The Press., 1908-01-22
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 By CECILY ALLEN. Copyright. 1907. by B. c. Parcells.
By CECILY ALLEN.
1907, by E. c. Parcells.


 Bring on the hot rolls, Violet" said Mrs. Brent in her sharp, decisive tones.
 The tall, angular girl thus admon- ished returned to the kitchep-and then the deluge of merriment!
 Young Graham, the superintendent of the beet sugar factory, bit his lip, then choked over an infnitesimal scrap of breakfast food. Professor Hinds of 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 at the Sampson implement offices, she of the fluffy pOmpadour and retrousse nose, giggled, then hastily swallowed a spoonful Of coffee which promptly went down her Sunday throat" and this on Thursday morning! And simultaneous ly gale of laughter swept around the circle of boarders at Mrs. Brent's select and "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 unto ward merriment, Not that laughter and merriment were uncommon at Mrs Brent. 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 Hinds. 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 un- der Fred Graham's shaking shoulders he remembered, coughed and ex- claimed:
 ''That was the best story you ever told, Mrs. Brent
 Grace Saunders shot him grateful glance, but Professor Hinds 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 further removed from shrink ing, delicate violet in my life-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 Sunhower!
 "Rut, professor, you must bear in mind that the name was bestowed when the girl measured perhaps twelve inches. Babies measure about foot, don't theyF' And young Graham gazed lnQuiringly at his fellow boarders. 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- gardipg the best stores in the town. She found Violet darting about the ta- ble clearing away crumbs, setting back chairs, etc., with a 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 business college, you know, and you've 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. T am so glad, because I am going there too. Today Is my first, and 1t will be so nice to see a familiar face"
 Then as suddenly as 1t had awaken ed the expression of delighted antici- patton died in Violet's face. She re- membered. She was the waitress 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 kitch- en had said 1t was most remarkable that girl with such 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- pill waitress in the Brent home.
 Come 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 3 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 fel- low creatures.
 The curlycues were not gone over, however, for wi iWin two minutes after Violet had entered Miss Saunders room they were talking of more per sonaE matters.
 ''I know now why the men all laugh cd at the table this morning. It was me. They laughed at the business col lege too! What is wrong with meY'
 Grace glanced up at the angular yet passionate, Quiyering figure. A high pompadour crowned long narrow face, and enormous black bows stood out on either side of her long, thin throat like bat wings. Her frock was absolutely tight fitting. accentuating every angular line.
 ''Stt down, my dear, and let's tall" said Grace gently.
 ''It isn't fair" sobbad Violet ninwip9