The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-12
Stories of an Inland State.

There was Occa Sionally an embarrassing
pause in Agnes reading and quick silent
perusal of the following lines indicating
that she feared she would read something
to the musician he should not hear
You are skipping something?" he asked
suspic,ously.
She did not answer.
'G.ve me the paper" he said.
She handed him the sheet reluctantly. He
read at length and then let 1t fall, para
chute-like. to the floor.
He smiled kindly.
$50 a great specialist has given an In
tervtew. Ell? And I am crazy?"
TT was unprosessional." said Agnes
holly.
why unpro.essional? The good man
must have advertising and he can not do
It in a regular way. So he buys seat at
my concert, watches me and then tells the
public that am mad. BAH
Agnes looked at him severely.
II have no doubt you think SO also.
You know 1 have suspected"
The woman made a nervous motion OF
denial.
Don't treat me as Child he said. "Of
course I am crazy. But grant me the ex-
emption of-grant me that 1 am not fool.
You are saying in your own mind now that
the mad always deny their alteration.
That Is very true. 1 am quite insane now
and with a mad mans slyness am seeking
to inve!gle you into the conviction that
am not. I shall say that am daft and you
believe I am getting my sanity back again.
I shall deny that ! am mad and you are
straightway convinced my insanity returns.
Who then is insane? You or myself? be-
lieve IN my soul that you and the specialist
need treatment
But -'
1.-THE maid and the brook"
81 did not intend to speak OF that -"
But 1 do. That is the foundation of 1t
ali. I grant you love is lunacy and 1 ant
In love with that maid at the brook. Your
belief that she is the brooding shadow OF an
old memory may be correct L will not
argue that wish 1t were so. But let me
turn violently insane again. She lives m
that music. I can see her here at the
brook and do her homage. She is very
beautiful, very pure and as heavenly as the
upper wastes Of interminable ether where
he stars shine. Look apprehensive now. 1
am going to have another Mt. love tnat
woman. It is TO her go through the ring
Ing strains that come from the piano. By
no other road may reach her. 1t Is mere
~ secondary and incidental that the by
ISLANDERS In the theatre Ike the music. They
Ike 1t because there is something there.
something passionate, strong, intense soul
stirring. The folly has been in telling the
story In words"
The musician laughed and twirled his
cigarette across the room. Then he con-
tinued:
'I should say to the public. Here you
are, Sixty and four wire strings OF various
sizesl See these keys, I strike them! A
hammer cracks against the strings! That
Is sound, See. I mix them so, Is that no;
beautiful? But the strings are doing IT, my
dears. the strings and the hammers and
nv fingers. Is it not beautiful?
And what would the public say to that?"
He paused for reply which he intended
giving himself.
THE public would say: 'Algernon Burr,
what an exceedingly sensible musician you
arev"
Bat I say to thera: Listen! The keys
ere nothing; the fingers are nothing. The
hammers are nothing. Listen! This Is the
yearning of my soul! This music IS my
soul! This sound is my passion, not the
mathematical per second vibration OF
steel string. This music is my soul, 1 tell
you and there IS a woman there and a long
meadow and a chattering brook and CULVER
ing sunlight on velvet sward, and my soul
soes out to her to do her homage, riding,
witch-like, on the galloping spirit of the
song!'
'Madr cries the public. Stark mad" I"
The musician took a cigarette. Agnes
lighted it for him and he puffed away
solemnly, repeating:
mad Stark mad"
Agnes looked down upon the floor
'You say nothing" he asked.
mo"
MY argumen. Is more evidence Of IN
sanity 1 suppose?"
"Algernon, You are frivolous.''
eff must be mad, let me be happy"
Agnes smiled YEARLY.
Remember" he said seriously. 'If this
Is madness have told you of, I shall re-
main mad"
Agnes stroked his hair gently.
Take her away and you will have fn-
gers, hammers and strings but no soul and
no audiences"
You believe that?''
Eyes. For the auditor has a soul and It
ca tchss an echo Of mine. Explain, If you
can, the popularity otherwise"
Your execution.
Eyes. Tecnnique-a word trey used to
laugh about on. west.'
Yes
ut is the cross-bar in the 4 Of the al
phabet of the language of the soul. Moth
ing more
Agnes smiled. The bell rang. III he is
reporter said Burr, 81 must see him."
See him! You have always denied them
Eyes. but he will ask me about my in
sanity. Let me see him.
It proved to be a newspaper reporter.
Burr offered him a seat and cigarette.
The reporter was embarrassed with an
unspoken question.
You have heard - he asked stammer-
ing.
About the insanity? Yes. I am not in
sane. The shorter denial in a case like
this the more credutty it Will receive. Is
that not so?''
You are right" said the reporter charm
ed with the manner of the great artist.
II have another thing 10 ask" said the
reporter Il would like you TO answer this
question: What is requisite TO success IN
music
You do not use pencil. I shall ask