The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-07-05
A PatrOneSS
OF Genius
By HOWARD FIELDING
CoDyri0lt 1o0I bv Charles w HOOla
By HOWARD FIELDING

y RRS. CULVER is a widow,
HWI young and fair and very rich.
& q Her ways have been ways Of
pleasantness throughout the
whole span of her years, and she is to-
day the happiest creature that exists
under the blue arch of heaven. Even
u trihing malady Of the heart with
which she is afflicted may be counted
as Il blessing not only to herself. but
to her physician and to me- 1t spices
her life with 4 delightful though
wholly imaginary uncertainty. She is
capable of a delicious melancholy and
reads the works of the gentler philosO-
piers with profit and joy which
might otherwise be denied to her. And
besides she takes Il lively pleasure in
changing her will about once in three
months. with the help of my legal adj
vice. Upon such occasions the enumcr-
alton of her various properties gives
her Il childish qualification wholly I'M
nercenaFy, liberal fee is mine, and
when 1 meet her doctor we never fail
to shake hands upon the excellent state
of Mrs. Culver'S health and upon the
cheering prospect that her generosity
may still be IN amelioration of our
lives in this hard world years hence
when we are old.
Mrs. Culver is a diScOyerer of genius,
chiefly in the fields of music and poetry,
and has helped many worthy young
persons, with only Il moderate sprin-
king of mere schemers and spongers
Every new object Of her favor inspires
her with a fresh desire to attack the
impossible problem of establishing Il
permanent charity for the needy chill
dren of Apollo, and (only upon paper,
of cOurse) | have sQuandered millions
for her in this way. y natural deli
cacy restraints her from immediate
benefactiOns- of any great magnitude.
and so she adds u codicil TO her volume
nous will and nearly always revises
( her general scheme of charity at the
same time
Upon certain day had an appoint
ment TO call upon Mrs. Culver ut in
the afternoon. and l looked forward TO
/ the usual agreeable interview.
When l entered her house l was
aware of music. very good music, as 1
am compelled to admit Some one was
playing upon the piano in the smaller
drawing room upon my right. 1 guess
! ed at once that the performer must be
a young Dane named Nils KrOnOld,
whose genius had recently been
brought 10 Mrs. Culvers attention.
T The butler informed Mrs. Culver of
my presence. and she came to the re-
/ ception room. where we exchanged a
few words. l learned that she had en-
cOuntered Mr.. KrOnold in one of the
big stores and had brought him home
in her carriage. If l cared to hear him
play she would take me into the draw
ing room, but if time pressed with me
she would dismiss him and give her at
! tentiOn to business.
/ Meanwhile the talented Dane con-
tinued to discourse most excellent mu-
sic, and although my conversation with
Mrs. Culver occupied more minutes
than the brief summary of it might
seem to indicate. Mr.. Kronold did not
cease ID play. The sound was always
in my ears, although not constantly at
tended. yet / am sure that if it had
been interrupted beyond the natural
small pauses Of the musical score 1
should instantly have been aware Of
the fact and should not have failed to
remember it afterward.