Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-01-03
Beautiful by
Mistake
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(Copyrightl

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
(Copyrightl III
A NNE MERRILL decided to invest
: = two dollars Of her last ten on q
taxi ride downtown to keep her ap-
pointment with Mr.. Blum, casting di.
rector for Long Island movie studio.
She was to meet him In the arcade
Of the World building, as he had only
a few minutes to spare before going
back to Long Island. Anne could have
taken the subway and saved her pre-
cious two dollars, but the November
rain was fierce and chilling and by
the time she reached Mr.. Blum she
would be so wet and bedraegled he
might not consider her for q part.
It was Anne's dream to get a part
In talkie. People told her she had
an exquisite voice. It had been an
asset to her in her two years as
telephone girl. She did not think she
was ravingly beautiful, but she imag-
ined she had q nice personality.
Anne dashed across the street I'M
der her small umbrella and wrenched
open the door of taxi that stood In
line outside a hotel. There were two
very pretty girls, blonde and a red
head. lOlling in the back seat. II
Anne murmured, "0h, I'm sorry |"
and started to back out but the red
headed girl stopped her.
maybe you can tell u.s." she began.
"What costs the most-mink or sealf
Miss Organ here says seal does but
1 tell her she's goofy." Goa
"I'm talking real seal-not Hud-
son." returned Miss Organ.
"Dearie," shifted the other girl,
'you didn't even know what Hudson
seal was till now. MY managers get
ting me mink coat today" she ex-
planned to Anne. .Come on In and sit
down." she invited. Between u.s."
They asked Anne where she was
headed for and she told them. Poi
"That's where we get off-City
Hail." they announced. THE mayors
handing us the key to the city" lo
Anne began to be frightened. She
wondered II these girls weren't bit
crazy. Miss Organ, who seemed quite
intelligent, hastened to explain:
"She's supposed to be the most beau
tiful girl in Manhattan and I'm the
most beautiful girl In Brooklyn-you
know-the Daily Globes contest"
Anne did know. She had seen these
girls pictures In the paper. They
were to be feted BY notables all that
week. Famous dress houses were Law
ishing gorgeous clothes upon them.
Anne sighed enviously. her ride down.
town with them was a slow, marvel
GUS dream. She sat between them,
while they addressed polite remarks
to her and not to each other. She
was their buffer. ,-.,iss-
At City Hall Park she said: "I1l
get right of here, Oh, thank you 80
much for letting me ride with you"
She got out Of the taxi and start
ed to open the umbrella. though the
rain had almost stopped and a waver-
ing sun. was showing. A battery Of
movie and still cameras greeted her.
"Are you the most beautiful girl Of
Manhattan or the most beautiful girl
In Brooklyn" asked young man
with a pale nice face and turned-up
collar
"Neitherw yelled the two girls,
jumping from the taxi in hurry and
thrnsting the bewildered Anne aside.
You've got the wrong party, boys.
We're the babies you're looking for"
They put their arms around each
others waists, MS their managers had
instructed them. and posed, smillngly
"we're just like two slsters-Miss
Manhattan and Miss Brooklyn"
Anne started to hurry away, though
she would have loved to stay and
watch. But she mustn't keep Mr..
Blum waiting. The nice-faced young
man stopped her. se1 rli.fl
IF you aren't the most beautiful
girl In Manhattan or Brooklyn" he
said, "the judges made a mistake"
He talked with her a moment or
two while she innocently divulged her
name, under his spell. the fact that
she wanted to join the movies and
that she had only ten dollars between
herself and starvation. BEEN
Mr.. Blum was waiting for her. He
looked at her critically; also his
watch. " GssEAs@
am sorry" he said bluntly. "You
amt the type I was looking for.
need dame with more It," He mo-
ticed Anne's stricken face and added
without infection. "I'll make a note
OF your name"
That evening, over a cup of coffee
and a roll IN little cheap restaurant,
Anne saw her own face ON the front
page of newspaper and an article,
written In n numerous vein. along the
lines that II Anne Merrill wasn't the
most beautiful girl In either Mnnhat-
ton or Brooklyn, somebody was cross
eyed. The articls told OF Anne's last
ten dollars and her ambition TO he in
the movies
The next morning Anne had tele-
phone call from Hum offering her
big part In his new movie. right away.
~ can't decide right now. Mr.. Hum"
returned Anne In business-llke voice.
''You're the fourth one to ask me this
morning But" she added sweetly,
"Tll make note Of your name"
Ep:eures Of Insect World
II is now definitely established
facf TINT Fuocouifnos ora ~ eu.o snc