The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-27
EDenif,g Story
Model and the Artist.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

/
any terrific thirst he had for black
coffee.
However. having arrived inside the
quaint little orange-colored door. he
felt glad. There was/a decided sense
of atmosphere about the small. taste
fully arranged tearoom and, as he sank
kinto a corner built for two. Jimmy
was conscious of a longing for the other
of that two. But. alas! he was only
one. and a desperately lonesome one
at that. Jimmys entire flock of best
girls was scattered at seaside or
mountain resort.
After he had ordered his black cof-
fee and cinnamon toast he slumped
down into his chair in an effort to
find greater comfort for long legs.
One of those long legs sbqffled some
thing along the floor and Jimmy peer
ed under the table to see what it was
It proved to be "a photograph, ready
for mailing but badly, very badly, done
up. The string was slipping off and
the cardboard protection was IN a de-
cided way. of escaping its duty. Jim
my supposed a woman had tied it, up.
1t was addressed to a man in Chi
cago/and in the corner the sender's
name was given as Fay McBane, with
an address that Jimmy knew to De
only block or two from the tearoom.
Apparently Miss McBane had been out
to post the photograph and had drop
ped it in the tearoom~ rather than III
the mail box.
Jimmy let slip the string that was
already but a frail binding. He wanted
to see what Fay looked like Had the
photograph been well tied up he would
have dropped it in the first box. AS
4 since
Il he was not near string, pen and ink
or anything that would make a send
able package he would just pop around
the corner and return the photograph
to the sender-that is. if he in any
! way fancied the face within.
The face was beautiful but with a
boIdness of outline that did not appeal
to Jimmy as being of the best-girl
type. She would be delightful to take
out to dances and dinner just for the
pleasure of gazing upon her, but Tor
the hearth and home Jimmy wanted
softer. gentler, less earthly model
However, he decided upon trying TO
see the original and after finishing mis-
coffee he started out to try his luck
It was hot day in August, am
when Jimmy discovered that Miss
| McBane lived on the fourth floor OF
| the building and that there was no ele-
vator he almost made up his mind that
/
climb But as the mail box was not
| large enough to hold the photograph
| he took a deep breath and began
mounting the stairs.
After reaching the top Jimmy thrust
out the photograph in view so that
whoever might open the door would
see the reason for his errand and not
| take him for a magazine agent and
close the door in his hot face.
ha o{r
| the girl of the photograph nor did she
| in anyway resemble her. She was not
pretty. She was not bold, nor was she
anything that Jimmy had expected to
see. Miss McBaRe was an artist, judg-
ing from the studio, the bigSapron, the
| daubs of paint on a piQuant, interest
| ing little face and the easels, canvas
and drapery strewn about the place.
! When she found out the reason for
| his being there she very sweetly in
vited the tired, hot Jimmy into her
studio and let him sit in the cool win
dow seat. He liked her the moment
he looked into her wide, unflirtatious
| eyes. Jimmy particularly disliked
| flirty eyes, especially in a best girl,
and this Fay McBane was without
doubt of the best gin model. He could
| easily, even on this scant acquaintance,
| picture her feet on the home fender
and her slim hands serving the even
ing meal and pouring the breakfast
coffee
That is one of my models" she was
| saying. II was sending it out to the
author to see If the type was suitable
| for the illustrations of her latest novel.
1 1t was most kind of you to bring it.
I fancied 1 had dropped it in the mail
box
Male hands instead" laughed
Jimmy.
The quaint little face of the artist
lent itself beautifully to smiles.
And was a BIT lonesome" he con-
fessed.
Il suppose you expected to see the
original" said Fay, with short laugh.
I'm sorry she is not here Just now
she may drop in later.
she is big, good hearted girl and
far more lovely to look lat than her
picture Indicates
Far more lovely to look at than to
talk TO also, 1 suppose" Jimmy sug-
gested and found himself just trifie
annoyed. that Miss McBane was SO
| wiling to praise this Lother girl IT
| suppose you. never have many hours
to idle. he said gazing about the
well-worked canva ses.
NO i have had so much iflustrat-
ing to do lately that I don't even have
time to cook my meals and Lust love
| to cook, A1amented~ Fay. II have to
use my energy for painting rather
than cooking so I am compelled to go
into that little tea room for nearly
| every meal"
| "Oh.' said Jimmy
Slight flush crept across Fay's
cheeks. Hurriedly she made an at
tempt to cover up the apparent lead
she had given Him. Really, should
be only too glad to bring in Doris or
any Of my lovely models and intro
duce them to you-that is if you
want to know them -
Jimmy was silent for a long mo-
ment. then he decided to say just
exactly what was uppermost in his
mind, even if Fay McBane was an al
most perfect stranger.
mo. 1 don't want to know any of
| them-they would be only third best
girls. know some girls that I have
always considered best girls, but now
realize there can be one best; the
others will be seconds. 1 don't want
To know the thirds nnr the seconds