“Oh, don’t you worry,” Vevi assured her carelessly. “Everything will turn out all right.”
“Not unless my uncle makes money fast,” Hanny insisted. “If tulip bulbs only sold for five thousand dollars apiece it would be easy.”
“Who ever heard of a bulb selling for that price!” scoffed Jane.
“Oh, but they did at one time,” Hanny said. “During the tulip-o-mania bulbs sold for great sums.”
“What is a tulip-o-mania?” curiously inquired Sunny.
“I know!” cried Connie before Hanny could answer. “It was a period in Dutch history when the people went crazy over tulips.”
“They lost and made fortunes buying and selling them,” added Hanny. “I will tell you about it.”
Forgetting the cause of her tears, the little Dutch girl began to describe the strange period in history.
She related that in 1634 the entire Dutch population traded in tulip bulbs. At first everyone made money. Tulips kept selling for higher and higher prices.
“Then suddenly, people came to their senses,” Hanny went on. “Instead of paying thousands of _florins_ for a single bulb, no one wanted them at any price. People lost all their money.”
“I hope it won’t be that way here,” remarked Rosemary anxiously. “My father says that many nurserymen have invested heavily in tulips this year.”
“People always will buy tulip bulbs,” said Hanny. “But they will not pay high prices any more except for very special bulbs.”
“Can’t your uncle raise a special bulb?” Vevi questioned. “One that’s better than any other tulip in the world?”
Hanny smiled and said she did not think the Brownies knew how difficult it was to develop a fine, new tulip.
“Uncle Peter has one though,” she admitted. “If it should catch the fancy of the public, he might yet make his fortune. Then I could stay in America!”
“Does this new tulip have a name?” inquired Connie.
“I gave it one myself,” Hanny said proudly.
The Brownies pleaded with her to tell the name, but she would not.
“It’s a secret,” she insisted. “At least until after the prize is announced.”
“Prize?” Vevi asked alertly. “What prize?”
“Mrs. Langley has offered a blue ribbon for the best tulip entered in the show.”
“Only a ribbon?” asked Rosemary. “Not a cash prize?”
“The winner of the blue ribbon will earn much money selling the prize bulbs. If the tulip catches the public fancy, the winning grower will receive large orders from all over the country.”