The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-23
The EVENING STORY
Frank Vernon's Quest of the Muse.
By Jane Osborn.)

/
incident had all shaped themselves in
his mind, and he was sure that two or
| three months of uninterrupted work
would see the book ready for the pub
| fishers.
but I can't write the thing here -
he said to the young man who shared
his small boarding house room. He
gazed diSconsolately at the assortment
| of cravats, ink bottles, pipes, slippers.
| books, pencils and shaving mugs that
cluttered chairs. bed, bureau, desk
| and table. Some of the old buffers
/ who turned out good stuff lived in gar
| rets. but I'll bet you the price Of a good
lunch that the garrets didn't have
much In them"
You ought to get married, old man."
| said Jimmy, his roommate. cheerfully,
as he searched energetfca1ly for a
| handkerchief in the bookcase IT'S
great the way a girl can keep things IN
order"
At couldn't afford it, and. besides.
don't want to. But really. Jimmy, I'm
| in earnest want to get out I'm the
and in the cool green quiet Of the
fragrant woods pursue the fieeting
muse OF literature. If can't catch her
I'll come back and take that position
| the Daily Courier people said would
be ready for me next fall
Jimmy laughed 'T know just the
place for you to CO." he said. "A quiet
farm house on the edge of a wooded
world live there and take boarders in
summer
That's all right, excepting the other
boarders. They'd be a distraction as
bad as cravats and slippers all over the
furniture"
"I can fix that up announced Jim
my confidently. My little sisters stay
ing there, and I'll write her a letter and
tell her friend of mine, who's engaged
to a girl who's travelling in Europe. is
coming down to seek peace and com
fort in solitude. I'll ask her to put the
others on, so they'll let you alone"
Thus it was that, a couple of weeks
later, Frank Vernon, with two suit
cases containing a minimum of cravats
and maximum of pads, pencils and
pens, reached the peaceful, comfortable
farm house where Mr.. and Mrs. Gray
took summer bOarderS.
The first evening of his stay, Frank
met Patricia, Jimnly's sister, tall,
slim young woman, with soft hair and
deep, dark eyes.
The next day Frank started forth in
quest of the muse, his pockets bulging
comfortably with pipe and tobacco
pouch, plenty of soft pencils, paper.
and a bundle of sandwiches. He
struck joyfully from the road, up the
wooded hill, determined to seek out
comfortable spot where he could come
every day to work.
Almost at the crest of the little hill
he came to the very spot he was
seeking. A great bowlder jutting over
the edge of the hill formed small
ing view up and down the valley.
Frank climbed up to the fiat sur
face of the rock. From a fissure in
the middle of it grew plucky little
pine tree. and in its shade he threw
himself down on the soft carpet of
moss and cones. The distant tinkle
of cowbells sounded from the pastures
below. Bird calls came from the
branches above. q gentle breeze rus
tied through the trees, and a nearby
brook muttered pleasantly.
eff the muse I'm seeking lives in
these parts at ALL" said Frank. as he
sprawled in the sunshine, pm sure
she lives here. Hello" he said, sud
denly, sitting up, There she comes
now!"
Mingled with the sound of bird and
brook and rustling leaves came a girls
clear voice, singing. Presently over
the bowlder edge appeared a brown
cap, stray curl or two, and then two
surprised. dark eyes.
The voice stopped suddenly as
Jimmy's sister recognized Frank.
'well, how did you find it? It's mine"
she said.
I'm in search of a muse and I
thought she might live here"
I'm the only muse that lives here.
If I'm not the muse you're looking
for you can go. / shan't, for this is
my house, and I come here every |
day"
She unpinned her cap and fastened /
it to one of the branches above her, /
deposited a basket of fruit and bis /
cults at the foot of the tree and sat |
down.
I'll keep you from getting lone
some, if you're going to stay" she an
whats her name?"
Whose name?''
''Oh. Jimmy told me about her. you
know"
ooh, of course said Frank. flush
ing as he recalled his role of engaged /
man. 'It's-of, it's Angelina"
Beautiful! Is she little or big?"
"Um-wlly, Arabella's not exactly
either: sort of BOTH" SAID Frank des-
perately
well" said the girl, at know just
what Arabella-Angelins looks like"
She looked at him and her dark eyes
sparkled with laughter.
81 call her Arabella for short"
stammered Frank boldly.
Never mind. Some day you must
tell me more about her. But TIL not
lease you any more today. Shall I
read to yOu?"
And so the morning passed, Patri-
,ia reading from a book of poems and
magazine she had brought with her
Ind Frank lying on the ground listen
ng and watching her. When lunch
lime came they shared their sand
anu ITQil. Drought WdIcH
rom the little brook to drink and Pa
ricia gathere1 flowers for festiveness.
The summer passed as summers will
PASS. Franks masterpiece Jared bad
y. For between doubt as to whether
lie had better admit that Angelina was
myth, and so lose Patricia's friend
hip, or persist in the deceit and so
ose a chance of making her care for
i'm, his mind was in no state for ,
teady work.
Every day he sought the home of
he muse, and sometimes he wrote. | 6
But he found imprisoned odes and !
.erfIa sonnefs more to his liking than