In Geoffrey Trease's novel, The Crown of Violet, the name is explained as referring to the mauve-tinted marble of the Acropolis hill.
In chapter 2 of Tictocq, O. Henry writes: "The drawing-rooms of one of the most magnificent private residences in Austin are ablaze of lights.
Carriages line the streets in front, and from gate to doorway is spread a velvet carpet, on which the delicate feet of the guests may tread.
"The phrase is generally thought to refer to the atmospheric phenomenon more commonly known as the Belt of Venus.
With his sly reference to the poetry of Pindar, O. Henry may have been satirizing Austin's ambitious claim of a cultural link to ancient Athens.