Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-04

= Archie I.averock. the Arrant Rover,
Through with girls" is motoring In
the country when his attention is at
tracted by the extraordinary conduct
man. after railing ..ats the good-looking
girl literally chucks her out or the
sids-car Archie offers the fair dam :
sci O lift in his car. He is attracted
by her piquant personality. but be-
comes very much ab8shed when he
harms that she is a tilm actress and
the brutal treatment was only a re-
Pocket Venus
"A fuH-born Beauty. new and en-
quisite," -hea's
Were YOU going to let ME know
your Nance"
She made a tiny, stacy pause,
Then came the announcement that
drew from the young man by
Jove." of impressed recognition.
For, with a tremor in her voice of
genuine delight. showing how still
fresh to her was the bloom on the
golden fruit, she uttered a name
familiar that spring to all break
tasting England: all, that is over
three million people who took in a
certain illustrated paper.
: She said: Il am Lucy JOY
Like the rest of the public, young
Laverock had stared. two months
before. at the big halftone photo
graph in the Daily Periscope of the
SiN who had won their "Prettiest
English woman" competition.
Miss Lucy Joy, First Prize
One Thousand Pounds"
Easy money for just sending in
a snapshot, and then attending the
judges lunch at the Berkeley" had
been the comment of his pal, the
son of that motorcar firm who had
got him his job. Lets have a look
at the young woman. HIM. ] don't
see that she's anything so despera te-
ly wonderful. according to this. Not
even as pretty as the second prize
girl. Nose too short. Not n patch
on the Daily Mirror winner"
You can't tell by a picture,
Archie Laverock had said. Prob
ably her coloring's half the battle; il
is with most English girls"
Most of these girls here seem to
me as plain as 'Potiphar's wife,
grumbled Arches pal.
He was one of these men invari-
ably captious and grudging on the
subject of women's looks, being
himself without an isolated advant-
LaverOck, on the other hand was
of those who honestly consider thai
practically any girl is attractive
looking. that most are definitely
pretty and that there isn't such q
thing as II really ugly woman L
be found in this world. For him, tt
be feminine at all was to be desir-
able. 1t is your handsome critic
who is indulgent. With all his
faults, the Rover was u creature not
--unsiGhtly.
Bit of job, selecting the frs,
ten out of this bunch" he'd unused
over the full page portraits of the
best types of Britain's girlhood, and
then picking out the nicest-lookine
nymph of the Great Ten, I'm
, bothered if | know how | should
have voted. wonder what
sort Of people and home she's got
and all that sort of thing ="
Now, two months later on, he
was to know.
In wondering what the prize
heauty's home and family would be
like, he had certainly not formed
any mental picture of the mcnase
into which he found himself practic-
ally tumblcd by the hand of fate
that afternoon, directly the car had
drawn up, on the grassy sidetrack
sprinkled with fircones, outside a
gate with white palinss.
outside was the Surrey wild; turf
broom. what-would become heather
new brackcn, sandy slopes. and. all
beyond. the pine woods. seeming &c
shake slow dark heads over Abe
ways of the world and to sigh with
out ceasing.
Here's the place" said Lucy Joy
pointing to the gate.
inside the palings was CAV
little oasis enough. Presently. tr
Arches eyes. it resolved itself into
a flower garden, a lawn, a rockery
/ bright with Alpine plants. a flight
OF shallow red steps leading up &c
a wooden bungalow. painted sky
blue. but half hidden by a tangle
of light crecpers. variegated honey
suckle, sweet briar rioting up to the
chlmneys of the place. At the first
glance, however, the confusing colo,
and fiuttcr were not to be disposed
of in these literal terms; the place
was just 4 bouquet abIaze with
plnks ard blues and colds and
oranges and mauves. The eve
would have been puzzled to distin-
&ulsh between glowing splashes of
color that blazed between the
bushes. \ huge. poppy patterned
rent parasol was set up on the lawn
between the flower beds. Under
this, on the backing Of smooth green
grass. lay spread of cushions bold
~ striped in lemon and amber and
black that made brighter contra ST
Of the rest. There were, besides
chintz-padded basket chairs and
Indian rugs. a dazzle painted work
box from which effioresced a pinky
heap of flimsy needlework. a half
knitted jumper in Russian ballet
shades; there were a flung aside
Pan. its pages afutter in the breeze.
a couple of paper jacketed novels
n canary and cream check tea cloth
was laid beneath the CLEAN of
silver, of fiowery china; around 1t
was grouped wind tossed clusters
Of women's summary rrills. Above
all sounded the gay commotion of
voices, twittering as zestfully. as
necessarily as the birds then in full
spring song.
All They're in. They're all at
tea in the garden. Good, Come and
be introduced to the family" said
Lucy JOY.
Tossing aside the dust rug, she
skipped front the car, small fingers
resting for an instant In the long
tanned ones held ont by the Rover
Just the fateful fraction Of a sec
ond quicker than he'd shown this
ordinary attention To any girl yet.
He noticed 1t himself.
Quickly he followed at the gray
suede heels of the tiny blue wrap
ped figure stepping down the path,
fast a huge blossoming tree lupin.