E-text prepared by Suzanne Shell, Janet Blenkinship, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net/) VIOLETS AND OTHER TALES by ALICE RUTH MOORE Copyright 1895 by the Monthly Review All rights reserved To my friend of November 5th, 1892 INTRODUCTION. In this day when the world is fairly teeming with books,--good books, books written with a motive, books inculcating morals, books teaching lessons,--it seems almost a piece of presumption too great for endurance to foist another upon the market. There is scarcely room in the literary world for amateurs and maiden efforts; the very worthiest are sometimes poorly repaid for their best efforts. Yet, another one is offered the public, a maiden effort,--a little thing with absolutely nothing to commend it, that seeks to do nothing more than amuse. Many of these sketches and verses have appeared in print before, in newspapers and a magazine or two; many are seeing the light of day for the first time. If perchance this collection of idle thoughts may serve to while away an hour or two, or lift for a brief space the load of care from someone's mind, their purpose has been served--the author is satisfied. A. R. M. CONTENTS. VIOLETS, 13 THREE THOUGHTS, 18 THE WOMAN, 21 TEN MINUTES' MUSING, 29 A PLAINT, 35 IN UNCONSCIOUSNESS, 36 TITEE, 44 ANARCHY ALLEY, 56 IMPRESSIONS, 63 SALAMMBO, 65 LEGEND OF THE NEWSPAPER, 72 A CARNIVAL JANGLE, 76 PAUL TO VIRGINIA (Fin de Siecle), 83 THE MAIDEN'S DREAM, 85 IN MEMORIAM, 93 A STORY OF VENGEANCE, 93 AT BAY ST. LOUIS, 106 NEW YEAR'S DAY, 108 UNKNOWN LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST, 110 IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, 122 FAREWELL! 138 LITTLE MISS SOPHIE, 140