Argosy, Vol. 111, No. 1 — page 163: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BLONDE OR hair, rose-colored complexion, her saucy little: hat, and trim tailored suit, all com- bined to make her more alluring and at- tractive than any girl he had ever fallen in love with at first sight. For the ostensible purpose of spreading open his paper, Kenneth shifted his chair so as to be able to view her without turn- ing his head. His heart fluttered. Her two escorts were very healthy-look- ing and able-bodied, and Kenneth almost writhed at the complacent manner in which they accepted her appealing smiles. Once or twice she glanced his way, but always, it seemed, past him, not at him. She seemed so happy and carefree. He felt the blood rise to his cheeks and his face grew hot. “He turned the sheets of the paper and made an effort to read. On an inside page, his eyes caught a head-line which attracted his attention: SAYS BLONDES ARE MORE CAPABLE AND EFFICIENT THAN BRUNETTES Kenneth scanned the article, an interview with one Miss Cynthia Whitehead, well- known lecturer on character reading, and one of that new, vast horde of “ efficiency experts.”” Miss Whitehead elaborated at some length her conclusions as set forth in the head-line. Kenneth then scrutinized his new-found divinity. Her eyes, gleaming under black lashes, were of a midnight hue, as was her luxuriant hair. “ Bosh and drivel, that yarn,’ com- mented Kenneth as he folded the paper. He glanced at the girl with a new interest. Suddenly her manner changed. All along she had seemed so sweet and demure. Now she was aflame. Apparently she had taken umbrage at something said by one of her companions, and the passage of heated words that followed leaped swiftly to a dramatic climax when she rose from her chair, and surveyed the two young men scornfully and defiantly. “‘T’ll show you,” she said determinedly. She stamped a dainty foot, and left the table. ‘“‘ Helen!” exclaimed one of the young men, jumping up, but his companion caught him by the arm and forced him back into the chair. BRUNETTE. 153 The girl flew up the stairs, and Kenneth followed her with his eyes, until even her trim ankles were no longer visible. In a few minutes her escorts paid their check and left, and Kenneth sat meditating until the fire of his slowly burning cigarette. scorched his fingers. With the vision of the girl still before him, he reread Miss Whitehead’s theory. ‘“ Newspapers must be up against it for something to print to publish such rot,” he said to himself. And then there came to him a noble im- pulse; he became possessed of a serious purpose in life. In behalf of all the beautiful brunettes in the world, and one in particular he would take it upon himself to disprove the cruel and unjust statements of Miss Cynthia Efficiency Whitehead. Thrice armed is he whose cause is just, and the crusader’s spirit of fire gleamed in Kenneth Howard’s eyes as he quit the restaurant. He proceeded to the office of his friend, Marshall Littleton, newly en- gaged in the practise of the law. “You're an employer of feminine help, Marshall,” said Kenneth, when, seated in Mr. Littleton’s little cubby-hole office, he told of the article in the paper, and of his determination to prove the conclusions false. ‘‘ Which are most efficient—blondes or brunettes?” ‘“T plead guilty to being an employer of the fair sex,” admitted Mr. Littleton, glanc- ing quizically around the narrow confines of his one room, “but my situation in regard to your query is peculiar. The girl who comes in here occasionally from the public stenographer’s office for an hour’s dictation was a brunette during the first two months I knew her; for the last week or ten days she has strangely appeared to be a blonde. Now if you will drop around in say six weeks hence I may be able to tell you of the relative. efficiency gy pee “I came for counsel and advice, and not for an alleged humorous dissertation,” broke in Kenneth heatedly. “ Certainly, Ken, old top,” answered Littleton soothingly. ‘I think you have a good case. Why not gather together a half dozen brunettes, and we will bring an action for libel against the paper and this COMiIclooo ©) SS (C(O)