Lucy Clausewitz was upset. Her friend Ann Calhoun accused her of plagiarizing an expression that Ann had used in one of their conversations. The excerpt: “As boring as a foul ball out of play,” was used in a speech that Lucy gave to the YMCA administration in the town of Simplex Pond. She wanted to flatter the board by describing life in town before the building’s construction. Ann thought that Lucy should have given her credit; Lucy thought that Ann should have adulated by the act. When people are aggravated, they turn to Gilmore Hilton, “The Sage of Simplex Pond.” Lucy told Hilton her story.

He offered both knowledge and wisdom. “Plagiarism has a long history. Alexander Pope in 1734 scribed in his ‘Essay on Man’ the following: ‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast.’ In 1888, Ernest Lawrence Thayer wrote in ‘Casey at the Bat:’  ‘Hope springs eternal from the human breast.’ The historian Plutarch said in 100 A.D.: ‘Where the lion’s skin will not reach, you must patch it with the fox’s;’ Machiavelli in ‘The Prince’ penned: ‘The prince must be a lion, but he must also know how to play the fox.’ Lucy, don’t feel guilty.”

Gilmore met next with Ann. He consoled her by telling her that he understood her feelings. “Imagine how I felt when Henry stole a candy bar from my store last week.” They both smiled. “Perhaps you should be gratified that Lucy thought so much of your verbiage that she repeated your quotation verbatim. Remember this imitation is the sincerest of flattery.”

Four days later, Gilmore saw two good friends enjoying Moxie in his store. The girls were giggling in undefined good humor. The store manager had opened a door of opportunity to work out a happiness for themselves. There were three happy and relieved people that day.