Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-03-29
The Argus Daily Short Story
A GARDEN OF ROSES---BY Martha Cobb Sanford
Copyrighted. 1903. by Associated Literary Press.

The tea garden had f1ourished
from the moment the idea of it had en-
tered Natalie's pretty blond head. No
tourist visiting this sunny southern
spot would have thought of leaving it
without slipping his favorite brand at
least once out Of the old fashioned
Sheldon china.
There We're many who continued to
come day after day who We're really
not tea drinkers at all, only wicked
pretenders. 1t is to be suspected that
they found their refreshment in watch
ing Natalie's graceful little figure as
she sat behind the tall antique silver
service under the rose covered pergola
leading into the garden.
Among these pretenders, as any one
in Bellair could have told you. were
Dwight Ellsworth and the major.
Dwight would never forget (and for
that matter neither would Natalie) the
day he and his father had brought
their big dusty machine to halt under
the quaint Iiftle sign of the 'tea gar
den."
Natalie herself. sall fresh. crushable
pinkness from the tip of her aristo-
cratic little ears to the train of her
gown, had answered the tinkling bell
Could they be served TO tea perhaps?
The men managed to stammer it ST.
simultaneously. Most certainly they
could. and would they follow Natalie?
Delightfully."- indeed. they would. In
deed. the younger man registered in
his heart the VOW to follow her al
first sight of her.
So out under the rose bower into the
garden they trailed their dusty motor
coats in the wake of Natalie's rose
rivaling daintineSS, and while waiting
| for the tea to be brewed they reveled
| in the picturesqueness of the spot.
Against the gray walls>of the quaint
little stone house leaned the high
stalks of Easter lilies, some already
bursting into bloom. Thanking the
trim little garden walks were roses in
profusion, pink and yellow and red
and white. Away off in one corner
was wide patch of dark green violet
leaves.
Think of yiolets outside of a hot
housew exclaimed the younger man.
Il suppose the privilege of picking
1 them wouldn't come within the limit
of any ordinary mortaPs finances"
Natalie, approaching just then with
a trim cOlored maid behind her, over.
heard and laughed delightfully."-.
"They are free for the picking" she
answered, with charming hospitality
ito my guests"
:. Dwight's gallantry rose instantly tC
meet her graciousness.
"Could one encroach further" be
asked. with polite humility, land beg
the lady Of the garden to gather then
for the guests herself"
Natalie, blushing, for she was very
young, tripped down the garden walk
in twinkling.
AS she knelt in the cool. rich deptf
of green. her slender white hands deft
ly gathering the long stemmed viOlets
the sunlight resting on the gold Of hel
hair, Dwight Ellsworth watched ant
utterly forgot to drink his tea, ever
in make believe.
Not SO with Major Ellsworth. HIT
attention was riveted ON the silve
spoon which he held in his hand
"This must be very old piece" h
said. glancing up at Natalie as sh,
showered upon them yiolets and rose
and jasmine, with the simple apology
You might not happen to come again
iyou see"
DO you know what the initials N
81 stand for?" he added.
"Natalie Sheldon" she told him-"m
great-aunt's name. which is mine."
Major Ellsworth started.
Natalie Sheldonr' he repeated. 81
your aunt still living. Miss SheldonY
"Oh. no" Natalie answered. Ssh
died very soon after the war;
very strange-very interesting.
murmured Major Ellsworth absently
lThen, speaking directly to Natal
again: You see have spoon "a