The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-09-21
SHADoWoF &cRGIEBIRD !
BY JANE OSBORN.

than she had Ann Evans that she
sometimes was half convinced that she
was George Bird-a sort of shadow
or second nature of George Bird-and
that Ann Evans had been lost in the
scuff1e. And it had been a scuff1e
for Ann. She had come to the
city with ASPIRATIONS and here she was.
at twenty-five, still pounding the type
writer working for SIS week as
George Birds letter answerer. You
rotary, for she seldom saw the radiant
George and almost never talked to
her. George, you know, was at the
height of her stardom.
OF course, among those who ADMIRED
the brilliant little actress there were
always many who wrote, and to an
swer these letters with heart-to-heart
enthusiasm was the best sort of adver-
tisement for George. That is why it
was worth while to pay Ann SIS a
week.
II know you girls that work in the
movies have real hard ife," wrote
one sutton. cts hard life for any
woman to lead, and if there aren't any
city fellows willing to step in and help
you out and give you home, why just
let me tell you there is one out here
In the wilds that will. I've made quite
q pile-at mines and cattle and one
thing or another. guess it's close to
100000. And just the sort of girl
I'm looking for is a nice little home
body like you without any Tugs or
style or smart manners. I got your
address from the man that runs our
movie place out here. He said to send
the letter to the boss of your concern
and he guessed maybe you'd get it.
Just let me know and I'll take the next
train East. An old pal Of mine that
made good out here is in your burg
and he'll vouch for me. Wen look
him up first thing get there
Ann reread the letter carefully, and
spent five minutes staring at the face
Ct the photograph that came with it.
Perhaps he has got the right idea,"
she suggested to herself. Perhaps
George would be much better off,
Ann knew that most Of the men who
knew the real George would have
been quite incapable of opening their
hearts to her, just in Difference to her
superior bank roll and Overtowering
success. First Ann wrote the letter
that was to be sent, very much like
all the other rejection letters; and
then-and that was where she was
wasting time-she wrote the sort of
letter that George might have written
just for fun as she told herself.
And in that letter Ann who was beaten
down and stifled, Ann, the country girl.
sick to death of the city, discouraged
and disappointed, wrote from her own
heart For the FIRST time in working
hours in months she forgot. George
and remembered Ann.
It was not till a week later that Ann
discovered what she had really done.
The manager strutted in. "How many
proposals in the last two weeks, since
the last reel has been running?" he
asked. he had come to take the num-
Der of these declarations as an index
of the heart appeal that George was
making. Mechanically Ann put her
hand to the pigeonhole marked "Pro-
posals" and counted them. 'Thirty-
nine," she answered, and her eyes
her blanch.
Ann looked at the calendar that
hung over her desk. Yes, it was the
goth. The wrong letter-the Goth
the Central statiOn-at 6 As when the
western express came in. The words
of the letter she had written and had
sent by mistake came to her. A dozen
wild schemes went through her mind.
She might-of course it was out of the
question but the thought presented it.
self-she might ask George Bird to
keep the promise she had made for
her. For after all the stranger was
good to look at, unspoiled by the city.
Unobserved by the manager she locked
her desk and hurried to the boarding
house: With what simple fnery she
had she arrayed herself. Then she
hurried from the boarding house.
She stood at the gate where those
who meet friends from the West watch
and peer expectantly every night at
6:45 as the Western express draws
pear. "Shall I or shan't I?' she was
debating. "Of course, he will know at
glance and then I'll have to explain.
Perhaps he won't come" And then
he did come through the gate, and she
felt herself almost totter as he stepped
quickly toward her and the big, boy
ish man was shaking hands with her
and telling her that he would have
known her anywhere. "Only you are
4 hundred times sweeter thar the Or
ig1nal," he said with the sincerity and
effectiveness of a man who does not
know the practice of fattery.
"But am really afraid" Ann be-
san as her conscience pricked her re-
peatedly. She tried to edge in her
explanation Of her deception. But so
intent was the stranger on his plans