The Washington herald., 1908-02-18

girl measured perhaps twelve inches.
Babies measure about a foot, don't they
And young Graham sazed inquirngly IT
his fellOw-bOarderS. Probably was one
OF those dainty. fragile sort Of babies
that shoot up Ike bean poles later or
DID that myself. my mother tells me-
Half an hour later. Grace Saunders re
turned 10 the diuing-roOm intending 20
ask Mrs. Brent some questions regarding
the best stores I'D the town. She found
Violet darling about the table. clearing
away crumbs setting back chairs. &c..
with a worried look on her face. Mrs.
Brent came in from the kitchen.
There. Violet, don't you Try 20
straishten up the whole place. You'u be
1 late 20 school It's 1--WE blocks % the
I business college, you know. and you've
got your dress 10 change yet"
"Oh. are you going To the business col
lese2' inquired Grace. The taH. slender
girl stopped untyiug her apron az the cor
/ dial note in the boarder'S voice. i am
! so glad, because I am going there. too.
To-day is my drst-and il viii be So
nice 90 see a familiar face"
Then, as suddenly as il had awakened.
the expression Of delighted anticipation
died in NiOIet's face. She remembered
she was the waitress az Mrs Breut's.
waitress for hey board and room. and
Miss Grace Saunders was the daughter
OF "a 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 IL was most re-
, markable that q girl with such a father
should not DE studying IN an Eastern
college instead Of an unknown business
college in an obscure Western city
But Grace Saunders was not the sort
OF girl 10 be suubbed. 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-wait-
ress in the Brent home.
Come into my room tonight AMI we
will go over those dreadful curlicues TO-
gether.' Grace urged. as she turned into
the front door al the Brent house while
Violet wheeled TO the walk leading 20 the
kitchen. Something told her that
shadow had come into that girls life
since mornins-that here was chance
where she herself might be helpful ana
Grace Saunders belonged in the class Of
girls who simply must be Of cheer and
service 10 their felIow-creatures.
The "cUrlicues" were not gone over
however. for within two minutes after
Violet had entered Miss Saunders room
they were talking of more. personal mat
ters.
Il know now why the men all laughed
ar the table this morning Il was me-
I They laughed at the business college, too
What is wrong with me?''
Grace glanced up al the angular yet
passionate. Quivering figure. 4 high
pcmpadour crowned a long. narrow face
and enormous black bows stood out on
rT cid 4
bat wings. Her frock was absolutely
ltiEht-htting. accentuaung every angular
/ line
sit down. my dear. and let's talk. d"
I said Grace gently.
1T isn't fair. sobbed Violet. nineing
herself into the profTered chair. Here
YOU are with money. beauty. and every
thing And I've shaved and scrubbed
/ and done washing 10 earn money enough
| TO pay for my course. But even IL
| 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 HIND on the heav-
/ ling shoulders
Il think It is your name-and your
hair"
Violet sat up very straight.
MY what?'
Your name and your hair You see.
| one always thinks Of a violet as some
thing small and shrinking and delicate
and you-wen, YOU arc six feet tail with
/ that pOmpadOur. You cannot change
your name but YOU can change your
hair"
The weeks that followed were Ike
/ fairyland trips to Violet, whose mother
/ had read herself into mental and ply
| steal inertia on diet Of novels. while her
/ father had tried to wrest gold from the
| sphnX-like mountains. She learned that
| Grace Saunders was merely studying
| bookkeeping and stenOgraphy in order 20
| help her father. whom she adOred. and
that she had time between studies to do
the most wonderful sewing Violet had
ever seen. But first she taught Violet
/ how to dress her hair. low and soft. in
puffs above her ears and low knot at
/ the nape of her neck. Then how To do
| DelSarte exercises. TO acquire ease and to
/ feed certain angles with massage cream.
/ The change was gradual. but one day
when Violet waited on the table in q
| frOck made with deep rufies that broke
/ her height and soft fTillS at throat and
/ wrist. young Graham looked puzzled
/ Seems like viOlets do bloom some
1 times rather late in life" he remarked as
he took the entire circle Of boarders into
his confidence. But I would like 10
know how she became shorter"