The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1917-04-13
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
nr JANE osnonN.

~
George Bird" 10 very much oftenei
than she had Ann Evans that sht
sometimes was half convinced that rhs
was Georgia Bird-a sort OF shadow
o. second nature of George Blrd-and
TINT Ann Evans bad been lost In ~,
Hcuiie. And II had been n scunle
for Ann. She had come 10 thu
city with ASPIRATIONS and here she was.
at twenty-five. still pounding the type
writor-working for SIS n week a.
oeorgie Birds letter answeror. You
couldn't have called her Georges sec
rotary, for she seldom saw the radiant
George and almost never talked 10
her. George, you know, was at The
height Of her stardom.
or course. among those who admired
tho brilliant little actress there werr
always many who wrote, and 20 an.
swer these letters with henrt.to-hrart
enthusiasm was the best sort Of adver.
usement for George. That ~ why Il
was worth while to pay Ann SIS =
week.
Il know you girls That work In the
movies have a real hard iife," wrot,
one suitor. sits n hard life for any
woman to lead, and n there aren't any
city fellows willing to step In and he'll
you out and give you a home. why Just
let me tell you there Is one out herr
In the wllds that Will. I've made quite
q pile-at mines and cattle and one
thing or another. guess It's close a.
100000, And Just the sort Of cir,
Tn looking Tor IL a nlce little home
body like you without any Tugs OF
style or smart manners. / got your
address from the man that u u ouf
movie place out here. He said 10 send
the letter 20 the boss OF o U concern
and he guessed maybe you'd get T.
Just let me know and IN take the next
train East An old pal OF mine thai
made good out here Is In your burg
and he'll vouch for mo. Wen lool
him up nrst thing l get there
Ann rcread the letter carefully, and
spent i've minutes staring az the face
OF the photograph that came with Il.
rPeThapa no has got the right idea"
she suggested 10 herself. "Perhaps
George would be much better on.
Ann knew that most OF the men who
knew the rcnl George would have
been quite Incapable Of opening theli
hearts 10 her, Just In Difference TO hci
superior bank roll and uyertowerlng
success, First Ann wrote the letter
that was TO be sent, very much Tx,
all the other rejection letters; and
thcn-and that wns whore she wa.
wasting tlme-she wrote the sort OF
letter that George might have written
Just for fun" ns she told herself
And In TINT letter Ann who was beaten
down and stlncd, Ann, tho country Girl
sick 90 death OF the city, discouraged
and disappointed, wrote from her owi
nenrt. For the FIRST time In workln.
hours In months she forget GeorIlt
and remembered Ann.
II was not an a week Inter that Anr
discovered what she had really done
The manager strutted lh. "lIow many
proposals In the last two weeks. sine,
the last reel has been runnlngf" D.,
asked. He had come 20 take the mum
ber Of those declarations rs an lnde,
OF the heart appeal that George wa,
making. Mechanically Ann put hu
hand TO the %plgconhole marked "PI
posels" aud counted them. 'Thlrt
nine" she answered, aud her ey,
caught sight OF something that ma,
her blaneh.
Ann looked az the calendar TIN
hung over her desk. Yes Il was N,
10th. The wrong lettcr-thc 2Oth-
the Central station-nt Gas when H.
western express came In. The word
OF the letter she had written aud hut
sent by mistake came 60 her. A dozcI
Wild schemes went through her mind
She might-of course Il was out OF a
question but the thought presented o.
selr-she might ask Gyo,. De-.
keep the promise she had made ~
her. For after all the stranger wa,
good 70 look az, ~unspoiled by the city
Unobservcd by the manager she locke,
her desk and hurried to the boardiu
house. With whit simple nncry sh
AAh ohf NiAAafh H'lNtlAs ANIn aAI
hurried from the boarding. house.
She stood Nc the gate whore thoss
who meet friends from the West wutcl
aud peer e%xpectantly every night al
0;i5 as the Western express draws
near. "Shall l or shun't ~" she wns
debating. "Of course, he viii know at
q glance and then I'll hive to explain.
Perhaps he won't come" Aud then
he did come through the gate, aud 81,
felt herself almost totter us he stepped
quickly toward her Gad the big, boy
ish man was shaking hands with her
and telling her that he would have
known her anywhere. "only you are
a hundred times sweeter than the or.
iginnl," he said with the sincerity and
effectiveness OF a man who does not
know the practice Of fattery,
"Bnt / am really afrnld," Ann he
gan as her conscience prleked her re
peatedly. She tried to edge In her
explanation OF her deception. but 10
Infant ufua Nha atrauuan al, ri. .t...