“We are listening?” from Josie.
“We are dying to hear,” smiled Elizabeth, who was pleased with life anyhow that evening since she had determined to get ahead of her numerous family and their interminable questions and arguments by simply staying away from them.
The misfortunes of Mary Louise were the subject uppermost in the minds of the Wright family at that time and they had threshed the matter threadbare, evidently talking of nothing else during the day and then plying Elizabeth with more and more questions when she came home in the evening. Elizabeth would shut up like a clam and would give them no satisfaction whatsoever and then they would boldly assert that matters were much worse even than they had dared hope or Mary Louise’s friends would not be so secretive. Staying away from them seemed to be the only way to manage them and stay away from them she determined to do.
Mary Louise stirred her tea thoughtfully and began timidly to explain her statement that the Higgledy Piggledies were wasting an opportunity.
“Every afternoon, more or less of a crowd gathers here just meeting one another. Now, my idea is that a crowd should be utilized. After they meet, what do they do? Go off to various places and treat each other. I know because I used to do it almost every afternoon of my life. My plan is that they might treat each other right here.”
“Hurrah!” cried Josie.
“By the time they come, I am about through with my bonnet business and I could serve tea easily, tea and cakes and sandwiches or cinnamon toast or something light and easy. We could start in a small way and then let the supply grow with the demand.”
“Listen to our captain of finance!” and Josie leaned over and patted Mary Louise’s arm.
“It sounds mighty sensible to me,” declared Elizabeth.
“I could help a lot,” ventured Irene. “Aunt Hannah says nobody can make such good toast as I can because I sit right by it and watch it.”