The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-06-14
lE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Iady Of the Violets.
BY FRANCES A. SCHNEIDER.
(Copyrtght, 1920 by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

! ilis friend NesbIt; and Ham
mold had been showing the latter
recently returned from abroac-some
Of his latest canyases.
Here's Just one thing more want
you 10 S ee, Nes," SAID Hammond,
placing a portrait on the easel.
Nesblt stood back and looked. the
portrait was that OF a girl, the ng.
ure thrown into relief by some dark
drapery behind II. The taee was one
Of warm flesh t!nts; Of exquisite
curves and modelingS, and the eyes,
Z bluegray. Swallowed BY dark broWs
and lashes, looked out half smiling
from beneath a very glory OF red'gola
hair. Il was o face to think and
sHow does it strike you:". asked
Hammond, watching his friends
wrapt consideration.
.As q very beautiful portrait" re-
turned Nesbit. Who's the gtrl?"
II call the picture The Lady Of the
Ylolets," said the artist
"Um.m - picturesque, but indeti'
mite" commented mis- friend.
-Come sit down, and while you
study the portrait I'll tell you how
and where / met the original. VIII
You smoke? Sit here" and Ham
mcnd placed an easy hair for Nesoit,
while he himself lounged in the cush.
icned window seat.
z ..Ahout q year ago-soon after my
return from Europe, and while my
arm" touching his left arm, was
still bothering me = | made up my
mind suddenly one evening TO 80 70
4 show at the Royal. II was late
when l reached the theatre, and, the
play being a popular one, the house
vas pretty well sold out. However,
! secured a seat In the parquet. The
boz Office Official was just showing
my change and ticket through the
window in his little den, when sud.
denly became aware OF a faint, elu.
siye fragrance Of violets, and, turn.
tng to zee where 1t came rom, caught
sight OF . lady and gentleman hur.
Iiedly entering the restibule Of the
theatre.
.arhe girl was bareheaded, save for
that glorious covering Of red-gold
hair i have tried yainly to reproduce
IN the portrait, and was carrying a
great bunch Of Holets in her hand
and, above the pale, shlmmering
folds Of the long wrap she wore, her
face rose nower-like. The Spirit Of
the Garden. she might be called, !
thought; or, better yet, the Lady Of
the Niolets.'
s1tSst as she passed me, attracted
probably BY the intensity Of my gaze
for had forgotten my manners
and was staring = she turned her
lovely eyes toward me and gave me
! leeting, rather naughty glance;
then she and her companion disap.
peated through one Of the doors lead.
ing 70 the auditorium, leaving me
With my pulses perceptibly Quickened
Aud q faint perfume Of violets In my
|nostrtls. Gathering up my change
and ticket, waited a moment and
then followed.
.sThe first act was half over as,I
eroued my way to my seat. In the
dimness Of the auditorium ! sought
In vain for the lady Of the violets ana
her escort; but after the curtain
went down and the lights up l picked
them out, seated in the orchestra cir.
Gle, not far from the. aisle near which
my own seat was located. The girls
face was turned toward her compan.
Ion and she was smiling; and ! re-
member wondering what such a
namby.pamby fellow as he looked,
could possibly cay. to amuse her.
while was thinking thus and gazing
rather hxedly at the glory OF the
Iady's hair, q sort Of dimness seemed
70 creep between me and the object
q my interest. So underlined was It
Al first that / thought my eyes were
a fault, and rubbed them vigorously;
but presently the dimness grew into
4 haze and with Its greater density
came an unmistakable, pungent odor.
Others perceived this, too, and there
was 4 restless stir throughout tina
audience. Heads were turned IN.
saaily and heard half.suppressed
exclamatious-hasty questions-whis-
pered answers. Suddenly as | sat
iiooling uncertainty about me, from
'fuSt above the curtain there issued a
hght nun Of smoke that wayered
acfosS the space below the central
chandelier and cast q preceptble
shadow On the auditorium At this,
some fool in the gallery shouted
Tifa! a.
sWeil, Mes, you know what that
cry would mean In a big, overcrowd-
ed theatre! The audience was on its
feat IN c, moment, struggling and
fighting for the e1it doors. As | got
M, I caught sight Of q terror.stricken
man, pale-faced and wild.eyed, fight.
ing his way desperately up the aisle
Il was the man / had seen with the
lady Of the violets; but she was not
with him. Good Cod | thought:
the cowardly brute has left her To-
shift for herself"
"Cur!" interjected Nebit, dercely.
Mounting upon q seat, ! looked
about me. One thought was para
mount In my mind-to find that girl
and get her safely out Of the theatre.
! strained my eyes In the direction o.
the place whore she and her ccmpan-
ion had been sitting, wondering de.
spairingly how ! was to distinguish
one slim, golden.halred girl in that
surging. swaying mass Of humanity.
Presently, down at the side, Of the
auditorium, close by one Of the boxes,
/ caught sight Of a red.god head. lt|
was merely a glimpse, lost again In.
stantly In the movement Of the crowd.
But I was sure It was she, and that
she had managed to work her way
-plong the seat aisle to where she was
standing. So ! wedged myself as best
| could In that direction.
AT first clambered over the backs
Of seats. Then succeeded in pushine
my way across the aisle. Heaven
knows tried not TO hurt any one in
my mad scramble! But as ! looked