John Blanchard was studying the crowd making their way through the station. He was looking for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn' t, the girl with the rose. When reading a book in a Florida library a year before, John became interested not in the contents of the book, but in the notes penciled in the margin  . The handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and beautiful mind. He discovered the former owner' s name in the front of the book: Miss Hollis Maynell. He located her address and wrote a letter introducing himself. The next day he was shipped overseas to serve in the army. During the next year, they grew to know each other through the mail and their friendship developed. John requested a photograph, but she refused, saying if he really cared, it wouldn' t matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return home, their first meeting was suggested--7:00 pm. at the Grand Central Station in New York. She wrote," You' ll recognize me by the red rose I wear on my coat. "So now John was in the station to meet the girl with a rose. As a pretty and slim girl in green came over, John noticed her blue eyes like flowers in spring. He walked directly towards her , entirely forgetting she was not wearing a rose. As John came closer to her, he saw another woman with a red rose stood nearby. Well past 40, this woman had graying hair done under a worn hat. Seeing the girl in green walk quickly away, John felt as if he were split  in two. He desired to follow that girl, but longed for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and supported him. The woman looked gentle and sensible. John went to her, saying, "1' m Captain John Blanchard. You must be Miss Maynell. I am glad to meet you here. May I take you to dinner?" She replied with a smile, I don' t know what this is about. But the lady in green who just went by, begged me to wear this rose on my coat. She said if you asked me out to dinner, l' d tell you she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!" John was eager to know the former owner of the book because_.
he was very interested in the contents of the book he was impressed by the notes written by the owner the book offered him practical and valuable advice there was address of the former owner in the book