The evening Republican., 1902-07-28
"A COSTLY SYMPHONIC
ny EDWARD q. CLARK.

MafalanU ana lncld6ntaly HcT Fs,VVVSVVV'
Frances was South side belle If she wasn't
South side beauty. She had some sense
with her millions, and she thought, having
handled much coin in her day, that there
wasn't the true ring about the proposals
which she from time&o time, and not much
time between times at that, had received.
The South side youth had about given her
up when Billy Benson appeared on the
scene.
Billy was white goods clerk, and If he
had measured his salary as he did his cloth
he wouldn't nave needed yard stick. Billy.
however, had good address and possessed
plenty of assurance He was talking over
the matter one night at the South Side club
. with four or five OF his chums, at least two
of whom he suspected had as he elegantly
phrased it in his thoughts, been against the
game and lost. Billy heard much at every
one of these gatherings Of Frances Mars
land and her 100000, and how the pick
Of the South town had tried to win both
girl and money 1.-THE only trouble with
these fellows is,' he said to himself, "they
didn't go at the thing right" Then he
turned to Jack Masters, and said: "Jack,
don't take any particular interest in this
thing, but wish you'd tell me if this Miss
Marsland that hear SO much about has
any fads.'
"She has two, Billy" said Jack. "rhey
are money and music, but as matter of
fact, my boy, think the money is poor
second. Fannie MARYLAND is crank if
may use such word in speaking of girl
with Sl,O00,000, on the subject Of music
She talks sonatas, rliapsodies symphonies
to the end of the string. She knows all about
the old masters and the moderns and all
that, and she always carries roll Of music
as big as her roll Of bills, and that's saying
q heap
Billy Benson unused. He thought musing
was the emnently proper thing to do in
case like this Now, to be candid, Billy
didn't know any more about music than he
did about Aramaic but Billy was a good
buffer II was not long after this that he
met Miss Marsland, and he laid himself out
to play the part OF Apollo with the lyric
prominent. 1t was apparent to all the South
side circle and to the rejected ten particu.
larly that this white goods clerk had made
an impression. They didn't know, of course,
that Billy spent three nights of every week
| in the music room Of the Newberry IL
| brary. He dug into the old masters and
| he SKINNED over the moderns. He thought
| the mole"ns were dead easy. Had Billy
| been musician he might have learned that
out of some Of the dusty old Spanish and
other southern European music manuscripts
that he turned over had come many an
air which has done much to give heeting
| fame to certain composers to-day. Billy
| ~ |, ,I
, and the public knows about as little, SO
enough of it, but Billy crammed He had
| all the schools at his tongues end. He was
bright enough, and in the course Of month
he could talk adagio, andante, allegro and
all the other as, and down to the rs, too,
! for that matter.
Billy Benson felt that at last his purpose
if not his heart was tune like that of the
med ieval troubadour who sang outside Of
his lAdy's lattlced window. For some rea-
son or other Frances Marsland thought she
had struck the right thing at last. Billy
| confessed to her that Of playing he knew
not a thing, but that he had made hard
study OF music, and therein Billy told the
TRUTH Whenever Miss Marsland tested the
metal of his musical knowledge the ring
came right. Here at last was The man
whose nature responded to her own.
Billy went nearly bankrupt in concert and
opera tickets. For the theater he said he
cared but lI,le Music was the spring from
which his soul drank. 1t is indeed sad to
relate, but music, both vocal and lnstlu-
mental, was to b'''y Benson the worst OF
bofea' ne never was quite certain whether
me "rrh'''rh was paying n"m'' nWeet
| I I II )
Hume, or Inc Last kose OF summer, but
Inc programme was Always at mana, ana
Wneh II came Gown 10 names ana composers
William was iISAt there.
1T was settled at last to the satisfaction OF
the South SIDE that William Benson, clerk,
was to pick the porN,mmHn. The pcrslmmon
IN tins case was a bit passe, but pefsmmoh'
are 'ruit that Is Salu 10 De better after II
mas been hippcd !t'Ie by time and frost
ana theh again the petsiihmoh Is golueI
nut. bliiy knew ne was a hypocritc, but NJ
| excused himself Tor playing the part on tht
ground That 1t was the dHtJ OF every woman
WITH money I" get married, and that II some
fellow didn't play some KIND OF game th'
Marsland millions would 60 eventually tt
some home tor d"rayed spIns'ers'
Billy knew that the tiu.s was fast APP
| Preaching when he would have TO put TIN
test question, and On the answer woult
depend either yard stick, and white good
for several more years or Fanny MarslanC
and millions Tor he lie asked her TO g
TO the last symphony concert OF ne season
with HIM Sac was delighted, OF course.
You know, MI. Benson, she SAID, the.
are to play the grandest symphony in al
must. Every pulse OF your beng Will b