The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-07
The EVENING STORY
seViOlet."

y,
choked over an inf1nitesimal scrap or
breakfast food. Prof. Kinds, of the
high school faculty, cleared his throat
then with fork and knife appraised In an
attitude much decried in the modern
books on etiquette, stared blankly after
the retreating figure. Bessie Layton
the stenographer at the Sampson I'M
plement Offices she of the furry pompa-
dour and retrousse nose, giggled, tnen
hastily swallowed a spoonful of coffee
which promptly went down her Sun
day throat" and this on THURSDAY
morning! And simultaneously a gale
of laughter swept around the circle OF
boarders at Mrs. Brent's select ana
"homelike" establishment.
To the accompaniment of this laugh
ter Violet passed the hot rolls from
boarder to boarder. little dreaming that
she was responsible for the untoward
'nerriment. Not that laughter and mer-
rinent were uncommon at Mrs. Brent's.
The cheerful atmosphere of her board
ing house, as much as her own good
cookery, kept the same circle of guests
there, year after year. Only Prof
Kinds, the new principal of the high
school, and pretty Grace Saunders vera
newcomers this season. And Violet
yes. Violet was the new waitress. Vio-
lett
AS she thrust the delicious rolls under
Fred Graham's shaking shoulders, he
remembered. coughed and exclaimed:
THAT was the best story you ever
told, Mrs. Brent"
Grace Saunders shot him a grateful
glance, but Prof. Kinds looked up
blankly, as If trying to remember the
story that had never been told; then.
as Violet again disappeared through
the kitchen door, he murmured:
Most incongruous. Never saw any
thing farther removed from a shrink
ing, delicate Violet in my life. Six feet,
If she's an inch. Funny, how parents
do select such inappropriate names for
their children; Violeti Ought to have
called her 'Sunf1owerv
But, professor, you must bear in
mind that the name was bestowed when
the girl measured perhaps twelve in
ches Babies measure about a foot,
don't they?" And young Graham gazed
Probably was one of those dainty,
fragile sort of babies that shoot up
like bean poles later on. Did that my
self, my mother tells me-"
Half an hour later, Grace Saunders
returned to the dining room intending
to ask Mrs. Brent some questions re-
garding the best stores in the town.
She found Violet darling about the ia
Bile, clearing away crumbs, setting back
chairs, ETC., with worried look on her
face. Mrs. Brent came in from the
kitchen.
There, Violet, don't you try to
straighten up the whole place. You'll
be late to school. It's five blocks to the
got your dress to change yet
"Oh, are you going to the business
college?" inquired Grace. The tall,
slender girl stopped untying her apron
at the cordial note in the boarder's
voice. 81 am SO glad, because 1 am go
ing there, too. Today is my f1rst-and
it will be so nice to sec familiar face"
Then, as solemnly as it had awaken
ed, the expression of delighted antfcf-
patton died in Violet's face. She re-
ma her ad 17a IA ffTaG at
Mrs. Brent's, waitress for her board
and room, and Miss Grace Saunders
was the daughter of millionaire ranch
owner and cattle raiser in the southern
part of the state. Mrs Brent and the
rest of the help in the kitchen had
said it was most remarkable that a girl
with such father should not be study |
ing in an eastern college instead of an
unknown business college in an obscure
western city.
But Grace Saunders was not the sort |
of girl to be snubbed. When school |
closed that afternoon Violet Andrews |
found that Grace could keep pace with |
her and would not accept the excuse |
that there was work awaiting the pupil |
waitress in the Brent home. |
Come into my room tonight and we |
will go over those dreadful curlieues |
together" Grace urged, as she turned /
into the front door at the Brent house, |
while Violet wheeled to the walk lead |
ing to the kitchen. Something told her |
that a shadow had come into that |
girls life since morning-that here |
was a chance where she herself might
be helpful, and Grace Saunders belong
ed in the class of girls who simply must |
be Of cheer and service to their fellow
The "curlicues" were not gone over,
however for within two minutes after
Violet had entered Miss Saunders
room they were talking of more per-
sonal matters.
'I know now why the men all laugh
ed at the table this morning. 1t was
me. They laughed at the business col
lege, too! What is wrong with me?"
Grace glanced up at the angular yet
quivering figure. A high
crowned long, narrow
put on either side of her long, thin
throat like bat wings. Her frocks was
absolutely tight-f1tting, accentuating
every angular line.
"Sit down, my dear, and let's talk"
said Grace gently.
at isn't fair" sobbed Violet, flinging
herself into the proffered chair. Here
you are with money, beauty and every
and done washing to earn money
enough to pay for my course. But even
Z do learn stenography, who viii hire
ne? What do they want with me
Miss Layton. There's something wrong
With me. What is it?''
Grace laid a friendly hand on the
leaving shoulders.
"I think 1t is your name-and your
hair"
Violet sat up very straight.
my what?"
your name and your hair You see,
,ne always thinks of violet as some
hing small and shrinking and delicate
ind you-well, you are six feet tall with
hat pompadour. You cannot change
your name, but you can change your
lair.''
The weeks that followed were like
airyland trips to Violet, whose mother