The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-09-02
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I'm the Winter Garden
Copyright 1910. by Associated Literary Pres.
By Temple Bailey

| he placed it before them he went over
to the wide window where stood the
little row of cedar trees and holly
bushes that gave the place the name
of winter Garden" and spoke to
some one behind the screen of green.
Presently there stole through the
room the sound of music. 1T is the
Spring song,'" said Judith. why.
Jack. that is the touch of an artist, 1
wonder who is playing?"
The little waiter beamed down on
them, brushing crumbs unnecessarily
from the polished surface of the ta-
BILE. 1T is my wife," he said with a
deep note Of pride in his voice. Before
she married me she was great mu.
sician."
Then he went away and Judith
stared at Jack. "Oh! What an awful
thing" SIZE said.
1T is a strange thing" Jack agreed.
Il want to see her." Judith said. II
want to see If she Is young and pretty,
or If she is old and ugly-he is such
commonplace little inan-she must
be old and ugly"
But the woman behind the screen
was not old and ugly. for as Judith
rose and crossed the roolu, there was
glimpse of white and a little figure
| in a snowy apron that covered her
from neck to hem.
| In another moment she would have
| been gone had not Judith stopped her.
| Il heard you play" said Judith, i'm
| pulsively, land I want to hear you
again.
| The little woman smiled radiant
ly. There are things to do in the
Kitchen" she said. "but," and again
she smiled, II love to play" This time
she played the '1ntermezzo," and the
haunting strains crept through the
ROOM
And yet she married a waiter"
Judith murmured. Jack, am going
to ask her why she left her music
for marriage"
The coffee grew cold, and the wait
er worried while the two women
talked, and when Judith came back
her face was very white, but there was
a look in her eyes that Jack had not
seen before.
20, jack she said breathlessly, az
she sat down, 20, Jack!"
But when the waiter had brought
hot coffee she told him the little story.
"She Used to play in Europe. She Is
a German and had wonderful talent
But she is not very strong and she
grew sc tired Of the travel, and she
grew SC tired Of the people who ad.
mired her for her music. but who
never seemed to see the woman under.
meath, and this man, this waiter, sang
IN the same concerts in which she
played. They loved each other, but
she feared marriage And then one
day he lost his voice. She begged him
to marry her, saying that her mon.
ey would support them both willing to
sacrifice herself now that be was in
trouble. But he would have none Of
ut. He would not let woman support
him. He came to America to find work,
and after a while she came to play.
And one night after the concert she
went with gay party to a fashion
able restaurant and there she found
her former lover waiting on the table
We'll. that was the beginning. She
gave him her address and made him
come to her. Then she told him that
she was miserable, that there was no
! happiness in the life she was living,
that she wanted to be with him and
! let him take care of her She wanted
to be free from the demands of the
public. If she played she wanted to
[ play because she loved her art. And
at last he yielded, and with the mon
! ey that she had saved they came here
and set up this little place. And she
cooks and plays and she is happy"
1t was such simple little story,
and yet somehow 1t seemed to clutch
at their hearts.
1T is something to have home,
Jack" she said.
He caught at the slight hope in
that change in her eyes and voice.
Judith" he said, II cannot give you
the variety that your life offers now,
and lawyer with a good practise is a
| busy man, but I want to take care Of
| you"
She had been deeply moved by the
| story of the other woman. when she
was telling me seemed to see myself
| moving from place to place, never
satisfied, always wanting something,
always wanting you, Jack"
1t was the supreme moment, but as
Jack laid his hand on hers the waiter
entered with a slip of paper, which
he handed to Jack It's the recipe
for the oysters, sir" he said, II
thought your wife might like to cook
them"
Jack gasped. will you cook them.
Judith?" he asked suddenly. "Will my
wife cook them, JUDITH"
And Judith still with that wonder
full light in her eyes, took the paper
from him.