The Lambertville record., 1908-01-08
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BY CEClLY ALLEN.
Copyright 1907, by E. c. PARCELS.
BY CEClLY ALLEN

iiiIiS bil Tie hol tbttt, Suib
Nrs. Brent in her sharp. decisive tones
The tail, angular girl thus admon-
ished returned to the kitchen and then
the deluge of merriment.
Young Graham, the superintendent
of the beet sugar factory, bit his lip.
then choked over an ininitesimal scrap
of breakfast food. Professor Kinds of
the high school faculty cleared his
throat, then, with fork and knife up
raised In an attitude much decried In
the modern books on etiquette, stared
blankly after the retreating figure.
Bessie Layton, the stenographer ut the
| Sampson implement offices, she of the
| fluffy pompadour and retrousse nose,
glggled, then hastily swallowed a
spoonful of coffee which promptly went
| down her Sunday throat" and this on
Thursday morning, And Simultaneous
ly II gale of laughter swept around the
circle of boarders at Mrs. Brent's select
and "homclile" establishment.
To the accompaniment of this laugh
ter Violet passed the hot rolls from
boarder to boardcr, little dreaming
that she was responsible for the unto
ward merriment Not that laughter
and merrlment We're uncommon at Mrs.
Brents. The cheerful atmosphere of
her boarding house as much as her
own good cookery kept the same circle
of guests there year after year. Only
Professor Kinds, the new principal of
the high school, and pretty Grace Saun-
ders were newcomers this season. And
Violet-yes, Violet was the new wait
ress. Violet!
As she thrust the delicious rolls I'M
der Fred Graham's shaking shoulders
he remembered, coughed and OK
| claimed;
THAT was the best story you ever
told Mrs. Brent"
| Grace Saunders shot him grateful
| glance. but Professor Kinds looked up
| bankly as If trying to remember the
| story that had never been told. Then,
as Violet again disappeared through
| the kitchen door, he murmured;
| "Most ineongruous. Never saw any
| thing further removed from a shrink
ing, delicate violet In my lfe-six
feet, If she's an inch. Funny how par
ents do select such inappropriate names
| for their children! Violet! Ought to
have called her sunfower"
but, professor, YOU must bear Ii
| mind that the name was bestowed
when the girl measured perhaps twelve
inches. Babies measure about a foot
don't theyT' And young Graham gazet
inquiringly ut his fellow boarders
"Probably was one of those dainty
fragile sort of babies that shoot III
like bean poles later on. Did that my
self my mother tells me.
Half an hour later Grace Saunder
returned TO the dining room intending
TO ask Mrs. Brent some questions re
garding the best stores In the town
She found Violet dartlng about the tn
bic clearing away crumbs, setting bacl
chairs, etc, with a worried look on he
face. Mrs. Brent came IN from thu
kitchen.
| "There, Violet, don't you try tc
stralghtcn up the whole place. You'll
be late TO school. It's five blocks to
the business college, you know, and
you've got your dress to change yet"
"Oh, are you going to the business
eollege?" inquired Grace. The tall,
slender girl stopped untying her apron
Mt the cordial note In the boarder's
voice. Il am SO glad, because | am
going there too. Today is my first, and
1t will he SO nice to see familiar
face"
Then as suddenly as 1t had awaken
ed the expression Of delighted antici-
patton died In Violet's face. She re-
membcred. She was the waitress mt
Mrs. Brenl'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 kitch-
en- had said IL was most remarkable
that II girl with such II father should
not be studying In an eastern college
instead of an unknown business col
lege 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 pu-
pi waitress In the Brent home.
"Comc into my room tonight and we
will go over those dreadful curlycues
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 shadow had come into that girls
| life since morning, that here was a
| chance where she herself might be
helpful, and Grace Saunders belonged
In the class of girls who simply must
be of cheer and service to their fell
low creatures.
The curlycues were not gone over,
however, for within two minutes after
Violet had entered Miss Saunders
room they were talking OF more per-
sonal matters.
II 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
passionate, quiyering figure. A high
pompadour crowned a long, narrow
face, and enormous black bows stood
out on either side of her long, thin
rnroat like bat wings. Her frock was
absolutely tight fitting, accentuating
every angular line
"St down, my dear, and let's talk"
said Grace gently.
'Tt isn't fair" sobbed Violet, hingin-
herself Into the proffered chair. Here
you are with money, beauty and every
thing And I've slaved and scrubbed
and done washing to earn money
enough to pay for my course. But even
If do learn stenography, who will hire
me? What do they want with me when
they can get girls like you and Miss
Layton? There's something wrong
with me. What Is it?"
Grace laid a friendly hand on the
heaving shoulders.