Lyrics I could write under any condition. They came to me so deeply from the subconscious that at times they almost seemed like spirit-control, which, at times, I am sure they had been, till I set the force of my will against them. For I was resolved that what _I_ wrote should be an emanation from my own personality, not from dead and gone poets who used me for a medium. But when it came to long and consecutive effort, the continual petty worry of actual penury sapped my mind so that I lacked the power of application.... With Derek's remittances this obstacle was removed.... I had soon completed the first act of my apostolic play.... And then I plunged into a scrape, together with my fellow members of the press or "Scoop Club," as it was more popularly known, which halted my work mid-way.... * * * * * Our common adventure derived its inception from a casual remark of Jack Travers', at one of our meetings.... Ever since Arthur Brisbane had come to Laurel, Jack had been on his toes.... "Brisbane brought me a breath of what it must mean to be a big newspaper man in the world outside," said Travers, as he stretched and yawned, "why don't we," he continued, "_start_ something to show 'em we're alive, and not dead like so many of the intellects on the Hill!" "--s all right to talk about starting something ... that's easy to do. The hell of it is, to stop it, after you've got it started," philosophised "The Colonel".... "Just what is it that you propose starting?" asked practical, pop-eyed Tom Jenkins. "Oh, anything that will cause excitement!" waved Travers, serenely. "If you boys really want some excitement ... and want to do some service for the community at the same time,--I've got a scheme to suggest ... something I've been thinking over for a long time," suggested Jerome Miller, president of the club.... "Tell us what it is, Jerome!" "The Bottoms ... you know how rotten it is down there ... nigger whorehouses ... every other house a bootlegger's joint ... blind pigs ... blind tigers, for the students.... "We might show up the whole affair.... "--how the city administration thrives on the violation of the law from that quarter ... how the present administration depends on crime and the whiskey elements to keep it in power by their vote.... "_That_ would be starting something!" "I should say it would!" shouted Jack Travers, ablaze with enthusiasm. "Then we might extend operations," continued the masterful, incisive Jerome, "and show up how all the drug stores are selling whiskey by the gallon, for 'medicinal' purposes, abusing the privilege of the law." "But how is all this to be done?" "Through the _Laurelian_?" "No ... I have a better plan than that ... we might be able to persuade 'Senator' Blair and old Sickert, joint editors of the _Laurel Globe_, to let the Scoop Club run their paper for a day--just as a college stunt!" "They'd never stand for it!" I averred, innocently.