The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-05-30
Violets on the
Left Shoulder
BY r. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Asso-
sfN. ciation. 1911. tti 1ttW
BY F. A. Mitchell

One day Edwin LaDgdon, a senior in
the mans college. was strolling on
road not far from the womens insti-
tuition when he saw black spot above
him. He watched 1t sink gradually till
1t appeared as paper balloon rocking
In the air andsfell not hundred yards
from him. Going to where 1t lay, he
took It up and noticed that to the cross
wires holding a. sponge that had been
saturated with alcohol hung piece
of pasteboard on which was written In
feminine hand
l contain a secret.
"Yes." said Bangdon to himself. "and
judging by your handwriting the Sc
cret Is not to be kept Some under
graduate OF the women's college has
sent you off for the purpose of telling
her secret" rn1
The student carefully examined the
balloon in every part. but the secret
was not found, Thinking 1t might lie
under the pasted seams. he took 1t to
his room and moistened and opened
them. He was not rewarded for his
pains. aHAS tp4l nA
II have it,oihe exclaimed sudden
ly. "Some girl has written the secret
with a fluid that requires a chemical
agent to bringsit out. I'll take it to.
the laboratory and apply tests" He did
so and succeeded. BY soaking the pa
per successfully in several different
acids he at last found one that brought
out letters containing message.
You are warm. but you haven't got me
yet. II you do kiss tH0 t
The writing stopped abruptly
"Ohor said LangdOn inwardly. $50
I'm warm. am, |? That means that
I'm on the right track And n kiss Is
to be my reward II | get your secret
Only you didn't like to call kissing
you reward bAny man who wouldn't
under such circumstances exercise all
his wits 10 reach the goal is no man
at all" s
Ned Langdop tried all the chemical
agents lie could thini of to bring out
another message, but they failed. He
puzzled over the matter for week,
then temporarily gave it up--that is.
as to investigation He continued to
think aboutdit pretty much all the
time.
One evening he was holding the bal
loon close 10 gas jet examining the
paper with d magnifying glass, turn
ing successfully different parts to the
jet. when ON the paper. very near the
Ho m. ,,stt Thnu
were too faint 10 be read. but Langdon
knew he. had got the, secret--that Is,
IL there was no more of the problem
to be solved Heat was the element
required TO bring out the writing.
Holding the paper very close TO the
burning gas u message in deep brown
letters appeared:
Junior prom. vioiets on left shoulder.
"Well, upon my word"' exclaimed
Ned. "That's round about way of
making the acquaintance OF stranger.
And to think that didn't get on to
the heat explanation. That message
was probably written in common lem
on juice, But the Junior prom"
comes or next week. In four days
more would have been too late"
That ended Langdon's studies till the
"Junior prom" had taken place. He
had no thought but for the girl who
had sent the paper balloon 80 she
would be known ut the function by
violets on her left shoulder!
And what must hnve been the feel.
ings of that girl as the evening in
question approached? There were few
chances of the balloon falling into the
hands OF one she would care to meet.
And il 1t did, would he have the in
genuity to extract the secret?
'I'll bother that girl" mused Lang
don, "by pretending not to recognize
the token Ntv A willis.
He entered the hall late purposeiy
| and stood In the background till he
saw girl pass with IA bunch Of vio-
let's on her shoulder. She was as pref
ty as II peach, lie was enraptured.
Langdon showed himself In the com
pany Of different girls for half an
hour, then secured an introduction to
the girl of the secret, pretending not
to notice her volets. He made him
set agreeable, however--indeed, paid
her marked attention. After having
been with her for some time he gal
lanty asked for a souvenir, looking
wistfully at the violets. The girl did
not take the hint.
There was gallery nt one end of
the hall, used during religious services
for the choir Langdon invited the
girl TO go up there with him. She ac-
cepted, and they sat back where they
would not be seen. Beneath them was
that mingling of voices common at So
cial gatherings resembling the running
of waters.
Suddenly every voice stopped at the
sound of muilled shrek. Fortunate
ly sound has no direction for the ear.
Some glr' has been kissed" re-
marked numerous undergraduates.
The professors looked shocked. "a
The hero and heroine of this story
have long been married and their
sons and daughters are now fittipo
for college The mother breads to
send her daughters where she cannot
overlook them Whom che talks This