A few times she had seen her a the piano in the parlor, and not infrequently had heard her play.

This young woman was particularly dressy for her station, and wore a jeweled ring or two which flashed upon her white fingers as she played.
Now Carrie was affected by music.

Her nervous composition responded to certain strains, much as certain strings of a harp vibrate when a corresponding key of a piano is struck.

She was delicately molded in sentiment and answered with vague ruminations to certain wistful chords.
They awoke longings for those things which she did not have.

They caused her cling closer to things she possessed.