They must give a party
--that was the idea. But how to explain it--to the daughters and
the neighbors? They could not expose the fact that they were rich.
Sally was willing, even anxious, to do it; but Aleck kept her head
and would not allow it. She said that although the money was as
good as in, it would be as well to wait until it was actually in.
On that policy she took her stand, and would not budge.
The great secret must be kept, she said--kept from the daughters and
everybody else.
The pair were puzzled. They must celebrate, they were determined
to celebrate, but since the secret must be kept, what could
they celebrate? No birthdays were due for three months.
Tilbury wasn't available, evidently he was going to live forever;
what the nation COULD they celebrate? That was Sally's way
of putting it; and he was getting impatient, too, and harassed.
But at last he hit it--just by sheer inspiration, as it seemed to him
--and all their troubles were gone in a moment; they would celebrate
the Discovery of America. A splendid idea!
Aleck was almost too proud of Sally for words--she said SHE never would
have thought of it. But Sally, although he was bursting with delight
in the compliment and with wonder at himself, tried not to let on,
and said it wasn't really anything, anybody could have done it.
Whereat Aleck, with a prideful toss of her happy head, said:
"Oh, certainly! Anybody could--oh, anybody! Hosannah Dilkins,
for instance! Or maybe Adelbert Peanut--oh, DEAR--yes! Well, I'd like
to see them try it, that's all.
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