On a morning in early November, her parents greeted Muriel at breakfast and there at her place was a most enormous package. She lifted it, and found it very heavy, so she guessed that it was most likely books of some sort. She opened it eagerly and to her surprise there were two books inside – a two volume dictionary. Muriel opened the front cover, and there on the front page, her father had written, ‘To Muriel with Love from Father, November, 1902’. She wondered why Mother’s name had not also been appended, but she knew also that the choice would have been her father’s. She looked at the title – A Standard Dictionary of the English Language by Funk and Wegnalls, New York and London. It had been published in American and the publishing date was 1902. Her father explained that this was a late birthday and early Christmas present for her.

“But Father,” she said, “these are American dictionaries. Did you know that?”

“Of course, I did,” he said, “and they are the biggest and best ones I could find.
They put in both English and American spellings and definitions when there is a difference. I think you could not find a more complete collection of words anywhere else, in a form that was able to be used at home, of course.”

“They are wonderful, Father and Mother,” said Muriel. “Thank you so much.” She perused them, and found many colour plates which she knew she would enjoy looking at in depth, and also an atlas at the back of the first volume.

“There are 2286 pages,” she said, “not including the atlas or the section on disputed pronunciation and abbreviations and contractions which aren’t numbered. That should keep me busy for awhile.”

“It is the sort of book that will be in use in one hundred years time – and that you can pass down through the generations,” said Mr. King, pleased with his choice and Muriel’s response to it.

Muriel had decided earlier in the week to invite her best friends around for a dinner party which she herself would cook. And as it would be late, she would invite them all to stay the night.

She had invited May, Margaret, and Jessie Tree. She would put Margaret and Jessie in the guest room and May could sleep in her room, so they would all fit in.

She worried over her choice of menu, as she wanted it to be interesting and different, but not too difficult. She decided to consult Mrs. Beeton for ideas. Luckily Mrs. Beeton had provided menus for a party of eight for the autumn, (and since she would be cooking for her parents and the servants as well that made eight) and looking through the five choices, Muriel chose the first on the page.

Julienne Soup
Turbot with Shrimp Sauce
Braised Chicken
Boiled Potatoes and Vegetable Marrow
Mrs Beeton’s Choice of a Cream Dessert sounded too bland and pale so Muriel instead chose Chocolate Parfait.

She also spent many hours looking at the diagrams in the book at the various folds for napkins, and not able to decide which she liked best, she decided it would be fun to have each one in a different fold – The Bishop, The Fan, The Boat, The Palm, The Lily, The Cactus, The Slipper, and The Pyramid.

“Are you all ready for the party this evening?” asked her mother.

“I have bought all the food and studied the recipes. I shall make a start on the dessert later this morning, and then make sure I have time for the starter and main course after lunch.”

“Would you like me to help you, or you could ask Amy or Emily to help with the vegetables?”

“No, tonight my meal will be for everyone, and I will prepare extra for you and Amy and Emily to eat on your own, away from the dining room. I hope you don’t mind my taking over the dining room, but I think I would like to have full control of the course of events for the evening.”

“Yes, my dear,” said her Mother. “We will let you have your way, and hope that your good works will include washing up.”

After dinner, which was acclaimed an enormous success by all the girls, Muriel had planned a special parlour game using her new dictionaries.

After the girls were shown them, and expressed their awe at the size and volume of words, Muriel said. “Now let us take turns to find a word, and then all the others of us will have to guess what it means. I think we should each look for our word in the page just before or after one of the beautiful coloured plates – and we should choose words which are not so difficult that no one could guess – but not so easy that everyone would know. Since it is my game, and they are my books, I shall go first to show you how it works. I have paper and pencils for each of you to jot down your thoughts.

Taking the first volume – A to L – Muriel flicked through to find the first coloured insert which was pictures of dozens of butterflies.

“I have found my word. It is BUTTWOMAN. You all have five minutes to write down what you think it means, and I can spend that time looking at the pictures of butterflies.”

The girls seemed reluctant to write anything down at first, and stared around the room for inspiration. Finally the five minutes were up and everyone had made an effort.

Muriel said, “May – you go first. What did you write?”

“Buttwoman – a lady with a big behind.” Everyone laughed.

Margaret came next, “I think it is a woman who fills water butts.”

Only Jessie was left, “I have put a woman who makes butter.”

Muriel laughed, “You are all partly right, so I think you can all have 1 point – as it is a woman – but it is a church cleaner or pew opener’s assistant. Isn’t that odd? Who would have thought it had anything to do with a church. Who wants to have the next go?”

 “I want my turn now,” said Margaret and she took the first volume from the table where Muriel had laid it. Going to the section on Birds, she chose the word BIOD. Again the girls set to the task and when the allotted time had passed they offered their ideas.

“As you are looking in the bird section – I think it must have to do with birds – perhaps it is a rare species,” said Muriel.

“Mine is a garment worn next to the body,” Jessie softly offered.

“I also thought of birds,” said May, “perhaps a stuffed bird.”

“No points to anyone for that,” said Margaret, “as it means animal magnetism – which I think you could say was a life force.”

“Can’t we have a point for saying that it had something to do with birds as they are alive?” asked May.

“No, I think our marking on the first one was too generous anyway,” answered Margaret.
 
“My turn,” said May, taking the first book from Muriel. “My word is GECK.”

Soon the time was up and the guesses began again.

“To look at something carefully.”

“A bird with a funny call.”

“Mine is something that is not nice, unpleasant,” said Jessie, the last to guess as usual.

“Well, I think we can give you four points this time, Jessie, “said May, “as the real meaning is scorn or derision, a jeer or taunt. And none of that is very nice.”

Jessie looked very pleased that she was doing better now. She decided she would choose the next word, so as not to have to have the job of guessing it. Her picture in the dictionary was of Armies of the World, and the word she chose was EUXANTHIN.

“I rather think it might have something to do with medicine,” said May.

“I also think it is a chemical word, and perhaps to do with ingredients in paint,” said Muriel.

“I thought might relate to being exalted in some way,” put in Margaret.

Jessie announced, “I think I will give five points to Muriel, as it means a yellow pigment made from the urine of animals fed on mangoes.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to add that detail,” said Margaret, somewhat offended by the word urine.

“Don’t be so soft, it is just a word which we all know the meaning of. But is it a foreign word?” asked Muriel.

“Yes,” admitted Jessie, the pigment comes from India and China, but so do many of our pigments, so I didn’t think that made it too difficult.”

“Now add up your scores, and the winner will have this prize,” said Muriel showing a wrapped package.

They quickly added their points, and called them out in turn: Jessie had 5 and May and Margaret each had but one. Muriel, with some embarrassment had to admit that she also had the top score of 5.

“I expect you had a look at all the words in front of the coloured pages before you thought of the game, “said May with a wicked grin.

“I must certainly did not, but of course, I cannot win the prize, as I bought it,” said Muriel, “so it must go to Jessie.”

Jessie blushed as she went over to where Muriel was sitting to collect her prize. It was wrapped nicely, but everyone wanted to see what it was, so she opened it straight away. It was a small book called The Modern Hoyle – all about how to play all sorts of games. Muriel’s father had one in his study which they used all the time. Jessie, also coming from a game-playing family, was very pleased with it.

So the excitement of the evening over, the girls went to their various beds and Muriel was well pleased with her party.