The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-16
The Euening Story
Colgate's Inspiration.
(By Molly McMaster.)

and physically. The last rev Q! ms
a city flat, had lacked entirely the
charm of his earlier efforts HIS rep
| utation. so recently gained Wouio
| suffer irreparable damage II ne could
not offer his publishers another
moonlight Madness" or "A Fairys
Dream" These two songs had pitch
ed Colgate into fame before ne quite
realized that they had gone through
| the publishers press.
When inspiration had forsaken MIN
| Colgate had held counsel OF sugges,
ton with his cronies- 1t was HaPgoo9
Colgate about the camp in the Adiron-
dacks that would simply breathe INTO
his listening ear all the melodies ana
shy whisperings that any music lover
needed. s
There's laughter in a tiny stream
up there and sadness and joy in the
purring of the wind, Hapgood nao
added, as if slightly fearful that
amusement would spring into the eyes
fixed upon him, land the door OF pine
needless" Hapgood had drawn oeeP
breath and a. reminiscent smile hao
crossed his face.
1t had been the odor of pine needles
that had made Colgate decide to go
up to the small camp in the Aaron
dacks. 1t took him less than week
to make all preparation and locate
himself among the songs of the noun
tain'S glory.
He reflected idly that Hapgood need
not have been ashamed of poetic raw
ings. There was no living poet who
could adequately describe the peculiar
charm of Ragged Edge camp. Col
gate himself did not try, but the awe
at sunset or in the throes of great
storm, the moonlit balSam grove and
the twitter of birds and leaves all
stepped his being in music so rare
that Colgate moved about as man
in dream. He was fearful lest he
awake and find himself lying in his
flat with the noise of a piano-player
humping the ceiling above MIN.
He was the more startled than on
a moonlit night to open his eyes slow
ly after short siesta among the odor-
Gus balsam needles to see a slim,
daintily-clad girl Standing gazing
you have had quite a long Sleep"
she said softly. Colgate could not re-
member having heard voice SO won
derful. s ss-
"Who are you and where did you
come from?' he questioned, rising
quickly to his feet. Though convinced
that he was dreaming still Colgate felt
a strong desire to test the power OF
speech.
IF you ask questions 1 will never
come again. was the answer he was
given. so long as your curiosity re-
mains a negative quality 1 will visit.
the balsam grove every moonlit even
ing for half an hour"
"Give me your hand,'' demanded
colgate DreaCnleSSIy.
isn't this rather Sudden?" ques-
toned the girl with soft laugh.
81 only want to make sure that you
are human" he told her.
'Humph!'' murmured the girl, and
slipped her fingers into his. He held
them.
DON'T" the girl cried with a star
tied gasp. Upon her immediate re-
lease she turned her emotion to
laughter. Am 1 human?" she ques-
toned. i%ais
very. very human" Colgate said,
and his breath came rather heavily.
And I will tell you rightnow that if
you intend visiting this Sgroves every
moonIit night 1 will have to be more
than human if la. Sc
Mocking laughter rippIed from the
girls lips.
= "In that case you would be as mad
as the hero of song 1 know. Shall ]
I sing it to your
Colgate did not answer before she
had burst into the opening phrase of
his own ballad, Moonlight Madness"
1.-The hero in the song was tempted !
to kiss the girls lips because they
were SO softly red in the moonlight"
remarked Colgate. ct am tempted,
also, but I 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. fogy
old person who wouldn't kiss a girl If
he got a chance" The hooking laugh
again fell from her lips. and she drew
so near to Colgate that her rhythmic
breathing seemed also to be 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
1 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.
ST will try to make you live up a
hero of a song, and all you do is think
of more songs She turned away
from him. ST am going now and you
are not to follow"
ised. In fancy his body sprang swift
ly after her. In fact, he went slowly
back to the camp, his head swimming
with the melody of new song. His
inspiration had returned a thousand
fold and intermingled with song and
lyric was the fragrance of a girls hair.
His pulses were beating heavy tat
too, partly because the girls warm
fingers had fingered in his own and
partly because the new song was
pounding for expression.
1t was five o'clock in the morning
when Colgate threw himself down on
his bed, exhausted mentally and ply
sically- The song was finished.
Slim wedges of moonbeams were
filtering down through the balsam
trees when Colgate waited impa-
tiently for the girl to come. He was
fearful lest she change her mind un-
til his sensitive ears caught the soft
swish of paddles mingling with the
strains of a 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 prom
Use to refrain from questioning held
him.