The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-15
The EVENING STORY
Films of Fate,

Films of Fate.
(By Horace P. Johns.)
1t was in the hypo bath that he first
saw her-that Lawson Trotter first be-
held the features of his future wife.
Margaret Pudsey. That is to say, 1t
was when he was developing films late
one night-films of what he supposed
were a group of pictures of himself in
various poses of athletic contortions-
Then when he was watching with
eager interest to behold his own sill
houette, family and reversed came
forth the features of a girl.
"Great Hecki" said Lawson, although
there wasn't any one in his bachelor
quarters to hear him. These were
pictures of myself and here is girl"
He looked at the six exposures of the
roll and found on each a girl.
Then he went back over the events
of the day and recalled that when he
had left the train in the morning from
the lake shore where he had been
spending the week end he had left his
roll of films in the car. He had gone
back to the ''lost and found" desk In
the station and when he Described
roll of films he had these handed out
to him. AS they were the same size
as the ones he had lost he had &C
cepted them.
The next evening Lawson printed
the negatives and saw, as he had
hoped he would find that the unknown
the pictures with a girlish animation
that made him smile back at her.
There was dog in the pictures, too.
Though he was of a variety OF animal
that Lawson did not admire-he was
a rather large white French poodle
still he was hers, and he was at least
unusual.
Lawson kept the pictures in front
of his bedroom desk. Then he printed
two sets so that he could have one
l. OF 70 ut nd
der about If he chose. Then he put
the face of one of the pictures in the
back of his watch-in the works where
no one could see it, but where he
could feel that he had it near him.
After this he had his favorite picture
enlarged and hung in the place of
honor in his bedroom.
After about a month Lawson de-
cided that it was necessary to his
happiness to discover her identity. 1t
was curiosity, he granted, but it was
Unsuitable. He lived in a city about
a hundred and fifty thousand strong.
There were in that number, Lawson
reasoned, possibly fifteen hundred
young women-not that any OF them
were comparable with the original of
the picture-but still he would have
only slim chance of meeting her
casually And he hadn't the ghost of
a clew as to her identity. He pom
dered it thoughtfully. There wasn't
thought!-the poodle.
After this inspiration Lawson con-
centrated his leisure thoughts on white
French pood1es. He went to the dog
show and examined every entry and
inquired about white French poodles.
He read books on the subject
and talked to his friends about
it. Whenever he made a new
acquaintance he led the conversation
up to white French pood1es so that
Nv I1a ri in al nf h @
animal in the picture they might
mention it. He had almost given up
hope after q month. He reproached
the girl over his desk for her heart
leSsneSS.
one holiday as he was dressing
leisurely and wondering what-in the
absence from town of his bachelor
companion-he was going to do to
pass the time, he thought the girl was
smiling at him.
you are a deceitfuI wretch If you
aren't smiling at me now" he eX-
claimed. by Heck, I will find you,
and then he started out for walk
in a wooded park in a lonesome end
of the city.
He was walking by an artificial lake
looking absently at the swans that
were kept there by the city for the
diversion of its citizens. when he spied
across the lake a poodle. He looked
closely, and saw, as it splashed into
the water, that it was a rather large
white French poodle. Lawson was on
the verge of jumping into the lake
and wading across to save time, but
on second thought he went to the
shore, and ran with all speed to the
spot where the poodle had been seen.
After a few minutes search through
the brush that bordered that side of
the lake he found the poodle up to its
body in muddy water. Lawson came
up stealthily to it, and, catching it by
the collar, hauled it ashore. The ami
NAL, far from resenting this treatment,
licked the hand that held him and |
waited for something to happen. Law
son waited, too, for some one to come
for the dog. He even let the animal
loose thinking that he would start
home and he could follow him, but the
poodle seemed placidly content to stay
where he was.
1t occurred to Lawson that in time |
the owner of the dog would advertise |
for it. Thereupon he lifted the dog
still muddy from it's excursions into
the Lakeland carried it back to his |
lodgings. There, for the sake of the |
fair owner, he treated the poodle with /
the utmost consideration.
The next day, as Lawson had hoped, |
tisements for a lost French poodle an |
swering to the name of Doodle. In his |
eagerness he had risen at sunbreak, |
and, locking the animal in his room, |
went out to buy the papers. Having |
discovered the advertisement, he went |
20 a neighboring restaurant for a bite |
of breakfast, and was off with the |
take. Instead of seeing the fair owner
of Doodle and having chance to tell l
her a little of the interest he felt in
her, he had the pleasure OF meeting