The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1914-11-19
SUCCESS Of SMITH
Story Of How an Apparently Aim
less Boy Became a Great
Composer.
Ey D. h. TALMADGE.

Willy Smith-fair-haired, dreamy.
worthless Willy, as we called him at
school-slammed into my office one
day last week, and pumped into a
chair at my elbow.
Congratulate me, old chap" he
gasped.
did so, then asked him somewhat
GROSSLY why.
Haven't you heard it," he asked.
Not word Of it," | replied
As matter Of fact, | had not seen
Willy for months, he having left the
city early in the autumn to accept a
position in a village mercantile eStab-
liShment somewhere in an adjoining
commonwealth. 1t was a plain job in
an ordinary country store that he had
been given by a kind-hearted uncle,
but it was WHY'S job and he had
perfect right to call it by any term he
chose. respected the privilege, be-
cause had accepted a position my
self
Willy had never been famous as
discipline CT strenuousness in life, for
which reason he was not considered to
be SO we'll fitted as he might otherwise
have been for taking up the struggle
of existence. After he left school he
pOttered about in an aimless way look.
ing for work which was not weari-
some. He found several openings,
believe, but the salary attachments
thereof were not to his liking, and he
had given up in disgust, devoting
thereafter many hours of precious
time to thumring the piano in his
mothers parlor-a decrepit old instru-
ment which walled and shrieked pitt
fully under the treatment. He was
still humping, and eating with his
mothers boarders, when the kind
hearted uncle came to the rescue.
What" he exclaimed. You haven't
heard of it,"
Not word Of it," l repeated.
Then" said he, rising to his feet
and dramatically stabbing the air with
his arm, know that | have achieved
one of the greatest musical hits of the
day AS you are aware'-he tossed
his hat to the top of my desk, and
excitedly ran his fingers through his
saffron hair-"I always had penchant
for music. Twas so even when | was
tiny child. loved music. yearned
to be a composer. Twas not mean
ambition. You remember the chap
who said that thing about writing the
songs Of a nation? Well, felt that
way-ever so much. But ! never re-
ceived any encouragement, either at
home or at school, You fellows
thought l was lazy. 1t wasn't that; it
| was"
"Genius?' l suggested.
That's it. Thanks. I didn't like to
say it myself but that was 4, and
had it pretty bad. Meeher got no
ton into her head after I left school
that | ought to take lessons, and l did
it for a time just to please her. The
time and money were wasted My in
| structor said he wouldn't instruct me
| if | wouldn't practice, and | wouldn't
| practice the idiotic stuff he gave me
SO that ended that Then | went ovel
yonder and found a sympathetic sou
and glory. Just thought as long as
was in the city, that I'd drop in ant
tell you about it for the sake of ault
lang syne."
Glad you did, Willy" said I with
out much enthusiasm. "But yo'
haven't told me about it yet. &c
ahead"
We'll, it's song-a ripper. Coling
way, up at the Casino is wild over it
Says he'll sing it Saturday night
Barr & Co., the music publishers. havt
made me a proposition which ] an
now considering. It's worth littl
fortune to me whichever way l TAX
it. They pronounce the piece tn
most original composition that ha
come to their notice for months. Oh
, Barr invited me up to dinner today
but | couldn't go because of mother
Naturally, mother expects me to ca
with her when I'm in the city for onl
a day. l promised uncle I'd be bac
tomorrow morning There's car {
-four to be unloaded, and helps scarc'
I'd do anything to accommodate uncle
= he's never made fun of me. Besides
, I've got my wife with me, and She
got some sort Of church entertain
ment on for tomorrow night"
Your wife. Willy! Heavens! Al
you married."
4 why, yes. Been married thre
S weeks. Going to get out some al
nouncements soon as this song bus
ness is settled. Will send you on
: You see, the song and the marrias
are rather mixed together. My wife
tecniquy sort. Does the Eighth m
' sici$n-one of the practicy, symphor
Al of somebody or other and the Ru
sian dance and all those things ;
painfully as anybody ] ever hear
: PLAYS the most difficult music at sig