LOVE FOR ART After 0'Henry

Joe and Delia both loved art. Joe came to New York to study painting. Delia left the little town she was born in for New York to study music. Joe and Delia met at the friend's studio. Delia attracted Joe's attention the moment he saw her. They often met at the studio and soon got to know each other well. A year later they were married. They were very happy, they had their art and they had each other. But one day they found that they had no money. Delia said she had to give music lessons and she started looking lor pupils. A few days later she came home very pleased with herself. "Joe, dear", she said. "1 have found a pupil. She is the only daughter of a famous architect. I'm to give her three lessons a week. The family is rich, they'll pay me live dollars a lesson!" 1 lowever Joe was not happy about that. He did not want his wife to work, he wanted her to study and be a famous pianist.

A week later Delia brought home fifteen dollars. To her surprise Joe put four five dollar bills on the table too. "I've sold one of my paintings to a gentleman from the country", he said, "and he asked me to paint another picture for him".

liverv morning Joe went to Central Park to paint his pictures and came back only in the evening. One Saturday evening Joe came home before Delia. Delia was late. When she appeared her right hand was bandaged and she looked very tired. "What's the matter?" asked Joe. "The architect's daughter invited me to dinner after her lesson and she spilled1 some hot sauce on my hand. She was very sorry about that. Oh, Joe, did you sell another picture?" she asked when she saw the money on the table. "1 did. And I'm going to sell some more next week", Joe added. "At what time did you burn your hand, Delia?" "About five. The iron I mean the sauce was ready at about five. Why?" "Darling", Joe took her hands in his, "where are you working? Tell me!" And she told him the truth.

Delia could not find any pupils and as she wanted Joe to study painting very much she had to work in a laundry, Delia pressed shirts there. "How did you know I wasn't giving music lessons?" she asked. "I sent up these bandages this afternoon for a girl who had burnt her hand with an iron. I'm working in the machine room of the same laundry".

I. Read the text and decide if the statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. Joe and Delia met at the friend's studio.

2. Two years later they were married.

3. One day they found that they had no money.

4. Delia was going to give lessons the only daughter of a famous architect.

5. He wanted his wife to work.

6. Joe sold his picture for 10 dollars.

7. One day Delia came home with a bandage on the hand.

8. Delia worked in a laundry pressing the shirts.

II. Complete the sentences.

1.

Joe came to New York to study.

2. Delia attracted Joe's attention the moment he.

3. They were very happy, they had their ___ ___and ___.

4. Joe did not want'his wife to work, he wanted her to ___.

5. Every morning Joe went to Central Park to ___.

6. The architect's daughter invited me to dinner and spilled ___.

7. I sent up these bandages this afternoon for ___.

8. Joe was working in the ___.

III. Answer questions to the text.

1. What did Joe and Delia both love?

2. Why did they come to New York?

3. Did they have enough money?

4. Whom was Delia going to give music lessons?

5. Why didn't Joe want his wife to work?

6. What happened one Saturday?

7. Where did Delia work?

8. Why did Joe understand that his wife said lies?

IV. Give the main idea of the text in 10 sentences.