New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-12-08
CHAPTER l

CHAPTER
Orchids real name was Ashtoreth-Ashtoreth Ashe.
A peculiar name-Ashtoreth 1t may even impress you
absurd
Ashto,eths mother is romantic woman. She reads
great many novels and nagnes herself bit occult Follow
ing her daughters birth, she had strange dreams about an
Egypt She talked OF reincnaon and declared that
she had been prestess and wolshlpped the moon ana
lived marble palace and danced before slangs gods Her
husband, at the time, feared for her sanity
But Mrs Ashe laid it all to mysticism, and insisted upon
naming her child Ashtoreh after the goddess of old
Egypt 1t to Ashtorth that women prayed Maid
ems seeking lovers And wives desiring children
Mrs. Ashe thought it was lovely custom and some
times begged favors herself of the Not that she be-
eved in it at ALL 1t merely harmless little fantasy and
pleased her sentimental nature.
Naturally Ashtoreth hates her strange People
always asking what and she finds explanations eX
ceedingly embarrassing.
When she was small, the children with whom she played
called her As-ash. 1t sounded rather like cear-way or
something gray and gruby; and the child hated with all
her fasdous little being 1t not only ugly 1t utter
y homogeneous Because Ashtoreth Ase exquisite girl
ever lived.
She looks little like Dolores del Rio only there is some
thing mysterious about her.
Her skin has sort of ivory palor And she has gray
green eyes, and vivid lips Because her cheeks are cooess
the effect of her full red mouth startling as scarlet on old
ivory.
She has high cheek bones, and pointed little chin So
that her face cuousy heartshped The effect &C
centuated by the way in which she does her hair 1t is
straight black hair Parted the middle and twisted great
coils over her ears
Victor Hugo said of theatrical celebrity "She IS
not pretty-she is worse"
Now, Ashtoreth AShe is not really pretty She is rare.
Different from other girls
There are for instance typical debutantes typical Ste
nographer and typical spoltswomen Exactly there are
typical and typical chorus girls But Ashore not
so easily classified
When Hugo spoke Of the dancing girl, he probably had
in mind that seductive quality known sex appeal vulgar
expression but inclusive of attributes difficult of express
sion.
Hollis Hart, the famous financier extraordinarily
impressed the first time he saw her-and Hollis Hart was
not susceptible person.
It was stormy day in January when Ashtoreth-sunl-
moned by electric buzzer her deskglided into his
private office, to take her dctaon from the famous Mr.
Ashtoreth was wearing black crepe swahed about her
hips and caught side by odd buckle. A most
usual buckle collector would have noticed at once and
specialized upon its origin 1t happened however, that Ash
toreth had made it herself with two sticks of sealing
One of green and the other of gold The effect notified
Jade.
On the forefnger of her left hand she scarab set
in dull gold and reaching exactly to the first joint 1t was
not really old scarab, nor valuable But as Ashtoreth
knew there very few people who know antique scarabs
when they see them.
She had found the stone in jewelers. tray, priced
among odds and ends at so cents The setting she
copied from ring in the Egyptian at the Art Museum
The whole thing cost perhaps So and looked fabuousy rare
and costly
Ashtoreth never had much money to spend herself.
But with expenditure she achieved considerable dis
tncton Shoes and stockings were her greatest exrava
gance.
Sheer chiffon hose, and scarab ring swathed crepe
frock and high heeed pumps. Emineny unsuitable, OF
course for business But Ashoeh aspred to be
correct She individual. Moreover she clever.
"Other girls, she told her mother conform to style
Standards They their skirts short you'd think they
having competition They the sort of pei
me and the kind of face powder Their dresses
all of pattern And their ewey looks if had come off
counter They do their hair alike They vah their
finger nails and shave their necks They the
les and read the books"
Ashtoreth shrugged dstasefuly
"And I've doubt, she said. they think the
thoughts-if any,
Mrs. Ashe had met her daughter downtown for lunch
She wearing, at the time, purple velvet coat and
gray pumps and stockings. Her dess oWered chiffon
riot of apoplecc petu1as and flaming oppes. Her hat
which she held in her ample lap, Of healthy cot
ton violets And her hair shnged smarty, dandecn
yellow. Like Malilyn Mller's,
As Maize Ashe says herself: her hair is nauralt
is persuaded.
She is plump with soft fragrant skin. and
round blue eyes Her cooring is like bisque dolls, and
scarcely faded.
Now she surveyed her daughter across her beet and
string bean salad. (Aaze would diet of her volt
ton Only when she ate out with Ashoreth)
Miss Hoity- toy'' she retorted amiaby.
And toying with bran muffin, observed comfortably
fhof Wv foiyc ia Loa 11-o