From Aunt Nan’s pearls Mary kept out a brooch for her mother and two bar-pins for herself and Katy Summers, just alike. The rest of the “Gems from Shakespeare” she entrusted to Mr. Wilde, the family lawyer, who undertook to sell them for her in the city. It was an exciting day for Mary when he told her the result of his mission. “My dear,” said he, with a twinkle in his wise old eyes, “those Shakespeare ‘Gems’ of yours made the eyes of the jewelers pop out of their heads. You won’t have any trouble in going to college when the time comes; if you still wish to do so, and if you haven’t already learned all there is to be known from that famous library of yours. I hold forty thousand dollars in trust for you. Are you disappointed?” “Forty thousand dollars!” Mary could only gasp. And the rest of the family had to pinch themselves to be sure they were not dreaming. But it was, indeed, a fact. There need be no more anxiety or overwork for any of them. With care and economy they were provided for until Mary and John should have finished college and be ready to earn their living. Dr. Corliss could go on writing his book in peace, without worrying about bills. Mrs. Corliss could have a little maid to help her in the housework. And Mary could have a party! “Mother,” said Mary, when they had recovered from the first excitement of the news which Mr. Wilde had brought them, and when they had seen that proud and delighted old gentleman off once more for the city where he lived,--“Mother, I want to have a party, and give the other children a good time. I want to celebrate not only our good luck, but the way we got it. I want to have a Shakespeare party.” “Oh, yes! Let’s have a party!” crowed John. “A dress-up party, Mary?” “Yes, a dress-up party. Everybody must be a Shakespeare character.” “I think that is a very nice idea,” said Mrs. Corliss. “Next month comes Shakespeare’s birthday, the twenty-third of April, which is also Saint George’s day. I think it would be lovely to have a party and show our Crowfield friends that Aunt Nan’s house is going to be hospitable and jolly from this time on.” They invited all the children in Mary’s class of the High School and in John’s class of the Grammar School. Everybody was told that he or she must come in a Shakespeare costume; and this set them all to looking up quotations and reading plays more than had ever before been done in Crowfield. For days before the party Mary’s library was crowded every afternoon with eager children who came to ask questions and get suggestions about their costumes. Mary and Katy Summers helped them as best they could, and Mrs. Corliss pinned and draped and made sketches to show how things ought to look. During these busy days Caliban retreated to the attic and sulked most of the time, because Mary paid him so little attention. But then, Mary said his costume was already nearly perfect. So why bother about him?