The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-07-14
The Lady Of
the Violets
By Franees A. Schneider

studio, Jack Hammond and his friend,
Nesbit; and Hammond had been show
ing the latter-recently returned from
abrOad-some of his latest canvases.
Heres just one thing more I want
you to see, Mes" said Hammond plac-
Ing portrait on the easel.
Nesbit stood back and looked. The
portrait was that Of a girl, the figure
thrown into relief by some dark dra-
perry behind it. The face was one Of
warm flesh tints; Of exquisite curves
and modelings, and the eyes, a blue
gray, Swallowed by dark brows and
lashes, looked out half smiling from
beneath a very glory Of red-gold hair.
1t was a face to think and dream
about.
"HOw does it strike your" asked
Hammond. watching his friends wrapt
consideration.
"As a very beautiful portrait" re-
turned Nesbit. who's the grip
II call the picture The Lady Of the
violets.'" said the artist.
"Um-m-picturesqu but indefinite"
commented his friend.
Come, sit down, and while you
| study the portrait I'll tell you how
and where I met the original. VIII
| you smoke? Sit here" and Hammond
placed an easy chair for Nesbit, while
he himself lounged in the cushioned
| window seat.
"AbOut year ag0-sO0n after my
return from France, and while my
arm touching his left army was
| still bOthering mel made up my
mind suddenly one evening to 60 to
show at the Royal. 1t was late
when reached the theater, and. the
play being popular one, the house
was pretty well sold out. However,
I secured seat In the parquet. The
box office official was just showing my
change and ticket through the window
of his little den, when / suddenly be-
came aware of a faint, elusive fra
GRANGE of violets and, turning to see
where it came from, caught sight of a
lady and gentleman hurriedly enter
ing the vestibule Of the theater.
THE girl was bareheaded. save for
that glorious covering of red-gold hair
have tried vainly to reproduce in
the portrait, and was carrying a great
bunch of violets in her hand, and,
above the pale, shimmerng folds of the
long wrap she wore, her face rose
flower-like. The Spirit of the Gar.
den.' she might be called, thought
| 90 he IN
let's
Just 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 a fleet
ing, rather naughty glance; then she
and her companion disappeared
through one of the doors leading to the
auditorium, leaving me with my pulses
perceptibly Quickened and faint per
fume Of violets in my nostrils. Gath
ering up my change and ticket. wait
ed a moment and then followed.
''The first act was half over as
CROPPED my way to my seat. In the
dimness Of the auditorium sought in
vain for the lady of the violets and
her escort; but after the curtain went
down and the lights up l picked them
out, seated in the orchestra circle, moi
far from the aisle near which my OWL
seat was located. The girls face was
turned toward her companion, and she
was smiling; and I remember wonder
ing what such a namby-pamby fellow
as he looked. could possibly say tt
amuse her. While was thinking thus
and gazing rather fixedly at the glory
Of the lady's hair, a sort Of dimnes:
seemed to creep between me and the
object of my interest. So underlined
was it at first that thought my eye:
were at fault. and rubbed them vigor
ously; but presently the dimness grew
into a haze and with its greater dens
ity came an unmistakable. pungen
odor. Others perceived this, too, ant
there was a restless stir Throughout
the audience. Heads were turned I'M
easily and I heard half-suppressed ex
clamations-hasty questions - whis
pered answers. Suddenly as sat look
ing uncertainty about me, from jus
above the curtain there issued a ligh
puff Of smoke that wavered across tn
space below the central chandelier an,
cast perceptible shadow on the audi
forum. At this, some fool In the gal
lery shouted 'Firer
Il swell. Mes. you know what that CT.
|, would mean in a big. overcrOwdet
|. theater! The audience was ON its fee
in a moment. struggling and fghtinl
for the exit doors. AS I got up.
caught sight of terrOr-stricken man
pale-faced and wild-eyed, fighting hi
way desperately up the aisle. 1t wa
the man had seen with the lady o
the violets; but she was not with him
Good God! thought! the coward,
brute has left her to shift for her
self!"
"Cur!" interjected Nesbit. fiercely.
Mounting upon seat. I lOOke'
about me. One thought was para