The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-19
Eoening Story
The Girl in the Picture.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD.

cts, sauntered aimlessly down Med
ford's one main street, alive for a few
brief hours with the pleasure seek
ing, Saturday night crowd. Two years
ago tonight he had been one of them,
one of the happy-go-lucky content to
thoughts were occupied with the past
alone. And the past for John spelled
Julia StandiSh-slim, brown-eyed Julia
Standish. a girl well worth doing ones
utmost to win.
And he had been so sure Of win
ming, Julia had almost said the little
word YES" when suddenly she had
become infatuated, obsessed with the
idea that her place in life was not
destined to be the presiding genius of
a mans humble home, but the ad-
mired sfavorite of moving picture
audiences. plague take the moving
pictures!" had cursed John unreason-
ably ever since. Nor had he once in
the days that followed ever patronized
that popular amusement which he
blamed for coming between him and
the fulfillment Of his dreams.
Tonight her words rang as insistent-
ly in his ears they had the moment
she uttered them. mo, John, can
not marry anybody yet. I must try
my luck. Perhaps, some day. I may
change my mind-when I have made
good" And her eyes shone with the
But John, bruised and hurt. had
thrust aside the implied. suggestion
rudely. your success. Julia, will
never bring me to your feet. Adam
don this crazy scheme and become my
wife, or else you go your way and
mine-lonely as I know my way will
be-" he concluded bitterly.
Julia, her pretty head for once COM
pletely turned. had gone her way
gone somewhere where gifted aspir-
ants for the cinematograph were
trained and starred and paid fabulous
plements with chic French maids and
tiny Pelxinese-at least, he hoped it
was to be that way with Julia. If he
couldn't have her for his own, he still
did not wish her unhappiness.
Wrapped in meditation over what
might have been, John found himself
brought up short before a lurid adj
vertising board of the Medford Ria1to
"a brightly lighted little threaten at
tracing the crowd. For second, his
eyes took in the cheap advertisement
uninteresed. Then the huge letters
of the name of the actress portrayed
startled him from his musings. Gloria
Blainei Gloriai
Why Gloria had been the name that
Julia had limited she would like to
adopt for hers. She was sick of old
plain "Julfa!' But the carmined
faced woman pictured beneath in
motley raiment bore no likeness to
his delicate featured girl.
Strangely drawn by the subtle in
fluence Of the name, John took his
stand at the end of the waiting queue
before the ticket office. And, pres
emily, q. dingy bit of pasteboara ad-
mitted him to the gloomy depths
within.
A farce. broad in its humor, was be-
ing projected on the screen. Then fol-
lou r7c-fr Nrrakr H.
amusing animated cartoons, thru
which John sat, mildly entertained.
At length, lavishly featured, was in
troduced the big picture. The Ulti-
mate Cost"
Curious, in spite Of himself. John
scanned the picture of the cast When
the closeup of the star was thrown
he sat back in his chair at ease. That
was not his Julia. even tho he fancied
he could trace a slight resemblance
Two years will not change the shape
or ones nose or lengthen an upper lip
Relieved John found himself watch
ing group of people waiting the an
nouncement of dinner and discussing
some apparently well-known scandal
then the entrance of the footman,
announcing new arrivals - and pre-
sently, the appearance in the doorway
OF a woman in evening gown, pearls
cleaning on her neck-Joffn gripped
the arms of his chair with whitened
fingers. He leaned forward, his ex-
preston intense. That woman must
| be Gloria Blaine. But it was not
! it was emphaticaIly not. That woman
I was Julia, Julia Standish.
Thru the long nerve-wearing play,
John forced himself to sit-from the
disagreeable scene where Gloria flirt-
/ ed shamelessly with the villain thru
of it a tawdry play. If he WINGED
when the villains arms held the
girl he had hoped TO hold some
day, he made no outward signs. After
all, it wasn't real. Yet the thought of
! the rehearsals-"You utter idiot" he
addressed himself, ITO even think of
such things when you gave UP the
! girl forever"
Julia had grown beautiful, and yet
was it fancy that painted tired lines
in her face that no amount of make
up would eradicate? Was it fancy
that gave a decided thinness to the
inquire which not so very long ago had
been delicately supple, limiting at the
richer fullness to come? What sort
of success had the years brought
Julia-all she had hoped for? Evil
IDENTIFY, for she was quite apparently
the star she had planned to be-
The thought of her possessed him
during the long sleepless hours of the
night which followed. And the dawn
brought a sudden wild, resolution. He
would take a long postponed vacation
| from business, seek out the studio
which released the picture he had
seen, and hunt up Julia-er-Gloria
Blaine now. Not that he intended to
renew his suit. Far from it. He
Wanted|no spoiled actress for a wife
During the tedious rans-continental
journey the man alternately blessed
and cursed his impulsive folly. And
when he found himself quite super
fluous figure among the chattering
um-chewing crowd of girls, the reg
ular thangs-on," waiting for a chance
to "supe" at three dollars a day, he
berated himself still more.
Yet he had fund Julia. His card
sent in by a phlegmatic office boy. had
brought him the information that she
l would see him presently.
Slowly the door opened. Was thai
Julia? 1t certainly was not Gloria
Blaine-that weary-eyed girl in the
plain gown and drab little hat.
"Johni" she cried. john. With