The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-26
Eoening Story
The Girl on the Wall.
BY RAY BAKER

lowed him about the room; the ruby
lips smiled at him continuously.
Oliver was in love with the girl. He
had always admired dark-eyed, dark
haired girls, and this one satisfied his
requirements as to an ideal He knew
he would marry her il he could.
Oliver was rising rapidly in the real
estate business, and in a year or two
would be in more than comfortable
financial circumstances He needed a
wife for an incentive, and, besides, he
was lonely; for in the big city he had
few companions aside from business
associates.
IF I could find the right girl I'd
marry her-if she'd let me-" Oliver
had often said, but the right one never
seemed to come along. Moreover. he
was one of the backward kind when
it came to young women. and he
doubted his ability to bring himself to
the point of proposing. Women fright
ened him; they made him self-con-
scious.
Oliver Randall never had a girl
except back in the old home town of
Plainwell, where he used to aspire to
the hand of Irene Earle. Now Oliver
away from the old home for a year and
a half, laughed at Irene, with her red
hair and freckles.
But the girl on the wal1-Oliver
loved her deeply; at least he thought
do with it. He had never talked with
her, had not even seen her outside the
Office. She had been presented to him
by the mail carrier, and she came
rolled in a cardboard tube. She was a
picture on a calendar, advertising Is
land insurance.
1t was not vet time for the girl on
the wall to assume her duties of keep
ing Oliver posted regarding the dates.
1t was two weeks before the calendar
went into effect, but Oliver could not
bear to keep the girl rolled in the tube
or shut in the darkness of desk
drawer.
days ahead of time, SO that Oliver
could feast his eyes on her while he
worked. She inspired him.
II must find that girl" he decided,
and he conferred with an acQuaint-
ance who had something to do with
certain whether it was physically pos
sible to satisfy his desires. If the girl
was only the child of an artists brain
his chances would be Slim.
The friends verdict was encourag-
ing.
She's a real girl all right" he said.
This is a half-tone engraving made
from an actual photograph
Then Oliver got to scrutinizing
feminine faces that passed him on the
streets and looking thru cafe win
dows, and scanning the countenances
of store clerks and movie theater
audiences and elevator girls
OF course, the quest was hopeless,
but it furnished diversion for young
man who had nothing to do when he
was not at the office. The only real
way to learn the whereabouts of the
original of the girl on the wall was
to correspond with the makers of the
calendar, and he could not quite bring
himself to display SO much inquisitive-
ness.
Press of business kept Oliver in the
city during the Christmas holidays.
ing December 81 and January 1 in the
old home town. 1t would be his first
visit since leaving the place, and while
it held few attractions as a town. due
to the fact that he had outgrown it,
he wanted to see his parents, who had
always lived there and who no doubt
would complete their lives there.
He arrived on tie morning of the
31st and was met by his parents in a
modest automobile, in which he was
conveyed to the house where he was
born and grew up
It seemed rather good to look into
the little room that used to be his
and still was his, in fact. for his
mother kept the bed ready for his oc-
cupancy and had never touched any
of his belongings except to clean them
not even a pile of read from cover
to-cover, out of date magazines.
In the afternoon oliver went out
for a walk, desirous of renewing ac-
quaintanceships. He thought he knew
everybody that, lived in Plainwell, and
consequently was surprised at the
number of new faces. However, the
town itself seemed to have undergone
few changes.
=, ION
behind him call as he walked along
the main street. Don't you recognize
your friends?"
He turned and saw two girls stand
ing on The walk behind him. For
moment he surveyed them or rather
one of them, who had wreaths of rich
red hair flowing down over set of
black furs. From behind a black
muff the face peered, and it was a
rather roguish face. albeit covered
with frankness and freckles-
Irene" he exchanged. going to her,
and grasping a dainty little hand.
Irene. you certainly are looking fine"
She was one girl he was not afraid of.
He talked with her several minutes.
ana somehow the girl on the wall
seemed forgotten. 1t certainly did
seem good to see and converse with
Irene again. He had forgotten about
her, but he was sure she had not been
SO attractive in the days when he used
to live IN Plainwell and call her his
girl. He so far forgot the calendar
girl that he asked Irene IL he could
call on her that evening, and she
agreed with alacrity.
While walking home after meeting
her on the street, Oliver suddenly
came to, as it were. He realized how
he had forsaken the calendar girl in
his thoughts. His first act, therefore.
on reaching his room was to take her
from his suitcase and hang her on a
nail over the bed. Still he was not
quite so enthusiast as he had been
about her.
y The evening passed quickly-too
quickly. = Irene made fudge and
played the piano, and those were OIL
ver's two weaknesses-fudge and
piano music. And how Irene could
stir up sweet-tasting things with
spoon, and how she could stir up
things with the ivory
keys.
It was a good old fashioned evening.
at least it seemed old fashioned to