Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1910-11-23
Mystery Of the
Violets

There are three daughters in the
Jerviss family. all attractive young
women Of a 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
a cherubic small boy. II Is a 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.
ut was all very WELL" 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 It
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, rs the worst yeti" She uncov-
cred a square purple box and displayed
to her girl caller great bunch Of
violets. She buried her nose in them
ecstatiGally.
"They are absolutely the first OF the
season." she said, land they came two
hours ago addressed to Miss Jerviss'
and without a 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 a little informal
dance with Henry Corsairs and l my
self am expecting Livingston Orr to
call A mere call doesn't necessitate
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.
mo, indeed" she went on, in answer
to a 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, so each
eall I'D the man she is going out with
this evening to see If 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
an hour later than the time he was to
come, but he only thanked her CRATE
fully for letting him know, and she
had to hang up the receiver without
enlightenment.
Then 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 so rang up Livingston to ask
him to stop off on his way here tonight
and bring me a 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
is where little Daisy corners the violet
market Then, How am going to be
convinced of that?' l inquired arch
ly OF Livingston, thinking he would
speak Of his floral Offering as a proof,
But he only demonstrated, in a hurt
voice, that he hoped | wouldn't need
any convincing argument on that
score. So I hung up the receiver baf-
fed. What he said didn't sound prom
Using, although, OF course, he may have
sent the violets and will not mention
them until I do"
She returned the bouquet to its box
with a sigh. Emily will probably get
them after 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 MORALLY 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.
There's a boy just come, Miss
Daisy" said the maid, Ito say that the
box from the florists that was deliv-
cred this afternoon was addressed
wrong. He says 1t was for Mrs. Jer-
viss instead OF Miss Jerviss. and here's
the card that was to go with IT,"
Daisy accepted the card with a
blank face. But as she read a broad
grin grew upon her countenance.
"They are from Uncle Jack" she
said. He always sends mother flow
ers when he passes through town"
The grin developed into a laugh.
THE joke is on Emily" gasped Daisy
after an interval, "for she has gone
five miles to the dressmaker's to hurry
up her new lavender gown so that she
can wear 1t with those violets to
niphtt"