Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-07-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
Love by Proxy.

get the woman / want l will tell you
a secret. There is young girl who oc-
casionally looks out of that window
facing my studio. have fallen in love
with her. She does not dcign TO notice
me-
IF l were man, with my knowl-
edge of women, could get any woman
in the world"
Il wish you would get this girl for
me-"
Neither spoke for awhile. Then Ber-
tina Turner. said:
Il have plan. For you, my favorlte
cousin, 1 will execute it. though
would not Go so for any one else. Give
me some of your clothes. There is
girl sitting ut the window now. Is
that she?"
Yes. What are you going to DOR
Never mind. Leave that TO me-"
Ten minutes later Mrs. Turner,
dressed from the waist up as II man,
stroIled TO the window and looked out.
She held some roses in her hand and,
taking careful aim, sent them into the
lap of the girl opposite. The recipient
started and looked out just in time to
see the sender disappear from the win
dow.
The girl held the flowers over the sill
preparatory TO dropping them into the
court below, but before doing so CON
cluded to enjoy their fragrance. Then
she laid them on Il table near by, arose
and disappeared.
There's beginning for you. To-
morrow after the sitting We'll see if we
can advance n step"
The next day when MIS-. Turner ar
rived at the studio her cousin said TO
her:
Your effort has been n failure"
"Why 500"
81 went to the window this morning.
She came to her window at the same
moment. AS soon as she saw me she
turned and walked away"
That's very good. If she hadn't
done that this morning, she would
have done il this afternoon. Now.
having shown her condemnation of
your assurance, perhaps she will be
fOrgiving.'
The sitting was cut short, for in the
midst of it the girl opposite appeared
at her window with her wOrkbasket.
'She expects you 20 appear and look
very penitent. She must be disappoint-
ed. Give me your coat. There; now
put your hat on the back OF my head
SO as to conceal my knot of hair. That
will do"
Selling handglass, she sat near tho
window, with her back turned toward
the girl opposite.
AHA, little oner' she said. who
1T. 4, NN,,N
Killed. brow" She presently burst into
II laugh.
Look" she said to her cousin.
81 see nothing unusual"
"She's putting that sleeve in wrong
side foremost. Fix your mind on your
work. my dear. Don't he thinking
about the man opposite"
At the next sitting as Mrs. Turner
entered the studio Walter Burne said
excitedly:
Its all up. Until today she has
never failed to show herself at the
window I'm the morning. L have not
seen her since you left. 1 treated her
very rudely."
The lady received this information
with equanimity and went to the win
dow.
splendid she exclaimed. clasping
her hands with childish delight.
What is it?''
Burne looked out and saw n flower
on the window sill.
she tells YOU" said his cousin, that
she appreciates your gift"
How do you know
That's what the flower she had
placed on the window sill means in
flower language"
You don't mean it!''
Yes. Having shown her that you
were offended at her apparent want
OF appreciation. she has FASTENED to
tell you that you were mistaken. Now
think you had better give her for
giving reply"
Going to some pots containing plants
i'm an improvised conservatory. she
looked. them over.
"Oh. deari There is nothing to indi-
cate forgiveness or forgive me. This
forgetmenot will have to serve. Go
and lay it on the sill"
Burne was so moved at this success
full step In his love affair that he made
no end Of blunders on the portrait. do
ing more harm than good. When his
cousin arose to go. she looked ut it and
asked:
"Have you been working on the nose
this morningT'
Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Take it out. 1t is the nose of the
girl opposite. 1 think you had better
now arrange for an introduction to
your ladyIOye. Do you know her
name?"
"No."
"Well, 1 will note the number OF her
house as 1 go by and find out for you
Then will see what can do"
Mrs, Turner's investigations led to
the information that the girl opposite
was the daughter of an acquaintance
of one of her intimate friends. An in