Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-04-12
Evening Star S
Daily Story
COLGATE'S INSPIRATION
BIZ MOLLY arcsIAsTER.

eSUH6cs BAQuiiu OuI lBTOuEU Tic utn u
a city fiat, had lacked entirely the
charm of his earlier efforts. His rep
utation. so recently gained, would
suffer irreparable damage If he could
not offer his publishers another
Moonlight Madness" or "A Fairy $
Dream" These two songs had
pitched Colgate into fame before he
quite realized that they had gone
through the publishers press.
When inspiration had forsaken him,
Colgate had held a counsel of sug
gestion with his cronies 1t was
Hapgood, of the Musical Review.
who had told Colgate about the camp
in the Adirondacks that would SIM.
ply breathe into his listening ear all
the melodies and shy whisperings
that any music lover needed.
There's laughter in a tiny stream
up there and sadness and joy in the
purring of the wind" Hapgood had
added, as If slightly fearful that
amusement would spring into the
eyes fixed upon him, '.and the odor
of pine needless" Hapgood had
drawn deep breath and reminis-
cent smile had crossed MS faee.
1t had to be the odor of pine
needles that had made Colgate de-
eide to go up to the small camp IN
the Adirondacks. 1t took him less
than a week to make all preparation
and locate himself among the songs
of the mountains glory.
He reflected idly that Hapgood
need not have been ashamed OF
poetic rawlings. There was no living
poet who could adequently describe
the peculiar charm of Ragged Edge
camp. Colgate himself did not try.
but the awe-inspiring beauty OF the
mountain lake at sunset or in the
throes OF a great storm, the moon
lit balsam grove and the twitter OF
birds and leaves all STEPPED his be-
ing In d music so rare that Colgate
moved about as a man in cream.
He was fearful lest he awake and
find himself lying in his nat with the
noise OF a piano-player humping the
ceiling above him.
He was the more startled than on
moonlit night to open his eyes
slowly after q short siesta among the
odorous balsam needles to see slim,
daintily-cIad girl standing gazing
down at him.
you have had quite long sleep,"
she said softly. Colgate could not
remember having heard a voice so.
wonderful.
who are you and where did you
come fron?" he questioned, rising
quickly to his feet. Though con-
vinced that he was dreaming still
Colgate felt a strong desire to test
the power of speech.
'If YOU ask questions I will never
come again." was the answer he was
given. $50 long as your curiosity
remains a negative quality will visit
the baIsan grove every moonlit eve
ming for half an hour"
Give me your hand" demanded
IN hrao fIlaSeftr
isn't this rather sudden" ques-
toned the girl with a soft laugh.
''I only want to make sure that
you are human" he told her.
"Humphif' murmured the girl, and
slipped her fingers Into his. He held
them.
"Don'tl'' the girl cried with a star
tied gasp Upon her immediate re-
lease she turned her emotion to
laughter. Am human?" she ques-
toned.
VERY, very human" Colgate said,
and his breath came rather heavily.
And I will tell you right now that
II you intend visiting this grove every
moonlit night / will have to be more
than human if
Mocking laughter rippled from the
girls lips.
I'm that case you would be as mad
as the hero of a song know. Shall
sing 1t to your"
Colgate did not answer before she
had bursst into the opening phrase of
his own ballad. moonlight Madness"
''The hero in the song was tempted
TO kiss the girls lips because they
were so softly red In the moonlight"
1-enlarked Colgate. IT am tempted,
also but am not going to fall"
THAT Is very nice of you. The
composer Of that song is no doubt
entirely lacking in the romanticism
that breathes from his lyrics, a fogy
old person who wouldn't kiss a girl If
he got chance" The mocking laugh
again fell from her lips, and she drew
SO near to Colgate that her rhythmic
breathing seemed also to ibe his own.
'I wouldn't tempt him too far If
were you" he said, and smiled down
at the girls upturned face. You are
very, very lovely" he added. "If you
laugh again as you laughed just now
I think before retiring I could COM
pose a ballad called 'Mocking Laugh
ter"
The girl heaved a sigh. There was
broken melody In her voice.
II will try to make you live up
hero Of a song, and all you do is
think of more songs" She turned
away from him. IT am going now
and you are not to follow"
Colgate stood still. He had prom
tsed In fancy his body sprang
swiftly after her. In fact, he went
slowly back to the camp his head
swimming with the melody Of a
new song. His inspiration had re-
turned a thousand fold and inter-
mingled with song and lyric was
the fragrance Of o girls hair. His
pulses were beating a heavy tattoo,
partly because the girls warm fin
gers had fingered in his own and
partly because the new song was
pounding for expression.
1t was o'clock In the morning
wien Colgate threw himself down
on his bed, exhausted mentally and
physically. The song was finished.
Slim wedges of moonbeams were
altering down through the balsam
trees when Colgate waited inrpa-
tiently for the girl to come. He
was fearful lest she change her
mind until his sensitive ears caught
the soft swish of paddles mingling
with the strains of second Of his
songs. He knew then that the girl
came by way of the stream that
wound its way along the mountain
path. He longed to see her In her
canoe, but his promise to refrain
from questioning held him.
How do you happen to know all
of my songs?' he questioned her
by way of greeting.
You didn't offer to shake hands
with me- she pouted.
mo. and ] am not going to- Col
gate told her.
sHumphi" she laughed. but there
was a shade of tremor in her voice.
"You have inspired me to write a
very wonderful song he told her