The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-27

full She was beautiful. She belonged
to the white columns of her lost home.
Well. to go on-the morning they found
her Il had some more fictitious people
on the second floor do that she was all
but dead, so thin and emaeiated. for she
had been living off crusts for days. And
Just at this point l brought in my con-
trast of the d. A. RS not overworl1ing
1.-THE merest touch The Associated
Charities was notified, I continued, and
this proud and distinguished daughter of
the colonial DANES at the point of death
was carried to the Emergency hospital
that was as far as l got, and that was
where l left her. It may doubtless APP
pear sentimental, but l never cried over
any real person in my life half as much
as l cried over my sad little, old lady
whom I loved. I did not even tell DON
nelly or the Colonel that she was all
ke-beleye. and, of course, did not men,
ton the fact to the Sunday editor.
Not for an instant did dream the story
would make the sensation it did. l had
not called for any public sympathy, but
wrote down merely fictitious facts, as
you might say, and actual imaginary de-
tails in as minute and exact a manner as
/ could. But in poured the letters-a very
flood of them-and nearly drowned me.
For days in succession they came. and l
answered every single one. l told every
body that Miss Washington had been re-
moved from the hospital and was being
well cared for by old friends; that she
was still very weak, but was regaining
strength every day. and now had every
| thing she wanted, even a horse and car
| rage Several members of the d. A. r.
called up the office and two wrote me
requesting specific information regarding
Miss Washington's family tree. The last
l dared not stand for The messages were
| duly referred to me from downstairs in
the business office without exciting the
| ghost of a suspicion anywhere. Our man.
agement was always particularly severe
on the point of fake stories and many
a good man had been fired for less than
| | was guilty of.
| So talked peace and held my gun pow
| der, growing more scared each day, as
the complications between me and Miss
/, Washington increased. At length some
| poor woman from Fredericksburg sent s.
to open up a subscription fund, and a
well known Virginia woman in New York
| sent a check for $50, and I felt like ca
pitulating. When l sent the money back
| told the ladies that they need worry
| no more, for Congress had just appro-
| priated large sum for Miss Washing
| tons maintenance during the remainder
| of her life and I thanked them and told
! them that Miss Washington thanked
| them with tears in her eyes. and would
never forget them as long as she lived
| All this alone did | beari l was too
frightened to tell living soul in the Of
| flee or outside, and every day l got deeper
| and deeper into fibs.
Just as long as it was just letters and
| telephone messages l could be game
but. oh, my heart! when a nice, polite
| old gentleman came all the way from
| Richmond to Washington city and
straight up to the Washington Post-then,
| indeed, l covered. l was just leaving
| Mr.. Pages office when the gray-haired
| stranger entered the other door. AS l
| always waited to see what people came
for and what they looked like, I stood
| still to listen. And I heard the stranger
| state that he desired particulars relating
to the Washington story-that Miss
Washington was his long-lost aunt. whom
| they had heard of In the family for
| twenty years.
! I heard Mr.. Page refer him to me and
| say that had just that moment gone
out to the city room.
The gentleman from Virginia then
| walked down the hall, tip-toeing after
him. Our copy reader was the only man
/ in the room, and he greeted the stranger
| in his usual agreeable way. He said |
had just gone out few moments before,
| and there was no telling Just where |
| was, but that he remembered the story
and would locate the party for him. He
| actually went up to the telephone, blind
| and deaf to my agonized signals out in
the hall-and rang up Associated Chart
| ties
| "Helloi Have you got a Miss Washing
ton still on your lists?' he asked-and
my heart sank, while I chung to cover!
But when he put the receiver down and
! said, Yes. sir, they have" and gave the
| number of a house on upper X street,
then my blood circulated once more. l
jumped right into the city room. told the
gentleman my name and put on my hat
| and said / would take him there.
OF course, it was taking right heavy
, odds. but what else does one ever do?
| There was nothing for 1t but to hand
out the last trump and follow suit.
| / hailed the avenue car and in that
| long ride | underwent a fire of questions,
| so the fibs just naturally grew and grew,
| and by the time we reached K street mar
| ket there was a whole conservatory full
| blooming ones.
| We got off the car and l skipped on the
! pavement with very joy. dancing fairly
| over the wonder and the glory and the
! mystery of my luck. There was a bunch
| of shanties not a stones throw from the
! market, and pretty soon we struck the
right number-and-I-I began to wither-
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!
But I gritted my teeth and knocked.
| great, big. enormous old black
| nanny, with her head tied up in red
I bandanna and her left arm in splints,
| opened the door.
| Observation-Disclosures Washing
| ton live here?' | stammered.
| "'Deed I does, honey" she replied;
| won't yo' an de gem-man come in?"