SEPTEMBER 26, 1860

Lilly came running over to the general store to show Javier the newspaper. "JAVIER, JAVIER" she called out as she entered the store and ran up to the counter. Out of breath she leaned against the counter. Finally when her heart stopped racing she said, "Hello Simon, I�m sorry to have busted in."

"Oh no problem, I like seeing young folks so energetic. What has you so worked up?" Simon smiled at Lilly. He liked her enthusiasm.

Before Lilly could answer, Javier came dashing in. He had just ran down the stairs afraid that something was wrong with Lilly. "What�s the matter?" He asked all out of breath.

"Nothing, I just had to show you this." Lilly waved the PEG around in front of him.

Javier caught his breath once and said, "I hate to disappoint ya Lilly, but I�ve seen the PEG lots of times." He smiled as he teased his girl.

"No silly, this. She poked at the announcement in the paper." Lilly said as she waved it in his face.

"Well, if you would stop waving it around, maybe I could see it." Javier grabbed her arms and looked at the paper. He quickly read the announcement afraid that she might start swinging the paper around again. "Ok so?"

Her smile and happiness disappeared. "Well, I thought . . . well I just thought." She looked at Javier and then Simon. "Oh well, never mind." She started to walk out but before she could take three steps, Javier grabbed her around the waist and invited her to be his date at the costume party.

Once again her face lit up and she hugged him, "I would love to. I heard that Meghan gave Grace a list of characters in case some people wasn�t quite sure what they would go as. Would you like to go over to the boutique and decide what we are going to be?" She glanced past Javier and said, "That is if it�s ok with your pa."

Javier turned to look at his pa, and Simon said, "It�s ok with me. Go ahead." He swung his hand at them to shoo them on out the door. Javier nodded and Lilly took his hand and led him out the door and over to the boutique.

After looking through the list, Javier and Lilly finally decided to go as a Leprechaun and a Fairy. Grace would notify them when their costumes were ready, and on their way back to the store Lilly kept trying to get Javier to tell her where his pot of gold was.