The Washington herald., 1908-02-03
HART'S GENIUS
BY COLIN s. COLLINS.

violin To-day she stood slightly more
In the shadow and he could barely dis
Germ her face, though his memory needed
no refreshing, and he could see her as
plainly as he had the day before. when
she had stood just IN front Of the window.
over and over again she played the same
airs The head clerk came in for the
mail and Hart waved him away. it was
not until the violin was put away and
the girl sat at the window with some
sewing that Hart could give his attention
to his affairs.
Late in the afternoon the violin was
taken up again. and once more Hart
stopped work that no might drink In TO
the full the sweet strains that seemed 10
gain an added beauty from their environ
ment
For O. week or so Hart enjoyed the daily
concert. then there came "a day when the
windows were closed and the violin did
not sound. In some way Hart worried
through the day, bat when evening fell,
instead Of going direct 90 bis club. as
was his custom. he hunted up the little
house on the back street 10 was with
difficulty that De located the apartment
but 1T last he found the right one and
made eager inquiry Of the slatteTnly wOm-
an who announced herself as the jani.
tress
They were gone she told him. the little
old professor and bis daughter. She did
not know whore they had gone. They
We're annoying the other tenants with
their everlasting playing and had been
asked To move on that account
Great heavens" Easped Hart. you
would probably turn out Paderewsh him
self"
we don't take thin Hungariaus" ex-
planned the j5ultress. "Tho little Dutch
professor was bad enough. Diyl another
wan ay thin comes I'm here"
Hart turned away heartsiek and dis
couraged. Now that the girl was gone he
felt that he had let pass out oS his life
the one woman who would have made
him happy. All the evening De mOped
at the club. and iu tile days 60 come the
employees az the Office asked each other
uuEiOusly If the depression in stocks had
impaired the capital uf the business. Only
business worries could account To them
for Hart's irritabuitv
Then came "a night when one of his as
s0ciates at the club insisted upon carry
ing him of 20 a vaudeville house.
There's q musical act on that YOU viii
like YOU can't afford 90 miss IT," he
urged. ard Hart went for company's
sake. though be detested the musical Of
ferjnEs Of vaudeville
The seats We're easy. smoking was per-
m.tted. and Hart found himself comfort
able bored until the next to the last num-
ber was announced.
This is great, something new" ex-
planned his companion. and Hart regarded
curi0usly the black void OF the stage.
Nothing could De seen save the black
curtains with which the stage was huns
The music was playing q weirdly fan
tastic introduction. a flash Of binding
light ran across the front OF the stage
sending 10 the flies a cloud OF smoke
which cleared to disclose a woman garbed
in white
Hart started forward in his seat. then
fell back again II was the girl Of across
the way. Now CIingiuE robe or white
fell in graceful folds from her shoulders.
and her masses OF golden hair were left
unbound. She looked out at the audience
with inscrutible eyes and raised the vio-
lin % her chin
She played the same selections that ne
had heard in his Office, and when at last
the curtain fell and a whirr announced
The commencement Of the motion pictures
Hart sought out the manager. whom he
knew slightly.
mo mashing there" declared the man
ager, with a laugh. when Hart begged for
an introduction. Her father IS with her
all the time"
II want to meet them both" explained
Hart The playing is wonderful have
never heard the like
Something in his eaTnestHesS carried his
point and presently he was behind the
scenes. shaking hands with a bent and
withered little man who nervouslv paced
the stage while he waited for his daugh-
ter. Hart was introduced as an inter
viewer and at his suggestion the party.
including the manager. adjourned to a
restaurant. where they could chat IN
greater freedom
To his surprise the girl Che now knew
her 10 be Mona Munth) seemed to avoid
talk Of music, turning helplessly TO her
father as Hart repeatedly brought the
conversation around to that topic. a girl
who could play so beautifully should be
able to talk we'll upon her beloved art
The supper was but the first OF many
Hart could make himself very entertain
ing when ne so wished, and the old man
seemed to find in him kindred spirit.
The end Of their engagement was draw
lllk lliul tIA'it IIui AVAAu llit ADttl dEt
to speak Of his love. Mona grew white
as he told her how her music had en-
slaved his heart, and Herman Munth,
walking behind hurried up as she turned
gaspingly TO call him For a moment he
listened. then he turned TO Hart.
rs 1t that you love her or her music?n
lie demanded.
Both" was the prompt response. TT
was the music that first attracted me.
And without the music?'
Without it?' Hart was puzzled.
we had to DO it. explained the old
msn. Il could not make much teaching
ard me. old and worn. they would not
have on the concert stage. So / con-
ceived the idea that in vaudeville a beau
tiful girl would be accepted where I would
be turned away. Very well, II is I who
play; not Mona. She does but initiate
my bowling while l. behind a screen.
make the music You saw her practice
how to bow so they would not know. She
is tone deaf; she cannot play a note
And to think" cried Hart, as he reach
ed out his hand for hers. that I thought
it was her music all the time. Now I
know that it is she and not the music. =
Copyright 1905, By NJ. N. Cunningham
Only ten cents "A week, delivered al