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Show I HER SPRING SONG Ii "Who is that?" Tho speaker stopped her survey of the littles apartment sho had come to look at in answer to tho "To Let" on tho front door. Tho elevator man looked at; her for a moment;, puzzlod, then said: "That's the foreign gentleman pianist right under this apartment, ma'am. Ho always plavn about this limo of tho day and nearly every evening, even-ing, too." Tho playing ceased suddenly. The listening woman turned with a smile. "Jlow charming that was! Now, let me see. There's this tiny sitting room, alcove bedroom, small bathroom, and, dearest of all. a kitchenette." A kitchenette how delightful! What 'fun she would havo playing at housekeeping! house-keeping! A shadow stolo across her ,face she remembered suddenly sho had 310 orio to keep house for. Jack was "on the road" and would bo until the spring. "How much did you say the rent is?" sho asked, turning to tho now impatient im-patient elevator man. "Sixty dollars. Will you lakes .the rooms, ma'am? My bell lias been ringing ring-ing and " "Sh!" Sho held up her finger for silence. "Just a moment, please." The man downstairs had evidently been pla3'iug for somo tiino, and, having hav-ing returned to tho sitting room, sho I could hear tho music more distinctl-. It was something very sweot and low and soft, and it seemed to end with a long-drawn-out sigh. "Yes, I'll take the rooms, and I'll niovo in tomorrow afternoon. Is tho house always so quiet?" They wore going down in tho elevator ele-vator and tho unusual quiet of this New York apartment house obtruded itself on her hotel-worn nerves. "Yes. ma'am, the house is always quiet. AVc have somo very nico pcoplo living here. Then you'll" move 'in to morrow? Thank yon, ma'am. Yes, ma'am, I'll have it all ready for you. Thank you, ma'am." That" afternoon soon passed what with her packing to do and her long letter to Jack. Sho had so much to tell Jack all about tho new fiat, a minute description; then camo her reasons for leaving tho hotel sho was so tired of the continual bustle and noise, everybody every-body coming or going; it was an endless end-less move, move, move. Tho little apartment she had selected was so cozy and quiet and restful. Sho would fix ii up prettily and havo it all ready for his homecoming in the spring. Perhaps the play would succeed in New York as it had "on tho road," and, possibly, run 'way into the summer. Ilow nice 1 hap would be! And they would have their own little apartment and she she would keep house. Please to write lier at once what he thought. She would have to wait a few days for an answer. Jack, sho knew, was alwa.ys busy and hadn't much time to write, but surely ho would answer this H letter at once perhaps he'd wire her. He often sent her long telegrams in the days of their engagement when ho was unexpectedly detained at rehearsal; ho H did, too, in the first mouths of their marriage, when they were so wonder-fully wonder-fully happ3. That was almost a. year ago. Then came her illness and, almost simultanc-onsly. simultanc-onsly. his first successful part with a "road company." The travel was more that her weakened condition could H rndure, and after a week of it sho rc- turned to Nov York to their old Tooms at the hotel New York, that hcart-less hcart-less home of homeless thousands. The next evening found her tired Init happy among a lot of boxes, bun-dies bun-dies and trunks in her new apartment. She passed a. contented half hour in H the kitchenette, preparing a "bite." It H was charming: She was really keeping H house, and in tho spring she would keep house for Jack! Her books must be unpacked, and H then sho would write her letter to Jack. HI Nearly a week since sho had had a lel- tcr from Jack. But, then, Chicago was Hj a long way off and Jack must bo very H busy. The last time a week passed without his writing she was terribly H frightened and wired thai, she would go to him if he were ill. His letter had explained how bus- he was no doubt he was busy now. Tomorrow she would surely got one tomorrow. Sho listened intently five, ten min-H min-H lit os oh, if the pianist would only play H again! Yes. he was begiuning that H Famo littlo piece ho pl.-vyed yesterday when she looked at tho rooms. It was H something very sweet and low and soft, H and it Hcemod to end with a long-drawn- out sigh. "H What did it make her think of? "H Love? That was it lovo and home. It r.eemed to speak of 1 ho spring the "H spring, of course, when Jack was com- ing homo. Tho weeks passed quickly. Jack wrote perhaps not as often as ho might have, but then ho was traveling agaiu. Looking for some mail in her letter box one day she saw the pianist's name "H on tho bojsj below Professor Prokcseh. So that'n who ho was the eminent Polish pianist, the ver- man who had H collaborated in the comic opera in ""j which her husband her Jack was Hinging tho tenor role. And the pieco "H was a success. It would soon bo brought "H to Now York with it would' come her j Then ouo spring day a letter from Jack said that he would be home in a week that tho play was Mich a suc- " coat it Ti-as to bo brought into New York earlier than had been expected. Sho hastened upstairs. Oh, dream of drcamsl Jack was coming coming with the spring. And tho professor was ( playing her beloved song her soug of spring. How happy sho wasl Tho birds had their spring song did she not hear thorn that very morning in tho park? And the squirrels how they scamporcd from tree to tree, chattering to their males! Everything seemed to havo a spring song, and now she had hers. How odd tho profossor had company! com-pany! Yes, sho could plainly hear thorn. And a woman, too. 3fo had been playing her spring song for this visitor. How distinctlv sho could hear their voices it was almost cmbarrass-ingl cmbarrass-ingl Sho would close tho window. What wero they saying? Jack Haver-straw Haver-straw her Jack? Why "That's fine, professor 1 Do you know you've somohow got more heart into the thing. How'd you do it? Fall in love? It s suro to make a hit! I know Jack will liko it I mean Mr. Havcrstraw. You see, T was with the company in Chicago, and Mr. Haver-straw Haver-straw and I got to bo awfully good friends. Ho got mo the leading part in fact, we're sort of engaged but Jack made a foolish mistake, marrying a woman who is only a liindrnnco to his caroer, so as .soon as ho gets a divorce di-vorce My goodness! What's that ? Thought the ceiling was coming down. Supposo wo try tho song again, professor.' ' Jt was something very sweot and low and soft, and it seemed to end with a long-drawn-out sigh. |