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(空白处). 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 p.m. 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(劈开) 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, "I'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, I’d tell you she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!"

约翰·布兰查德正在观察想车站走来的人群，他在寻找那位素未谋面却心心相惜，带着玫瑰的女孩。
一年前当约翰在佛罗里达图书馆阅读一本书，可约翰并不是对那本书感兴趣，而是对书空白处的铅笔笔记感兴趣。那些字迹反应了一个有思想的灵魂和美好的精神。他在书的前面发现这些字迹所有人的名字：霍利斯·梅奈尔 小姐
他找到的了她的地址，写信介绍他自己。第二天他被派遣到国外服兵役。在接下来的一年中，他们通过邮件增进认识，友谊也渐渐建立起来。约翰请求得到她一张照片，但这个请求被拒绝了，霍利斯说 如果你真的在乎我，你就不会介意我长得什么样子。当约翰回家的那一天到来的时候，他们第一次见面订在了纽约中央火车站。她写到“你将会通过我衣服上的红玫瑰认出我。”因此这时约翰在车站与那位带着玫瑰的女孩相见。
当一个穿着绿衣，美丽，身材苗条的女孩走过来时，约翰注意到她的蓝色眼睛如同春天的花朵一般。他迎面向她走去，完全忘记了她没有带上玫瑰花。正当约翰向她靠近时，他看见另外一位带着玫瑰的女人站在附近。这个女人刚好超过四十岁，带在破旧的帽子，帽子下是灰色的头发。穿着绿衣的那位女孩迅速走开了，约翰顿时间感到撕心裂肺。他十分想跟着这位女孩，但渴望这位曾经精神上陪伴并支持他的女人。
这位女人看起来温柔而且通情达理。约翰向她走去说：“我是约翰·布兰查德，你一定是霍利斯·梅奈尔小姐吧。见到您很高兴。我能邀请您一起午餐吗？”
她微笑的回答：“我不清楚这是怎么回事。但刚刚那位穿着绿衣走过的女士，请求我将这朵玫瑰戴在衣服上，她说如果你邀请我午餐的话，要我告诉你她正在这条街最大的餐馆等候你，她还说 这只是一种考验。