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 XXXIII

old Organization of Youth was still in town, though, as you know, grown up. So, on a Spring day, all of its forty boys and as many girls got most mystifying cards, saying:—

“Kindly go to Lilac Hill on May sixth, at four o’clock. IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT!!” That was all. Not a word to show its origin. No handwriting. Just a small, plain card in ordinary printing.

Not only that old Organization, but His Honor, Lady Gadsby, Old Tom Young, Tom Donaldson, Nina Adams, Lady Standish and Old Lady Flanagan got that odd card.

“Arrah! Phwat’s this, anny way?” sang out that good old lady. “Is it court summons, a picnic, or a land auction? By gorry, it looks phony!”

Old Tom Young, in his rocking chair, said:

“A card to go to Lilac Hill. It says ‘important.’ Ah! This Youth of today! I’ll put up a dollar that I can sniff a rat in this. But my girl is all right, so I’ll go.”

And so it was, all around town. Nobody could fathom it.