Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 299, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1910 — THE GIRL ON THE COVER. [ARTICLE]

THE GIRL ON THE COVER.

By Frank H. Williams.

With a sudden convulsive clutch George Brunson grabbed the magazine from the newsstand. There, staring straight into his eyes from the cover, was a bewitching picture of Grace Cameron—his Grace, whom he ha. 6 lost and never found, following what he had thought was a lovers’ quarrel. “I’ll take all of these magazines you’ve got,” Brunson cried to the clerk behind the counter. —The clerk stared, but lost no time in bundling up„a dozen or more of the magazines. With these under his arm Brunson hurried hack to his room. There he spread the magazines out on the table and few chairs in the room and feasted his eyes on his sweetheart’s face.

Coherent thought returned to him presently, and he sought for the artist’s name on the cover. Then hurriedly he penned a note to the publishers of the magazine ask'ng for the artist’s address. In the day intervening between tne mailing of his note ahd the receipt of a tegly Brunson did little but purchase new copies of the magazine. He whiled away several weary hours in tearing off the magazine covers and in pinning them on the walls of his room. At last the letter with the address of the artist, A. B. Sloane, came. Luckily Sloane lived in the same city with Brunson, and the latter lost no time in hurrying to Sloane’s studio. Once there he sent m his card and waited impatiently until the maid returned with it.

“Miss Sloane is out,” the maid said, and looked at Brunson curiously. So A. B. Sloane is a woman, he thought to himself. Three times he tried to see Miss Sloane, but each time was met with the information that she was out. Brunson began to consider the matter mysterious. Why was it that he could never see Miss Sloane? Perhaps she did not thoroughly understand the situation. He would write to her. Accordingly he penned the following note: “Dear Miss Sloane—l wish to see you to learn the whereabouts of the young lady who posed for the cover design of The Public Magazine. This young lady was and is my sweetheart. We parted in a quarrel and I have never seen or heard of her until I saw her picture. The young lady In question got the idea that I was engaged to another girl. Can’t you iet me know where she is, so that I can set myself right? Yours truly, - ‘'“GEORGE BRUNSON.” Hopefully Brunson waited for a reply to this epistle, but no reply came. Again he attempted to call on Miss Sloane, hut again he was informed that she was out. Could anything be more mysterious and exasperating? he wondered. Finally, In desperation, he decided to camp at Miss Sloane’s door until he either saw her or passed away through sheer exhaustion. Accordingly, his pockets filled with sandwiches, he took up his post near the door one morning. All day he stayed there without results. Many people entered the other rooms, but no one came to Miss Sloane’s studio or left it. Many curious glances were cast at him, but he did not care. Once or twice, he thought, the door opened a short distance and some onfe peeked at him, but he could not be sure. At last, late at night, he was rewarded. Some one left the studio and attempted to hurry past him. Brunson caught her by the arm and dragged her to a light. he saw Grace Cameron, his sweetheart. “Why, why!” he cried. “How are you here?” “I—l got your note,” she faltered, “but I didn’t reply—l wanted to see if you were In earnest or not. You see, I go by the name pf A. B. Sloane now. I drew that cover design—of myself. I —l hoped you would see it,” For a moment Brunson looked at her uncomprehendingly. Then a glad light came Into his eyes. “Have I explained away our quarrel?” he asked. “Do you find me enough in earnest to say ‘Yes’?”' He glanced into her face and saw his answer in the divine light which sprang into her eyes at bis words.

The British soldier was given the 1 nickname “Tommy Atkins” In this manner: The British war office sent out blank forms to be used; with them were forms filled out as samples. The latter in thb first place where the soldier’s name was to- appear contained the name of imaginary “Atkins, Thomas, private,” simply, because the list was to be alphabetical. An English cbmlc paper took It up and made it famous and the private soldier “Tommy Atkins.” , Cabmen In Pennsylvania heartily approve proposed legislation which has been indorsed by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union of York. It la suggested that a law be passed compelling any saloon-nee per who’ sells a man liquor enough to make him drunk to pay for a cab to him home.