Well, now, my idea is this. Let's all try and write some verses, put them together, and send them in. It would be such a joke!"
"Could we write verses about tea?" hazarded Maggie Orton doubtfully.
"Of course we can. It rhymes with heaps of things--agree, and free, and quali_tee_; it shouldn't be hard at all."
"I rather incline towards cracker mottoes," said Clarice Mayfield. "Most that one gets at Christmas parties are such drivel. I've often felt I could make better."
"Then do try. And, Margaret, you ought to be able to turn out some Christmas-card verses. Let's make a syndicate, and pool all our contributions. Everybody to send in not less than one, and more if possible."
"How about the prize, if one of the poems got it? Should we pool that?"
"We could divide it," suggested Myrtle Robinson.
"No, I've a better idea than that," said Mildred. "We'd be public-spirited, and devote any proceeds we got to the school library. We've the most rubbishy set of old books at St. Cyprian's, and want some new ones badly. Who votes for this?"
"Aye! Aye!" came quite unanimously from the girls, though Maggie Orton qualified her assent with a cautious "If we get it".
"Well, that goes without saying, of course. Naturally it's a case of 'first catch your hare'. But there's no harm in trying, so we must all set our wits to work and see what we can manage. It ought to be rather sport."
"Especially if we see the verses in print afterwards," giggled the girls.
"You'd better not tell Phillis," added Myrtle.
The various members of the syndicate were rather taken with the idea of the competition, and exercised their brains to the utmost in evolving eulogies of the unknown brand of tea. Some of their effusions they tore up, and some they kept. In the end, after being carefully read aloud and voted on, three only were judged worthy of being submitted. These were by Maggie Orton, Myrtle Robinson, and Mildred herself. They ran as follows:--
"If a good tea you would buy, You can always quite rely On our excellent and justly famous blend. 'T is a most delicious cup, That will tone and cheer you up, And one that we can safely recommend.
"If you want good honest tea, That will rich in flavour be, So fragrant, so refreshing, and so pure, Just try our special brand Of young leaves picked by hand, 'T will give you satisfaction, we are sure.