“Oh, Nan,” said Mr. Fairfield, “stop and think! How could a coin be dated 40 B.C.?”
“I don’t see why not. Doesn’t that mean forty years Before Christ?”
“Yes, but B.C. is only used since A.D. began.”
“Oh, of course! I see. They didn’t use B.C. until the time meant by B.C. had gone by!”
“Exactly that,” said Mr. Fairfield. “But, Milly, that’s a first-class little jingle, and I think you’re in a fair way to become a verse-maker.”
Milly blushed with pleasure at the compliment, and her face lost entirely its usual discontented expression.
“So that’s her ambition,” thought Patty to herself. “I’ll have a good talk with her about it when I get a chance. Perhaps I can help her.”
It was the delight of Patty’s life to help anybody, and she felt sure she could aid Milly, if only by sympathetic interest in her literary products.
“Now,” went on Peter, “we’ll listen to some very wise wisdom from the pen of our young American philosopher, Mr. Lancaster Van Winkle. He has chosen to favour us with a collection of proverbs. I will read them, for I know his natural modesty will make him too embarrassed to listen to the sound of his own voice. The first gem of priceless wit is this: