The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-01-02
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Composite Girl
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By LOUISE OLIVER


magazine the postman had just
brought. The story with her own
name at the top in large letters under
the title had been illustrated as she
had feared by Julian Fletcher, and
Julian Fletcher had managed to spoil
the last half dozen or so of her contri-
buttons to the National.
Other people raved about his work,
and did not stop to insist upon the
fact, as did the author, that an illus
tration should stick to the context.
When a girl is said to come down 81
stairway in queenly gown of velvet
and spangles ii is maddening to see in
the Illustration debonair lass tripping
lightly down the steps in a frothy crea-
ton Of juvenile ruflles and sash. Also
when one describes n heroine as hay
ing raven locks and dark, soulful eyes,
1t is the veriest heresy to have her
reproduced in picture with rather
fluffy hair Of an indiscriminate yellow
and eyes of gray with an unmistakable
sense of humor that compelled one who
gazed to smile back in answering SYM
patty.
Just now the lady represented in the
picture was supposed to be a naughty
person who prided herself on her
knowledge Of clothes. Also she was
supposed to be alighting from her
Limousine and drawing back in startled
horror as she saw approaching the one
person in the world she was trying to
avoid.
But instead Of Mortified haughtiness,
the artist had sketched In an express
sion Of rather glOrified naughtiness.
There again was an expression that
rather refused TO take life seriously.
of" said Katherine, that man
wants to be buffoon, how does it come
he's engaged to spoil perfectly serious
stories? I'm going to write to the
editor and tell him that if he wants
any more stuff of mine he's got to hunt
another illustrator"
She looked again into the eyes Of the
girl who was intended to be soulful.
In spite of herself she smiled back.
Then happening to look up into her
own mirror, she was startled. Her own
eyes looking back at her from the
glass were the exact counterpart Of
those on the page. And her hair, wavy
and caught back loosely from her face,
with its part on one side, was exactly
like that of the girl in the picture.
Then she caught up another picture,
and another, and studied them, long
and carefully. Then she took another
inventory of herself.
Slowly the bright color mounted to
her cheeks, and her breath came hard.
The pictures in the magazine were of
her, there wasn't n doubt Of 1t. And
now it came back to her gradually that
she had heard people say they had no.
ticed resemblance. And the dress in
the stairway picture was certainly
hers, and the rather youthful knock
about suit of the limousine lady who
was supposed to know how to dress,
was a replica Of her own blue jersey.
And the hat
Katherine grew thoughtful. What
vengeance could she wreak upon jail
ian Fletcher, who, evidently knowing
her by sight, had had his own little
joke at her expense. But alas-even
While planning vengeance, the gray
blue eyes, like those of the limousine
lady, rather lacked the hardness es-
sential to real vendetta.
She tossed back her head finally,
having reached at least a partial de+
cision, that is, in order to settle her
account with one artist she must make
up the difference she had had with an
other. Jerry Page, her erstwhlle en-
envy, would now be essential to the
fulfllment Of her scheme and she
must make up with him right away.
Poor Jerry! After all it was too bad
the way she had treated him. She
never dreamed she'd miss him so much
until he had ceased to come. In the
old days he had a way of giving three
quick knocks and sticking in his head
and saying: "Work's the password.
Who goes there2"
If she was busy, she'd call out,
"Kate." And he would softly close the
door and vanish.
But if she called out huskily, "a
great big bearw he would let the rest
Of himself in, his pockets cracking
suspiclously with parcels from the
delicatessen across the street.
Then Katherine would lay a cloth
and they would have lunch together.
Sometimes when he had sold a picture
and she had sold a story they would
go to dinner at Il big hotel and to u
theater to celebrate.
Lately, however, Katherine had sold
so many stories that she needed no
longer to live on the same street as
the dellCatessen. And having sold
more stories she worked more, and her
answer to Jerry's knock had more and
more seldom been "a great big bear"
But then she didn't have to depend on
packages for her meals any more. She
had her own maid In neat black and
white TO announce quietly that dinner
was served. Jerry came few times
at her invitation, but he didn't seem to
be himself. Finally he blamed her for
not caring for his friendship and they
had quarreled after discussing It.
But now she needed Jerry and she
smiled rather wistfuIly as she put on
her hat and coat for u visit back to
the old street
She knocked timidly at the studio
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