I've been an orphan since I was four, and this woman brought me
up,--though it scarcely could be called that, for she only looked on me
as her assistant in the office and in her house.
"Well, one day a letter came for Azalea Thorpe. Now, the Thorpes moved
away from Horner's Corners two years ago, and we never knew their new
address. The few letters that came for them were sent to the Dead Letter
Office. This one would have been, but for the fact that it was unsealed.
"It had been sealed, but the envelope was all unstuck, and--I read the
letter. I own up to it,--I know it was wrong,--but I didn't know then
_how_ wrong. You see, I wasn't taught much about honour and right. It is
only since I have been with good people that I realise what an awful
thing I did. When I read it, I couldn't help thinking what a pity for
that wonderful invitation to her to make a visit in the East, to be
wasted! And the more I thought, the more I was possessed of an idea that
I might personate Azalea Thorpe and have the visit myself. Oh, if you
_knew_ how I hated the place where I lived,--how I hated the home I
had,--how I wanted to get out into the great world, and have my chance!
And, yes, I wanted to be a moving-picture actress. I was _sure_ I could
do better than the pictures I saw in that little town, and--well, the
more I thought about it,--the more it seemed an easy and plausible thing
to do.
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