“Why, I have!” said Mr. Copley, looking at his son smilingly. “I’d almost forgotten, meant to tell you the first thing. By the way Cornelia, I’d like it if you’d get up some kind of a fancy supper tomorrow night. I’d like to bring—ah—an old friend home with me. Have chicken and ice-cream and things, and some flowers. You’ll know what. You might ask the minister’s daughter over, too, and Arthur Maxwell. I’d like them to be here. Can you fix it up for me, daughter?”
Cornelia, bewildered, said, “Yes,” of course, and immediately plunged into questions concerning the increase of salary.
When did it happen? Was it much? Was his position higher, and did he have to work any harder?
“Yes, and no,” he answered calmly, as if a raised salary were an everyday happening, and he were quite apart from it in his thoughts. “I shall have practically the same work, but more responsibility. It’s a kind of responsibility I like, however, because I know what ought to be done, and they’ve given me helpers enough to have it done right. The salary will be a thousand dollars a year more; and I suppose, if you should want to go back to college by and by and get your diploma, we could manage it.”
“Indeed, no!” interrupted Cornelia with a rising color in her cheeks and an unexplained light in her eyes. “I’m quite well enough off without a diploma, and I’m too deep in business now to go back and get ready for it. What’s a diploma, anyway, but a piece of paper? I never realized how trivial, after all, the preparations for a thing are compared to the work itself. Of course it’s all right to get ready for things, but I had practically done most of my preparation at college, anyway. The rest of the year would have been mostly plays and social affairs. The real work was finished. And, when I came home, I was no more ready to go out into the world and do the big things I had dreamed than I was when I entered college. It took life to show me what real work meant, and how to develop a life-ideal. I truly have got more real good from you dear folks here at home than in all my four years’ course together. Though I’m not saying anything against that, either, for of course that was great. But, father, I’m not sorry I had to come home. These months here in this dear little house with my family have been wonderful, and I wouldn’t lose them out of my life for all the college courses in existence.”
She was suddenly interrupted by resounding applause from her brothers and sister, and smothered with kisses from Louise, who sprang from her seat to throw her arms around her neck.
“We all appreciate what you have done for us and your home,” said the father with a light in his eyes. “Your mother will tell you how much when she has an opportunity to see what you have done here.”
“But, dad,” interrupted Carey, as he saw his father, rise and glance at his watch, “aren’t you going to tell us about your raise? Gee! That’s something that oughtn’t to be passed over lightly like a summer rain. How did it happen?”
The father smiled dreamily.
“Another time. I must hurry now. I have an appointment I must keep, and I may not be home till late tonight. Don’t wait up for me. It was just a promotion; that’s all. You won’t forget about the supper tomorrow night, Cornelia; and be sure to get plenty of flowers.”