In the course of our perigrinations about town, we had long since note the shop that purported to be th home of "The Violet Ray & Ca, and had resolved to pay a call some day. The name Violet—commonly pronounced Vi'let, not only has special attraction for us, but we have observed that it is" usually bestowed upon those whose dis~ position is far from shrinking, and who need take no precautions the form of special soaps for the morning bath. It would appear that, on the same principle, they ha achieved insist upon being called "Dot," rendering possible to obey the rest of the rule, viz "and carty one."
Not that Violet Rays altogether unfamiliar to us, but we had yet to meet "the" Violet Ray. Above all, we were curious the "Ca." "What, company could Violet be keeping in this obscure shop? There were musical insteus ments in the window suggestive of Jazz. Was there, after all, some justification of film dramas dealing lovely white maidens held captive by an ogre of a Celestial? There are whispers of weird resorts, down Hongkew way. Here, perhaps, was something for Moral Welfare Leagues to investigate, the more so since mature deliberation the inference that must refer to the Ultre let Rays, those that out Violet, let as it were. The adventure promised all the greater interest.
So obsessed were we with this idea, enhanced as it was by our scrutiny of the sign in confirmation that The Violet Ray & Ca. dwelt here, that having crossed the threshold, "we at once inquired politely, "Mississy have got?" Mr. Chung Hsing, the Celestial duenna of Violet and her Company, Fegarded us "askance, Here, he evidently thought, was some "new turn to foreign lunney or impudence What thing, Mississy?" he abruptly demanded... "Missisty i'let," we responded, still labouring. under the notion that we were son the track of an important news story. Mr. Chung Hsing exhibited Oriental caution. "Who man you wanchee see?" he queried, coldly. His tone brought us out of our glamour, and we quickly answered, let Ray, Have got?"
Mr. Chung Hsing was immediately all smiles, anticipatory of business, "Have got," he assured us. Thus was the ice broken, and cur joux pas redeemed. "Have gat two, three fas! let Lay," he' went on to inform us. "No can cost alice same police." This we deemed illuminating senses than one, and it set thoughts back in the original tr Violet Ray, it would seem, FA truly feminine, and had her cheap as well as expensive moods. We did not communicate this to Mr.
Chung Hsing, however. He might not have understood.
He went on to expatiate upon the virtues of Violet & Ca, "Viilet Lay," he explained, "belong goode sljuiee. Suppose have got. any
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.