The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-19
Stories of an Inland State.

janitriX of the building where Algernor
Burr's Office (he town insisted on calling
it his "room'D was located.
Mrs. Tilford was a rather ancient lady
who was inseperable from her broom and
kept up a perpetual warfare against dus
and dirt. She had sympathy for the mar
music-teacher, principally because the com
munity had not, and sheicould not discover
wherein the community was justified in it:
contempt for the man.
BY no means did Mrs. Tilford exercise
her sympathetic impulses from higher de-
gree of musical appreciation than the COM
munity. She did not appreciate music and
did not understand how any one else could
But she loved Algernon Burr's square
piano, loved it for its legs.
She would sit silently for minutes gazing
at these richly carved rosewood supports
with an eye beaming with delight. She
had grown to believe that the body of the
piano was merely a secondary matter and
was constructed solely for the exploitation
of the legs. In support of this theory she
called to her aid the fact that the square
bed was loaded with metal in order to give
the great massive legs something to do in
the way of heavy exhibitive lifting.
When Burr had first moved to his room
passes at becoming friendly. She would
glide in at odd hours With feather duster
and whisk at various imaginary specks of
dust, touch the music rather lightly. tickle
portrait of Mozart and finally wind up
with fond brush at the piano legs.
Burr, having found a lack of musical
taste in the well-to-do portion of the COM
munity, was continually seeking 1t in the
poorer members of the human family. He
had found it in his Irish friend McGraw,
and he had hoped to find it in his friend,
Mrs. Tilford.
''would you Ike to hear something, Mrs.
Tilford?' he asked, shortly after making
her acquaintance.
THAT / would she said.
"Pll play you something he said.
'I'H be obliged to you. Mr.. Burr" she
said
AS he proceeded, he caught Mrs. Tilford's
rapt and downcast gaze and he believed he
had touched her with his Interpretation.
When he had finished he waited for some
expression. He was not a man whose ma
ture would permit him to seek appreciation.
Mrs. Tilford gave him the best approba-
ton in the world-silence.
Burr watched her ABSORPTION with delight.
The music had evidently touched her.
That was Schumann's Day Dream I"
he explained.
Mrs. Tilford looked UP.
''Who was Schumann, Mr.. Burr?" she
asked.
He was great composer great mu-
sician''
He made up that piece?'
'Yes''
did he make those legs?"
Mrs. Tilford again directed her adniring
attention to the carved supports.
Burr's heart stopped. He understood her
absorption now.
Perhaps he did. Yes he did," he said
amused.
He must have been very great man."
she said. They are beautiful, aren't they
Mr.. Burr?'
He did not play for Mrs. Tilford again
The piano silent had as many charms for
her as when 1t spoke and Burr wasted no
time.
AT later date Burr had an opportunity
to gather more evidence of Mrs. Tilford's
lack of musical capacity.
McGraw, the Irishman, had dropped In
and requested the favor of something
"passionate-like." Mrs. Tilford happened
in at the same time and was invited to a
seat.
Burr played and McGraw, as usual, clos
ed his eyes and listened peacefully; Mrs.
Tilford as usual. kept her eyes on the won
derful piano legs.
what was that?" asked McGraw.
''The Moonlight Sonata
mighty fine"
at is certainly a beautiful thing
"What they call it Moonlight for?"
asked Mrs. Tilford.
McGraw saw an opportunity to assume a
superior knowledge over Mrs. Tilford and
he did it.
Because it represents Moonlight" said
McGraw with a superior air.
Mrs. Tilford resented McGraw's tone.
Moonlight? What do you mean?"
why, just common moonlight. 1t rep
resents a moonlight night"
1T does, Ell? Well, Mr.. McGraw, will
you be so kind as to tell me If moonlight
rumbles and tumbles around like that?"
ITO the musical person, it does said
ITO the musical person II does, does II,
Mr.. McGraw? I suppose am not musical,
Mr.. McGraw?"
Everybody can't have the opportunity
of fitting themselves for the finer touches
Of Nature said McGraw.
McGraw said this more huently than he
believed he could His own words rang in
his ears and he felt desire to say them
over again. He looked to Burr for appro-
baton instead.
Opportunity" sneered Mrs Tilford, her
voice rising. Opportunity All the oppor-
tunity in the world can't make moonlight
make a noise"
Not TO you" replied McGraw lightly.
ITO met shrieked Mrs. Tilford. ITO me!
But TO you -
Il certainly have a musical ear, Mrs. Til
ford" said McGraw coolly.
You have a musical ear-Sou indeed.
YOU good for nothing, lazy loafer. You
hear because it doesn't take any work to
hear. You beer-guzzling old tom-cat, If
had you I'd box your musical ears for
what I'd dor
McGraw slipped out The controversy
had drifted into a quarrel and that meant
axertion and he was constitutionally op-
posed to eXertion.
Mrs. Tilford collapsed into a chair.
Hes no good" she said, addressing the
man music-teacher.
Burr did not reply and his silence angered
Mrs. Tilford. She expected assent.
You don't believe that moonlight makes
a noise, do your she asked aggressively.
The Moonlight Sonata" said the man
lis music picture. a music
story of a mans emotions on a moonlight
night, Mrs. Tilford.'
What" she exclaimed. do you say
that his feelings made that kind OF
ooise?"
of course not. Mrs. Tilford. They are
merely the result o. his feelings-he has
written than DOWN his emotions-his an
yuish.
II don understand she said.
1T Is the mars thoughts on a moonlight
night written down IN music"