Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1908-05-14
The Inspiring of
.<... Hartman
BY Angela Morgan.
Copyright, 1902, by w. r. Hearst

Hartman had felt from the frs. that it
was a mistake for him to leave his old
rooms in Twenty-thrd street True. the
new uptown apartment was much more
in keeping with his artistic tastes and with
his rapidly changing fortunes. Yet in
thought he chung TO the shabby bachelor
quarters where for five years he had
struggled for the fame that VAS now
gliding his horizon.
Being musical genius and a composer.
1t may be that his erratic temperament
had TO do with the almost superstit.ous
fondness with which he regarded the old
place
Amid those poor though blessed sur
roundings he had done his best creative
work His den had become 10 him
magic center where his thoughts We're
thrilled and his ambitions stimulated The
very walls and hangings faded though
they We're, had seemed to breathe inspira-
ton When he departed Hartman felt
that he left that inspiration behind
Established In his new home. he could
not but appreciate the glow and beauty
of harmonious appointments. But eNter-
mails do not make mental atmosphere
Hartman knew at once tina, it would be
/ his task to create that atmosphere. and
/ that he would not be able to write until
4 he did
Then came discovery that appalled,
| i'm In the fiat below some del,idad hui
man being "practiced' daily upon the
piano. Now indeed was Hartman con-
| WINGED that he had made a mistake in
! moving from the old place.
Not only daily but hourly did this mis-
! guided creature--he presumed it was a
| wo1nan-torture the plano and the untor-
l tunate composer alike.
! Try ha be.t rDt conc ~
4 upon his work. Rapturous strains that
4 had been singing trmuphantly in his brain
refused to precipitate themselves upon pa
per whenever the banging and stramminG
! commenced. Golden themes elusive ami
| tantalizing- touched his Imagination, only
to dissolve maddeningly into nothnsless
| at sound of the eXcruci2ting diScords from
the fiat below.
The situation must he met somehow
| Better TO injure the feelings of his neigh
bor than to jeopardi2e the success of his
4 new opera. Nevertheless. he hesitated 1T
was delicate undertaking. He hated to
trample upon the tender sensiblitles of u
woman
Then one day something happened which
4 put to rout with startling abrnptness his
| kindly scruples concerning his supposedly
| frail and sensitive neighbor. ON his way
4 upstairs he encountered her just emerging
i from her fiat She was tall, she was
4 square jawed. she was aggressive, She
was in short, an exaggerated type of new
| woman.
He might have known it, Was she not
\ the very personifcation of the harsh and
4 clamorous music that daily disturbed hin"
4 The fact that she carried music roll left
/ no doubt in his mind as to her identity.
Then and there Hartman resolved that
he would speak his mind the very next
time that occasion demanded it.
4 The following morning proved 10 be that
time The player had tackled some of
Hartman's own compositions and was
numbering them merclessly II was too
much. The wild-eyed and dcspairing must
clan leaped to his feet and rushed down
stairs. thoroughly prepared for bastle.
AT his imperative knock the playing
ceased He heard FOOTBALLS across the hard
wood hall floor within. Then the door
opened.
Madam" he began sternly but go. nc
futher. No squarejawed aggressive wo-
man faced him but a 1.-the. lovely girl IL
a pretty morning dress. Her brown eyes
were lifted limpidly to his staring ones
You wish to see me-? she inquired
gen;l:t.
In that moment of utter darkness Hart
man struggled for lde., as he had meyer
struggled before. even in the composition
of his most noted works
II called to say h. explained. gasp
ingly. but paused in CONSERVATION. Wha;
had he called to say
A sudden inspiration saved him The
cook overturned a tub OF water upstairs, "
he burst forth "and / feared perhaps /,
might damage your ceiling
She smiled upon him How kind o.
you she said. you are good To take
the trouble
No trouble whatever. he assured her
perhaps can help you -