The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-04
Stories of an Inland State.

comic opera, in company with the meek
hollow-eyed musician whom Agnes be
lieyed to be a second List, trundled away
to New York
The musician was weak and Hstless. Ag-
mes was always near him, smoothing the
pillow under his head. covering him with
her cloak and carrying him glasses of wa
ter and lunches which she bought along
the road.
He received these attentions with wan
smile and a murmur OF thanks. In all his
life before there had been no kindness, 10
attention, care and solicitude. and now
when il came to him from this new friend,
he had forgotten the virtues of ELUSIVE
ress.
You are very good to me-" he said. as
he turned his head on the pillow and looked
at Agnes. ''You are very good
And don't you know why?I' she asked
playfully.
He shook his head.
'It Is because you are a genius" she said.
when you are great, then you VIII have
the whole world for friend
He smiled feebly.
land then 1 shall be the best friend OF
all because 1 was friend in need"
Would you really care?"
my childi OF course 1 would"
Would anybody carer"
"My dear child The whole world would
care. Genius has the whole world for a
mother. She adopts him for her own; cod
dies, humors, pets and sometimes spoils
him. but loves him always"
WHY"
Because he Is the brightest child among
them; because the world is proud Of him !;
ard his works are common property"
Would she care?" asked Burr.
"She?"
He nodded.
"Oh, yes. The little western girl, Clarar'
Yes"
''She would be very proud to have known
you"
The man shut his eyes. This Clara oc-
cupies his mind a great deal A western
flower i suppose He viii forget her"
thought Agnes
Agnes was sure he would forget her.
II shall become famous?' he asked.
81 am sure of that" she replied
'And back there they viii all know IL
know that am famous-back there where
they desp,sed me-wi1 they know it?"
Yes"
And when shah become famousT'
Soon Your music Will be a revelation"
And I can go back there, back there
where they dsspised me?'
Yes. And you can spit upon them and
grind them under your feet and insult and
humiliate them"
Abr ne sighed. you are so good"
You would like to humiliate them?"
abr he answered, vehemently. Il
could stamp upon them, 1 could wipe
them away forever. So"
He waved his hand through the air.
Then, falling in spirit again, he said:
But 1t Will be so long-they will forget
and she will forget"
No." said Agnes, they will not forget.
They will live to feel with shame their
treatment Of you. Surely Clara will not
forget?"
Yes" he said, 'She has forgotten now"
The musician said this with such sad
ness that Agnes ceased the conversation.
'She VIII forget" he SAID again.
You think so?" asked Agnes, with an
Interest she concealed.
Yes. She will forget. VIII she not for
get?"
mo. She will not forget am sure Of
that"
You are very good" ne answered.
Listen! I shall become famous. And I
shall 60 back there and they shall renem-
Der me- I will insult them. / Will humil-
late and offend them, every man and wo-
man Of them. I shall be great. l shall
play d,scords and say to them, That is fine
music. Dare deny ii, for 1 am famous.
and the world says that my music IS fine.
I shall take their money. the money they
love so well, hundreds of dollars of it, and
I shall play the simplest child melodies and
run the scales up and down for an hour
and say: That ends the performance
And I shall laugh at them ard say
Wasn't It beautiful? shall pound with
my fists and tangle the strings In the
piano and break the keys in the bass and
say: That Is classical. How do you like
it, you beasts? And when 1 am famous
they shall mot get me until they come and
beg of me to come until they give me a
guarantee as big as a house, and then
shall go reluctantly, and l shall play across
the board with my fingers and never touch
key and never make a sound, and then in
an hour I shall rise and say: That was
an imitation of moonlight striking the
ground Remember me, They shall not
forget me! 1 shall step upon the stage and
disregard their applause in contempt, I
shall touch the keys of the plano and say
Take It away 1t is a tin-pan.' 1t will
be the best instrument they have in the
town, But 1 shall not play, I VIII say
NO musician can play on that And my
marager shall step upon the stage and
say: Mr., Burr can not play on your In
strunent, Il Is not good enough. Unless
another can be provided within a few mo-
men;s the audience will be dismissed
their money to be refunded at the door.
So. will throw their dirty money back
into their faces. L; viii De too poor for
me, Burr. the man music teacher, the de-
sp;sed, the starved, 10 touchi Ard 1 will
lcUsn a. them. 1 VIII go upon the stage
and SAY:
Go home. you poor grocery men and
you poor livery stable artists and you
poor clearinghouse virtuosos: go home
and play on your cabinet organs, You can
appreciate that. You cannot appreciate
me! Take your money end go! Spend It
ON pork for your stomachs, You can hear
with your ears free.
The man music teacher. the victim OF
an unappreciative community. was on fire
With his thoughts OF a sweet revenge.
Take your ears ! will say. Take them
along with you 10 hear the price OF some
thing TO eat and something 10 wear and
something 20 trade. The good Lord gave
your ears for that. not 20 feed your souls
no. not 10 feed your souls, for you- souls
have long ago withered and blown away
across your dry. dusty. colorless pra.ries.'
And I shall say: The poor Hungarian.
the slave OF his Lord. has & ina from his
work to hear-snd the oppressed Pole has
a soul 20 hear. ani the &C. mar peasant
has a heart 10 move WIN concord o:
sweet sounds; and the lowly Indian Will
listen: the despise6 negro among You.
black as his skin. s sIill alive 70 sounds
OF kindred soul. hu. ycG---ou have long
been hopelessly deaf AM y3u shall remain
so forever, Curse you al
Miss Adams. the act-ess. listened to this
in establishment. Agnes was nightly pleas
ed a. this long. ra.uG'nC, intense speech.
He has spirit. a least" she SAID -
/ herself.
A moment later Agnes and Miss Adams