The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-11-18
new COMPOSITION
BY ALICE klLLlAN.

~~S~@
envy you the privilege Of enjoying his
compositions so long before they reach
the clamoring public"
"Oh, my DEAR" exclaimed the wife
Of Mr.. Birdsong, please don't speak Of
those direful days preceding the ap.
pearance Of a new one-or I'll burst I"
Surely, there's nothing unpleasant
about It," the caller apologized. II Of.
ten picture you sitting beneath the
piano lamp playing the new airs ten.
DERBY, while Mr.. Birdsong leans back
In the shadowy big chair listening to
your Interpretation Of the harmonies
that originated In his own soul"
'That sounds awfully nice and po-
etc and 1t would look good in a pic
ture Frame" said Mrs. Birdsong. $50
I hate to disillusion you. But you
might as well know that those har-
monies you speak Of are born into the
world through painful esthetic ira
vail"
"Tm surprised! His compositions
sound so exquisitely effortless. I sup
posed he dashed them of on a Pull
man or anywhere-just like that!"
my goodness" gasped Mrs. Bird
song. "You force me to tell the horrid
details. First, Mr.. Birdsong comes
home from trip, drops his grip,
kisses me briskly, snatches off his
coat and rushes to the piano. Listen
he says, how do you like this? I just
made it up last night
II rave over it at first because like
the melody and at the end Of the sew
enth day I rave because he won't stop
playing 1t.
"He pounds it out the instant he
jumps from the bed in the morning
and the last thing at night-about 1 a.
m.-he is playing it with the soft ped
al. He disregards meals. His soup
cools before he gets to it and he never
waits for dessert.
Sometimes he forgets and takes his
napkin along to the plano when he
thinks Of new strain to insert. And
he drags me along, too, whether I've
finished eating or not. You see, he
plays by ear strictly, while I studied
music. So he depends upon me to
write the notes on the manuscript pa
per for him.
"T'll think It's all done and ready to
send to the publisher, when he yells
frantically: Two minors should fol-
low each other. Chang 1t here. Now
Til play 1t. How do you like thatY
"Thsn Then he he J asks me to play it so thg +
shippers Of citrus fruits are here n
advised that it will be necessary Ii
obtain special written permission W
ON this office before shipping less IL
an three hundred and sixty boxes al
the car. 10
however, that when cars in
tA.s picLLy naIInUuyS AZ,
"About that time he strikes a fresh
chord Unexpectedly. What's this?' he
cries. Here, what's this? Play 1t in
the treble while / hold this chord, and
play the treble with your left hand, so
you can write down the chord with
your right hand
"When I have done that obedlently
he announces: Now, we've got to
change that top note. Should it be q
or Az After we change 1t he huns:
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta, and decides II
will be too high for the ordinary voice
and tells me to transpose 1t 80 the
top note will be E.
II procure clean sheet of manu-
script paper, and do 1t all over again.
Then he has brand new inspiration.
He thrusts his pencil behind his ear
and plays the new idea frantically.
That's the stuff he beams. DO you
get that? Doggone it, There 1t is!
See 1t Doggone It'll I knew 1 could
pick that up. That's the right change,
Isn't It? Wait a minute. Let's see
how do It.
Il wait and listen. Then he says:
How is the bass to this thing? Maybe
that bottom note ought to be changed
tell him 1t is corect according to the
rules of harmony.
II don't care about the rules he
flares. My ear tells me how it ought
to go. Dad gum It'll I take liberties
with the piano that nobody else does.'
About that time slip over to the
table and take up the book had be-
gun reading one quiet night while Mr..
Birdsong was away. Before I've found
the place where left off he calls me
back to the piano and asks sweetly:
What are these notes here. nv dearp
| suppose ought to learn how to read
music.'"
Cant he read music" The caller
was amazed.
He doesn't know one note from the
other. When the green and white proof
sheet comes back from the publisher I
have to go over 1t with him at least a
hundred times to make sure it's Just
the way he wants It."
well, / think your name should ap.
pear on the finished copy-you do
most of the work."
did any woman on earth ever get
full credit for the amount of work she
1oes for her husband? Well, the wife
Of musician is no exception"
/ Turned Around.