The Montgomery tribune., 1910-12-16
Mystery Of the
Violets


Jerviss family, all attractive young
women Of going-out age.
Emily, the eldest, is a tall, dashing
brunette. Eleanor, the second, Is Pc
tite and dark Daisy. the debutante,
is a short blond young person with
freckles and the engaging manners Of
cherubic small boy. It Is standing
grievance among this otherwise care
free trio that, their various admirers
often fail TO attach a distinguishing
first name to their offerings and notes.
"It was all very WE'LL" Daisy sput-
tered wrathfully to a girl caller, ITO
contend that Emily is the only Miss
Jerviss. To be sure, Emily could, prop
erly and technically speaking, claim
the honor of that title, but when 1t
comes to claiming every box of candy
| that reaches the house thus addressed
1t is quite another matter.
tits horribly embarrassing" she
complained, "for us not to know which
one of us has to thank the man whose
card accompanies the gift, because
we all three go out with the same
men occasionally, and it's hard to
know which one he desires to favor.
This time" she added, with a gig
gle, "is the worst yeti" She uncov-
cred square purple box and displayed
to her girl caller a great bunch Of
violets. She buried her nose In them
ecstatically.
They are absolutely the first of the
season." she said, "and they came two
hours ago addressed to Miss Jerviss'
and without trace of a card. OF
course, we all three claim them, be-
cause Eleanor is going to the theater
/ with Billy Selterman tonight and
Emily Is going to little Informal
dance with Henry Corsairs and l my
self am expecting Livingston Orr to
| call. A mere call doesn't necess,tate
flowers, naturally. but Livingston has
been rather-er-devoted of late. And
every man harbors the conviction that
the recipient OF his favors is going to
know whom to thank by some subtle
romantic instinct.
NO, indeed" she went on. in answer
to q question from the caller. I'VE
haven't come to any decision yet. We
had a council and after much discus
sion we decided TO be foxy 80 each
one of us invented good excuses to
call up the man she is going out with
this evening to see II he wouldn't get
into a conversation and give himself
away.
Emily called Henry to say that she
!. couldn't possibly be ready until half
Y,x tI,a ~ fr,
come, but he only thanked her CRATE
fully for letting him know, and she
had to hang up the receiver without
enlightenment,
'"rhen Eleanor called up Billy to re.
mind him that she didn't know what
play they were going to see. She told
him that she wanted to look UP the
criticisms beforehand. Equally hope
less!
"And 80 rang up Livingston to ask
him to stop of on his way here tonight
and bring me certain book from the
Kays'. He agreed pleasantly and re-
marked that he had been thinking
about me all day.
"'Ah hal said to myself. Here
ia where little Daisy corners the violet
market Then. How am going to be
convinced OF that?' inquired arch
ly Of Livingston, thinking he would
speak OF his floral offering as proof.
But he only demonstrated. In hurt
voice, that he hoped l wouldn't need
any convincing argument on that
score. So hung up the receiver baf-
fed. What he said didn't sound prom
.sing, although. Of course, he may have
sent the violets and will not mention
them until do"
She returned the bouquet to its box
with sigh Emily will probably get
them cfter ALL" she said. ruefully. "be.
cause she has the legal claim. Then II
they really did come from Nell's young
man or mine he will be mortally Of
tended when he notices that we
haven't worn them.
But, you see-" She was inter.
, rupted by the entrance Of the house
/ maid with a card.
t Daisy" said the maid. ITO say that the
I box from the florists that was deliv.
cred this afternoon was addressed
: wrong. He says II was for Mrs. Jer.
, viss instead Of Miss Jerviss, and here's
tho card that was to 80 with t."
Daisy accepted the card with q
blank face. But as she read broad
grin grew upon her countenanoe.
"Thsy are from Uncle jack" she
said. "Hs always sends mother how.
srs when he passes through town."
The grin developed into laugh
THE joke ID on Emily" gasped Daisy
, after an interval, "for she has gone
Ave miles TO the dressmaker's 10 hurry