Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-01-03
THE FIRE OF GENIUS
by LEE VERNON hammond.

(copyrisht isif. western Ns~scspss usionl
The winding stretch Of ruadway IN
MillvlIle known as the Circle contained
four homes, the diversity Of which.
made that residential pressnchfkn err
ratic and incoaruous. Fuiiy @e-hah
OF the six hundred feet trQntage was
taken NJ By the home II n<De<t Eds
son. wealth. retired businos man.
who lived entirely 10 himssh md coms
from the city 20 settle down IN bache-
ior solitude. bat luxury. Who made ire
auent long pleasure tours and was
therefore very little at bona.
Next to n vas the modest home OF
VIII Blake. who was grizzied assist
ant In the local bank. and with whom
n younger brother, Nelson Blake. lived.
Adjoining that was the mere shell or
n small cottage occupied rs lessee
by a young widow. Mrs. Eunieel
woods. and her two-year-old boy, al
bright. precocIous yOungster popularity
nlcknamed Buster.
II Il with Nelson Blake that we have
to do, and never was there q more low
able fellow. He was twenty-five,
sturdy and erect. but only Of late
years. From ten 70 twenty he had
been a weaklIng. and that period had
compelled a sedentary life devoid OF
play and companionshlp. Then slowly
he had outgrown his physical ailments.
but ambition and effort had expert
enced a setback. He accepted a posi-
ton as night Waterman at a munufac-
turing plant and now had held IL for
three years.
"why don't you try something bet
terri his sIster-ln-law had often asked
him.
Tell you, Martha" he woold reply,
"as you know, i have an idea there IL
some kind Of a place for ma h htera-
ture."
But suddenly a new clement OF In
spiration came into his HE. The du-
ties Of Nelson at the plant comprised
his taking a comfortable seat near the
burglar alarm. and making only two
rounds OF the place during the hours
Of dark.
Little Buster had been always ia
Vorits with him. How far hls pretty
mother was one, too. Nelson mover al
lowed himself 20 think. Nelson's In
terest In mother and chnd. however,
led to his practically adopting little
! Buster. 1T must be quito hlndrsnce
and care for you to have the dear little
fellow on your hands at the places
where you 90 out sewing" he remarked
TO Mrs. Woods, one day.
at Is a double burden In o way.
!, yes" she admitted.
\ "rve a suggestion to make" ven
tured Nelson. "You knew l have the
I whole dag to myself. An I de IL a lit
|. tie writing. Our garden ls shady and
roomy and pleasant. Buster makes a
capital chum. de likes me and l ike
him and we always get on famously
together let me relieve you OF his
responsibility while you are compelled
TO be away from home"
The Arrangement was made and IL
had a due reward In store for the ac-
commodating Nelson. Little Buster
would troop after him and Join him In
the rustic bower and play at his side.
One day Nelson was reading over
aloud one OF the little skits he had
composed when he CHANGED to observe
Buster.
"F1-yah" he babbled. when Nelson
was reading on a fire episode In his
story. 10000 Make sparks" and he
acted forth terror aud shuddering.
AID on another occasion. when Mel
son read Of a weeping lady and her
sorrows. little Buster drew down his
expressive face. poor lady ky" he
mourned. make tears come s'more-".
So time drlfted on pleasantly for
author aud audience. until In one week
the latter had three stories returned
from as many publishers. Somehow
the occurrence greatly dampened aspl-
ration and hope. Nelson made trag-
, ic resolve. He gathered all his manu-
{ scripts together and carried them into
the garden TO u grassless spot uegr the
fence Of his rich nelghbOr at the right
He placed them on the ground.
Last story. Buster ~ he told his lit
tie companion. I'm going TO read Il.
Then we will set fire TO the heap and 1
am going to forget all about writing
and go to the city and try TO earn a
living"
He read his latest effort. a sweet,
/. pathetic little tale. heartsome and
wholesome. He added the serial to the
pile and struck a match.
"Hold on" sounded forth a manda-
tory voice. and looking up Nelson con-
fronted rich Mr.. Edison on the other
side OF the lot line fence. "You needn't
burn those stories OF yours. I'll give
you one hundred dollars apiece Dor
them. TN a whimsical fellow. as you
well know. and can afford expensive
fancies. There's merit In that scrced
you Just read. You've got the writing
bug. aud believe II you can broaden
your field OF information. you'll hit Il.
Anyhow IN take the stories. and. as
4 my old caretaker Is about 70 leave,
| III dive Won hlk iob Mt one hundred