, 1884-09-03
CATCHING THE TUNE
from the Taroat OF the Composer CO
he eings 1t.
1 Professor who Writes Down
Songs from the Authors Vocal
RendItion-The song
Mans Friend.


Low oNAa
A small MAJ with a great deal CT unneccs-
AIRY bl N 10 hal flying in a dlsordered maA5
tbout his head sat in a small upper room on
he Bowery.-Shests OF neatly ruled music
,aI or spread over the L. le In front Of HIM.
M Le held n stub pen in his ri hit hRnd- At
intervals h. would gaze toward the ceiling
hot. htfuly, and then brush la,k his hair
with his left land and fa.l TO writing music
On the wall was a sign which raj: "A II
aiken down from the voice i-nstantaneously."
Tho room WIS comfortably furnished a
arge piano was In one corner, AID a violin
aso In another. Ocsa ionaly tho man would
1se from his seat. push back his hair witt both
iands, and drop heavily upon the piano stool
lie would throw up hs chin AMI begin to
hump the keys with the vigor Of a pIo e3-
donal player for dancing Tlen b wascom-
,letely also bed. lie would hummer away
tor a few minutes, then whirl Rrouni, feize
ais pan and begin writing notes with frr-ous
lAsle. lie Lummcd and whAtled for q mo
nent, pushed Ladk Is Ilonde hair, anddived
)recipitately townrd the piano stool bgRin-
Herr be hammered vigorously for a moment,
Ind then, warning around, resumed IL. seat
It the taDie and finished the strata
THAT" be said complacently. as an air
that will 10 sung all over AmeIi n within a
year. ! have composed 1t Tor q celebrated
- sOtyhAS hAubIAf ALI ~ Oug VI ~ ~
v~ocalists in the pro-erlon, but thAs Isn't
aging much, Tor there are very few ierio-
comics who nave any .dea OF 70. a i In. 1hey
al sing a little, and t-ey have Snowy cos
-um s."
at tbs moment there appeared In tie door
way q variety actor. there could he 10
lCubt as 10 his vocation lie smoked a largo
cigar, had a c.ean ih-yen lace, and wore tho
D-and smil o. u man wLo + satisfied with his
position Ia r.. lie coTrsd q Cone that had
IN immense silver bead, and wo c square,
toed boots .,aLorately polished. lis collar
I'd cuffs wee several colors. Lie wore a
Light spring iu.t and a gaudy SIX handker-
.A.ef was prominently displayed in n Lreast
pocket There was a Luse anne hyst ring on
ais lsft hand. Lii white beaver, which was
.it-ed q BIT over bis let eye, lookel the
worse Tor wear. He loo1ed with q friendly
4 r toward the blon1e-haired man and he re-
potter, n hen. waving his han1 gracefully,
removed his hat and sail;
~0enls, good day"
The zmal blonde man shook hrnls With
him effiisively, and the visitor laid bus hat On
tie table, pu ed at bis cigar Tor a momant,
All sad. AS he hdng himself In 0 a seat:
I'VE stru k the danCy tune this time, my
son. and don t you Tor ct it. LIS ben 1lnn-A'
al my head Ter two wees, aid low I've
maze np M mini to AVE it writ down an /
pen a se,.s1n WI II 1t wtIma.1e the o her
axes feel weary. viii just alg It tor you,
roiessor, 1 n you can plLce It down in DlGci
and while hn- then a. range it for oichesTl
md ptAnner anu tend It Own to tho taeayuer
vi the N -rln'."
Then lie rose and paced slowly up and down
sae room, while th3 lrJ.essor Custet him 0
ranging his Writing materials In order 30
.nere thoroughly concentrate bis energies,
ne man " t tie new son ! removed his coat,
olded it carefully over tie TAI II the clair,
ish.ed a .Iesh cigar, AMI biSan to walk up
and down tie rom
hen he began TO Ing In an undertcns tn
himse.t. Presently hs saiIi -Hers gees, ~
struck TN a ii ude. and without further i'd
Degan TO sing in stentOrian oEe Lis voice,
which was very far from musical, ring
thrpu b te hDuss from cellar to roof, AMI
sven orowned the Cater OF the e evated
trains. He Jawled the words at the top OF
us lunst There was not q trace of aiildence
about HIM 10 was sure be had a 50 d thing,
md wa MT AFRAID 10 nave 1t known. TIL
worls, Us he subsequently said. he had clip
pei from a country newspaper wAi.s play ns
N Keokuk. Iowa, and had thoroughly learned
item W Lolrt. The four verses consisted
largely OF
-Whn the eve had fallen on the moor"
"ThAt ere" no said with great sa .isfaction,
as he caught his breath alter tie iour.h
verse, wi | make these toy song-an1 can-e
men reel uizzy."
The prote ssor had meanwhile been alter
naiely scratching on a paper with lis right
hand AMI pu hing Lack his hair with his 10
as the actor Lawled away ut tie tune. Es
was in a state OF considerable excitement
III you ont mind " said the p o-eSor, po-
litely, i should IL, to have you run ovef
that ar aguin. Sing 1t u nttlS slower,
p.ense."
why cert, " said tho ilfe-, COOL na.uredly,
that's wat Pm hero I r."
Then be assumed the same pose aEnin 1.
tie MIDDLE Of the floor, and once more STA TO-
in AS before, be sang through tho wholi
four verses as though facing 5000 people
They he lung himself In a char leslie ths
reporter, offered him a cigar, and the proses
sor scratched away at tie tRD,a
Pretty soon the pro o ,so- lrose In his usuA
abrupt and jerky manner from the table ard
iroppod into his poait~n OF the piano stool
He struck two or three bars loudly, ran OF
sort oil a prelude, aud then played the all
with great expressions 10, running al a com
lime with hi ct hand. Tho ACTOR sai
erosA with his he1ds % his kuees, ssarins
ira gAt Mt tie piano.
"M MT do you th.nk Of thai" be rad sol
EMMY when the proiesBJr lad hL1shed, "nin
that ~ elegant rsuSsf
The rro.esor sud 1t was, pocl1etei sa. anl
promised to have the piano GrIalle ment anl
q s-ore for eight piesss at Ito lh-airo by L
o'clock tic GLOWING day.
-Tm The only mau in America, y aid thu
professor, alter tie sin ,er had gone, "whs
makes Il spe hty OF this businsss. Very few
vafts y ucter, know GA noe from another
but they very often have musical ideas. anC
when they GINS u me ! Tx them up fol
them attr the way you have u t seen
Formerly the variety actor uolll go I,
the leader just Leiore the performance. bun
The mir he proposed 10 sim. ruei t zen tbI
leader would yafnp al accompsl t' - Al
that Ia ohnigcl nyw. Every = ... 81 o Il e,
to carry TT uiui.c for the ur.I = VIII
him. l usually strange Il In q hwy an.
brilliant sly ave La twei-ty years ex
pirisn . Is u inusienl Girse',v sol I maj
therefore say without conce.. L..is,' sail
the little professor, quietiy, 1h-t ! an
capable OF writing music lcr ia dranatI
profession"
It Il something about an eiuco-ed per
son who colors clothing and the lol ticnl edi
tor Of q daily paper, AMI In tie aul, o Is
-One is q learned dysr and the pt1er
durnei liar, " but the conurdrum hns manage,
70 e.. ape from lie offica