Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-04-10
CUPID AIDED BY Arr.

Gmply. WIN W0uIn w PVhc oAouhu -
an art gallery on . balmy day? Evr
IDENTIFY the girl In q party of sight
seers was OF this opinion, for while
her companions went systematically
from picture to picture, consulting
catalogues and comparing impress
sions, the girl sank deeper into the
cushions Of a lounge and waited wear,
lily until the others should finish. She
was about twenty-four, boyish In build
and dress. Her tailored linen, square,
toed shoes and upright poise ofrhead
told decision and straightforwardness
The droop OF a bewitching mouth and
several truant curls betrayed the fem
mime as well. ..- ~.
These details and many more were
being observed by a certain young
man, Mr.. Prall by name, designer byE
profession. who was standing, watch
in hand, directly outside the gallery,
waiting for his friend and fellow
worker, Bert Loveland. The watch
had remained unnoticed now for FIVE
minutes, an omission due not to, It's
owners normal disposition. but mere
ly to his absorption In the pretty
young woman beside him. ....s
by all the ghosts Of my bearded an
cestors, the frown beats any smile
ever saw" or the next minute, "I,wish
she would look at me. Bet her eyes
are blue, just suggestion of violet"
But he was not to be SO kindly ac-I
commodated, for the perverse young,
woman had arisen, and turning her!
back, was making straight line for
one of the pictures, leaving behind her,
trail Of handkerchief, gloves, purse,
umbrella and very Disappointed
young man. She looked SO long and
searchingly at the picture that Mr..
Prall was led to inquire Of bust OF
Apollo beside him:
Wonder what the picture isf"l
Then. as she stepped to one side.
Great Jehovah! That" 1t was onlyI
bit of country with a delightfully."- In
viting piece Of road that curved among
some old trees, and then left the pic
ture entirely; but the girl seemed
about as interested as her admiring
audience beyond the doorway. She
tried the picture from every angle.
stepping back for perspective and then
drawing nearer for close observation.
Then she turned.
by Jove, her eyes are grayl And
her smile-I don't know now abouW
that frown!' exclaimed Mr.. Prall, this
time to Venus. who seemed more In,
terested, but who evidently could not
decide about the frown either, for she
gave no answer. But the play was
going on without her decision, for
the young woman had approached her
father, saying: \
dad, do look up No. 80, won't
you-7it's very pretty" she added M
Silly. I'll !.
Ninety nine, ninety--let me see; Oh,
yes! The Bend In the Road p tho
subject, but no name for the artist.
Clara. Evidently newcomer who 70
not sure of himself"
oh" said Clara. thoroughly disap-
pointed, as she turned to the picture
again. M u III \ ].
And in the meantime Mr.. Pral had
grabbed a young man who had run
up the steps two at time, and was,
whispering excitedly: Say. Loveland.
that girl has been standing spellbound
in front OF your picture for the list
half hour It's No. 80, too, that Bend
in the Road thing"
Il don't care if she has. Come on,
we're late!"
Hold on, she's looking at w." IN
sisted Mr.. Prall, putting restraining
hand on his friends shoulder. Pretty
kippy, isn't she7' - Y ~ t5,'fs'3a
But to his great surprise, Loveland
broke away from him, and hands ont
stretched, was greeting the fair maid
as Clara Marshall. Miss Marshall re-
turned the greeting with equal
warmth and addressed him as Bert.
Yours, isn't 1t, Bert?" she asked
as she pointed to No. 80.
YES" acknowledged Loveland, but
how" Fl"
She placed square, pink finger on
one Of the large trees in the fore
ground Of the picture, and there on
it's gnarled and knotty trunk were the
carved initials G. M. and B. Il
"And to think ! never saw that
said Mr.. Prall to the angry waves
which he was examining very closely.
mo one else could have done that, Z u
Miss Marshall @as saying simply. II
always knew you would do something
worth while after that terrible day in
the woods. What an exasperatingly
lazy creature you were! With the
whole outdoors at your service and
your wonderful gift. 1t was nothing but
tennis and girls"
You know. Clara" interrupted
Bert, you were the only one, after
ALL - + IT.
'Oh, yes, ! knew. That's why said
such awful things, because. ..j
"Just minute. Prall. oh, Pralll
Say, fix that date up for some other
day, will your"
And Mr.. Prall. walking snllenly
down the stairs between rows sof
frolicking fauns and smiling 'sksyrs.
said as he took his cane from the
rack: :5
well, wouldn't that beat the
Dutch!"-Buffalo Express.
s- IN Odd Fellowship.