The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-07-28
A French Horn
Among
The Philistines
By JEFFERSON NOEL
Copyright, 1893, by jefferson Noel

"a blowing hard enough to raise
"a freckles on an Indian. The
alkali laden sand scurried
over the desert, binding us and our
ponies and envelOping Old landmarks
in a cloud. Toward shutdown it eased
up little, and when we had finished
our dry tea only an occasional puff
came to remind us Of the days dis
comfort
When a lull came in the converse ton
l arose and sauntered beyond carShot
of the camp. Juan, the Mexican,
seemed to have been waiting for a
break in the circle and started in the
opposite direction. CHANGING over my
shoulder l saw Metcalf standing alone,
throwing an armful of brush on the
frctful fire. Macpherson and Williams.
being old cronies and bit exclusive in
their tipple when towns were far
apart, had gone off, l thought. to fin
ish the Randsburg bottle.
l was dimly conscious of something
strange about the whole proceeding.
On the desert men never wander away
from camp, especially when a stranger
is left on guard. This Metcalf-here
anything that was dim and uncertain
In my consciousness gave way to Il
clearly defined imaEe-this Metcalf had
been picked up at the Needles, and. in
the prospectOrs' way, we asked no
questions. None of us knew him. Sup
+bp,,rG+ hn CHI =;
on that dancing bit of flame? Sup
pose he should pack everything of val
lie on the ponies and make bee line
for civilization?
| heSitated between two impulses
The camp needed me, but since early
morning l had waited impatiently for
this hour. | wanted to be alone.
wanted to sing.
Something other than the sense per-
suaded me the music breaking for ut
terance was of high order. Having
only an Indifferent memory for sweet
sound, and. l must confess, a taste
that might be termed popular, l was
carried off my feet as much by the
recognition of its merit as by its CON
tinual recurrence. But, strange as it
might seem, despite the continual re
Currence when l was surrounded by
distractions, at the very moment | had
an opportunity to do more than listen
in dumb ecstasy, try as | might, could
not recall a single note. Laying the
blame on my anxiety over the possible
loss of our traps, l allowed the other
impulse to get the upper hand ard re-
turned to camp.
Metcalf was lying on his back, smok-
ing. There was no greeting. He did
not even turn his head About his in
difference, which was extraordinary, l
cared nothing, for just as l got within
six feet of him the tantaIi2ing air
came again full born into my brain.
1 wondered at my grasp of such a
masterpiece. My conception was com
plete to the final note, and, though l
had never taken a lesson in music,
knew-felt, rather-wherein it conform
ed to the highest standards of the art.
l followed the futelike tones that
were ringing in my ear, and, finally
obeying something stronger than my
will, | threw back my head and,
shaping my mouth as l had seen the
fellows of the glee club at the universe
ty shape theirs, sang.
Metcalf's groaning brought ME to a
realization of the absurd figure l cut
standing in the center of the camp
beating time with a wisp of sage and
singing to the moon as though my life
depended on it. Hastily throwing
some scrub on the fire, l set off with
the determination of reaching the final
cadence without interruption if l walk
ed to the other side of the desert
When beyond Metcalf's hearing
stopped and gathered myself together.
The discovery of a talent is something
to be well considered. Perhaps my abil-
ity as a composer would rank me above
mediocrity. 1t would be impossible to
conceive of one musical theme exhaust
ing my originality; rather might it be
expected to aid development in that di-
rection.
Throwing back my head formed my
lips to sing, and not note came forth.
All my mental turnings and twistings
were of no avail; not a suggestion of
the melody that was to open up a no.
BILE career for me came to the fore
ground of consciousness. My castles
were ruins.
The reaction caused by my failure
brought a feeling akin to disgust.
Waiting, dull and inert, not caring if
the elusive air ever returned, my ear
caught the faint echo of whistling off
to the right. l went in the direction of
it, AS l drew near enough to distin-
guish between the sounds there seemed
a strange familiarity in them. BY
stretching the imagination a resem-
blance to my own elusive air could be
discovered
Forgetting the Indifference of mo-
ment ago, grew furious. Here was
some scoundrel who had evidently
heard me practicing near the fire try
ing to steal the product of my genius.
Drawing near, l was about to tax him
with his dishonesty when he stopped
and, stretching his arms above his
head, rose from the sand heap. His
EEbunDO SpOOrD nc no DoSSpd On bic