearance,--solidly rich, yet free from the frippery that was then
rather in fashion,--attracted their attention. One of the company opened
the case, and carelessly struck a few chords. The others were doing the
same with its neighbors, but somehow they ceased to chatter when the
other instrument began to speak. One by one the jurors gathered round
the strange polyphonist, and, without a word being spoken, every one
knew that it was the best piano-forte in the Exhibition. The jurors were
true to their duties. It is possible that some of them had predilections
in favor of other makers; it is certain that one of them had,--the
writer of the pr