Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-04
SUNNY DUCROW
By HENRY ST. JOHN COOPER


| picture post cards done"
Il am afraid" he said that there is
some mistake. /"
I'm Sunny Ducrow. I'm In the re-
yue. you know, Keep. on the Grass.
Maybe you've seen what the papers say
about me-"
II assure you"
We'll. that don't matter: it's no good
| talking she said. "Ow much-'ow
start within"
! A dozen post cards! He reeled as
though she had struck him-he, the
eminent artist!
There's a man at tho corner of our
street who charges five shillings the first
dozen and two shillings a dozen after
from the same picture" Sunny said. Il
wouldn't mind going n bit more" She
smiled at him. There was something so
irresistible In her smile that Mr. Hurl-
back
The girl stood in favorable light.
Her face was aglow with vitality and
animation.
1t was very different face from
the pale, proud. passively Unconditional
race ne had been wrestling with Just
now. 1t would be almost a relief to
faKea faR9 a picture picture Of girl like this, He
iound hlfnself studying Sunny while sine
talked. His first thought had been TO
remove her. ''' :"
seNeh-ahd-siX and three bob,
s'e see' I'm m ready onIy now m sunny said. You
girls like me there's nothing that gets
us on Ike having their pictures took
postcards and advertisements and like
mat. You know" she said, me drink
ing cup or corfee or cocoa and grinning
NJ TO Dreak my neck and showing all
my teeth-that's one way"
II do not take photographs of that
klnd, he said stifiiy.
NOW then OH
against rustic arch or something like
lhat,, Just holding up tho edge of my
skirt ike that; somebody's stockings
as won't wear into no 'ole-holes," she
again.
NO" he said; certainly not! I
am an artist Miss--ahem -
..D1uGcrow-Sunny Ducrow.," she said
as you call them, of that kind. Ny
art" He paused But what was
me use of talking about his art? She
would not understand. Still, she had
was perfectly beautiful, nor beautifully
perfect: 1t was the expression. II he
could catch that swift. ripping laugh
II 1t was only possible!
L tell you l don't take photographs
for advertisements or picture postcards,
but might" He hesitated. stand
Just where, you are; don't move, please.
Go on talking: [ can hear you H
made. rush: he was gone; a heavy
curtain fell, hiding him.
don't see how | can go on talking
when l cant see you" Sunny said
>, am Eere; l can hear you perfectly,
Tell me about your work; your head a
little more to the left
Muttered eXXclamatlons came from De-
hind the curtain now and again. Sunny
threw back her head and laughed. 1t
seemed so funny to talk TO n man who
was lodging about behind curtain. She
laughed again her laughter filled the
room. Bert stood there, looking on
gtOomi.ly. 1t all seemed waste of time
Funny me chatting away like this
and you not being on the stage Sunny
said.
Go on talking" he said. Laugh
again. like you did just now. Throw
your head back; you understand"
Sunny did as she was told It was a
genuine peal of laughter that rang
out. She laughed unrestrainedly.
Il don't see nothing to split my sides
about" Bert muttered gloomily. Whats
the joker"
II don't know as there's any joke"
standing here laughing at nothing that's
what made me laugh. Once start laugh
ing l can't stop" She laughed again.
1t was some minutes later that Mr..
Hurlingham came out from behind the
curtain
'"rhank you," he said
He smiled he rang n bell; he said
| something to the young lady who an
swercd 1t. She went out a few moments
| later sho came back with a cheque and
2 fountain pen; Mr. Iurlingaam sishe"
but" she said, II don't see--
She paused. She stared at tthe cheque
for two guineas. What's 1t for? IT
was mo as was going to pay you !
mean it was I who were-wasEwhich
Is It?-going to pay you for taking my
photograph and you ain't took 1t yet
He smiled at her.
my dear Miss Ducrow, ] have taken
about dozen negatives of you. AS
to pay you for the sitting. 1 will send
you proofs of those l decide to use. In
u few weeks time you may possibly see
what use | make of them. Meanwhile,
If you would call this day month at the
same hour. Miss Smith, please make a
note-Miss Ducrow, on the 18th of next
month at II a. M" c
"Well, I'm blessed y said sunny,
anyhow. I'll be here all right She
held out her hand and Mr.. Hurllngham
took it,
II have only one thing to ask" he
said viii you promise me that untll
you come here again you Will not sit to
any photographer other than myself? l
feel inclined to make Il contract with
you much depends on the result OF this
mornings work"
All right" Sunny said. Bert, put this
in your pocket for me-
"Well if you amt got saucer Bert
muttcrcd AZ they went out. '!oont you
know that half the actresses IN London
are wild for him to take their photo
graphs and they say he won't look at
thcm"
sunny nodded.
That's why como to 'im," she said,
"Only | didn't know he was taking my
pictures all the time" She laughed hap.
nil la Hrhnrp'g ALWAYS of doing
things Bert. If the front doors locked
and boltcd, you can generally, get in by
the back door. And If that's locked, TOO
through That's the way l look at It,"
1t was three weeks later that Sunny
saw the result OF her mornings visit.
ON the front page of one of the lead
ing illustrated weekly papers was a
ing II was such Il genuine, Irresistible
laugh that people who looked at 1t smiled
unconsciouSly. 1t was real laugh-not
a mere laugh with the mouth for the
purpose of showing good set OF teeth
She laughed with her mouth, her eyes,
her littln tipttltod nose. Exhibited IN
the news agents windows, or on the
and then laughed. Every one laughed.
Like yawning, n genuine laugh Is infec'
tous Tho picture was called Ihe
"a Study of Miss Sunny Ducrow, by de
We're Hurlngham.
Some people said, and with reason,
that il was the very finest piece of work
that Mr.. Ilurlingham had ever done. At
any rate, 1t was Sunnys first real big
advertisement. People asked one an.
other, "Iave you seen that picture OF
The Laughing Girl in the Weekly---"
Through the medium OF that picture
Sunny DuCroW became known to more
people by name and by appearance than
three years hard work in the theatre
would have effected