the golden road-第44节

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wanted　to　make　up　the　paper。

〃It's　done；〃　said　Peter；　with　an　air　of　gloomy　triumph。　　〃It　don't　amount　to　much；　but　anyhow　I　made　it　all　out　of　my　own　head。　　Not　one　word　of　it　was　ever　printed　or　told　before；　and　nobody　can　say　there　was。〃

〃Then　I　guess　we　have　all　the　stuff　in　and　I'll　have　Our　Magazine　ready　to　read　by　tomorrow　night；〃　I　said。

〃I　s'pose　it　will　be　the　last　one　we'll　have；〃　sighed　Cecily。　　〃We　can't　carry　it　on　after　you　all　go；　and　it　has　been　such　fun。〃

〃Bev　will　be　a　real　newspaper　editor　some　day；〃　declared　the　Story　Girl；　on　whom　the　spirit　of　prophecy　suddenly　descended　that　night。

She　was　swinging　on　the　bough　of　an　apple　tree；　with　a　crimson　shawl　wrapped　about　her　head；　and　her　eyes　were　bright　with　roguish　fire。

〃How　do　you　know　he　will？〃　asked　Felicity。

〃Oh；　I　can　tell　futures；〃　answered　the　Story　Girl　mysteriously。　　〃I　know　what's　going　to　happen　to　all　of　you。　　Shall　I　tell　you？〃

〃Do；　just　for　the　fun　of　it；〃　I　said。　　〃Then　some　day　we'll　know　just　how　near　you　came　to　guessing　right。　　Go　on。　　What　else　about　me？〃

〃You'll　write　books；　too；　and　travel　all　over　the　world；〃　continued　the　Story　Girl。　　〃Felix　will　be　fat　to　the　end　of　his　life；　and　he　will　be　a　grandfather　before　he　is　fifty；　and　he　will　wear　a　long　black　beard。〃

〃I　won't；〃　cried　Felix　disgustedly。　　〃I　hate　whiskers。　　Maybe　I　can't　help　the　grandfather　part；　but　I　CAN　help　having　a　beard。〃

〃You　can't。　　It's　written　in　the　stars。〃

〃'Tain't。　　The　stars　can't　prevent　me　from　shaving。〃

〃Won't　Grandpa　Felix　sound　awful　funny？〃　reflected　Felicity。

〃Peter　will　be　a　minister；〃　went　on　the　Story　Girl。

〃Well；　I　might　be　something　worse；〃　remarked　Peter；　in　a　not　ungratified　tone。

〃Dan　will　be　a　farmer　and　will　marry　a　girl　whose　name　begins　with　K　and　he　will　have　eleven　children。　　And　he'll　vote　Grit。〃

〃I　won't；〃　cried　scandalized　Dan。　　〃You　don't　know　a　thing　about　it。　　Catch　ME　ever　voting　Grit！　　As　for　the　rest　of　itI　don't　care。　　Farming's　well　enough；　though　I'd　rather　be　a　sailor。〃

〃Don't　talk　such　nonsense；〃　protested　Felicity　sharply。　　〃What　on　earth　do　you　want　to　be　a　sailor　for　and　be　drowned？〃

〃All　sailors　aren't　drowned；〃　said　Dan。

〃Most　of　them　are。　　Look　at　Uncle　Stephen。〃

〃You　ain't　sure　he　was　drowned。〃

〃Well；　he　disappeared；　and　that　is　worse。〃

〃How　do　you　know？　　Disappearing　might　be　real　easy。〃

〃It's　not　very　easy　for　your　family。〃

〃Hush；　let's　hear　the　rest　of　the　predictions；〃　said　Cecily。

〃Felicity；〃　resumed　the　Story　Girl　gravely；　〃will　marry　a　minister。〃

Sara　Ray　giggled　and　Felicity　blushed。　　Peter　tried　hard　not　to　look　too　self…consciously　delighted。

〃She　will　be　a　perfect　housekeeper　and　will　teach　a　Sunday　School　class　and　be　very　happy　all　her　life。〃

〃Will　her　husband　be　happy？〃　queried　Dan　solemnly。

〃I　guess　he'll　be　as　happy　as　your　wife；〃　retorted　Felicity　reddening。

〃He'll　be　the　happiest　man　in　the　world；〃　declared　Peter　warmly。

〃What　about　me？〃　asked　Sara　Ray。

The　Story　Girl　looked　rather　puzzled。　　It　was　so　hard　to　imagine　Sara　Ray　as　having　any　kind　of　future。　　Yet　Sara　was　plainly　anxious　to　have　her　fortune　told　and　must　be　gratified。

〃You'll　be　married；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　recklessly；　〃and　you'll　live　to　be　nearly　a　hundred　years　old；　and　go　to　dozens　of　funerals　and　have　a　great　many　sick　spells。　　You　will　learn　not　to　cry　after　you　are　seventy；　but　your　husband　will　never　go　to　church。〃

〃I'm　glad　you　warned　me；〃　said　Sara　Ray　solemnly；　〃because　now　I　know　I'll　make　him　promise　before　I　marry　him　that　he　will　go。〃

〃He　won't　keep　the　promise；〃　said　the　Story　Girl；　shaking　her　head。　　〃But　it　is　getting　cold　and　Cecily　is　coughing。　　Let　us　go　in。〃

〃You　haven't　told　my　fortune；〃　protested　Cecily　disappointedly。

The　Story　Girl　looked　very　tenderly　at　Cecilyat　the　smooth　　little　brown　head；　at　the　soft；　shining　eyes；　at　the　cheeks　that　were　often　over…rosy　after　slight　exertion；　at　the　little　sunburned　hands　that　were　always　busy　doing　faithful　work　or　quiet　kindnesses。　　A　very　strange　look　came　over　the　Story　Girl's　face；　her　eyes　grew　sad　and　far…reaching；　as　if　of　a　verity　they　pierced　beyond　the　mists　of　hidden　years。

〃I　couldn't　tell　any　fortune　half　good　enough　for　you；　dearest；〃　she　said；　slipping　her　arm　round　Cecily。　　〃You　deserve　everything　good　and　lovely。　　But　you　know　I've　only　been　in　funof　course　I　don't　know　anything　about　what's　going　to　happen　to　us。〃

〃Perhaps　you　know　more　than　you　think　for；〃　said　Sara　Ray；　who　seemed　much　pleased　with　her　fortune　and　anxious　to　believe　it；　despite　the　husband　who　wouldn't　go　to　church。

〃But　I'd　like　to　be　told　my　fortune；　even　in　fun；〃　persisted　Cecily。

〃Everybody　you　meet　will　love　you　as　long　as　you　live。〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃There　that's　the　very　nicest　fortune　I　can　tell　you；　　and　it　will　come　true　whether　the　others　do　or　not；　and　now　we　must　go　in。〃

We　went；　Cecily　still　a　little　disappointed。　　In　later　years　I　often　wondered　why　the　Story　Girl　refused　to　tell　her　fortune　that　night。　　Did　some　strange　gleam　of　foreknowledge　fall　for　a　moment　across　her　mirth…making？　　Did　she　realize　in　a　flash　of　prescience　that　there　was　no　earthly　future　for　our　sweet　Cecily？　　Not　for　her　were　to　be　the　lengthening　shadows　or　the　fading　garland。　　The　end　was　to　come　while　the　rainbow　still　sparkled　on　her　wine　of　life；　ere　a　single　petal　had　fallen　from　her　rose　of　joy。　　Long　life　was　before　all　the　others　who　trysted　that　night　in　the　old　homestead　orchard；　but　Cecily's　maiden　feet　were　never　to　leave　the　golden　road。



CHAPTER　XXXI

THE　LAST　NUMBER　OF　OUR　MAGAZINE



EDITORIAL

It　is　with　heartfelt　regret　that　we　take　up　our　pen　to　announce　that　this　will　be　the　last　number　of　Our　Magazine。　　We　have　edited　ten　numbers　of　it　and　it　has　been　successful　beyond　our　expectations。　　It　has　to　be　discontinued　by　reason　of　circumstances　over　which　we　have　no　control　and　not　because　we　have　lost　interest　in　it。　　Everybody　has　done　his　or　her　best　for　Our　Magazine。　　Prince　Edward　Island　expected　everyone　to　do　his　and　her　duty　and　everyone　did　it。

Mr。　Dan　King　conducted　the　etiquette　department　in　a　way　worthy　of　the　Family　Guide　itself。　　He　is　especially　entitled　to　commendation　because　he　laboured　under　the　disadvantage　of　having　to　furnish　most　of　the　questions　as　well　as　the　answers。　　Miss　Felicity　King　has　edited　our　helpful　household　department　very　ably；　and　Miss　Cecily　King's　fashion　notes　were　always　up　to　date。　　The　personal　column　was　well　looked　after　by　Miss　Sara　Stanley　and　the　story　page　has　been　a　marked　success　under　the　able　management　of　Mr。　Peter　Craig；　to　whose　original　story　in　this　issue；　〃The　Battle　of　the　Partridge　Eggs；〃　we　would　call　especial　attention。　　The　Exciting　Adventure　series　has　also　been　very　popular。

And　now；　in　closing；　we　bid　farewell　to　our　staff　and　thank　them　one　and　all　for　their　help　and　co…operation　in　the　past　year。　　We　have　enjoyed　our　work　and　we　trust　that　they　have　too。　　We　wish　them　all　happiness　and　success　in　years　to　come；　and　we　hope　that　the　recollection　of　Our　Magazine　will　not　be　held　least　dear　among　the　memories　of　their　childhood。

（SOBS　FROM　THE　GIRLS）：　　〃INDEED　IT　WON'T！〃


OBITUARY

On　October　eighteenth；　Patrick　Grayfur　departed　for　that　bourne　whence　no　traveller　returns。　　He　was　only　a　cat；　but　he　had　been　our　faithful　friend　for　a　long　time　and　we　aren't　ashamed　to　be　sorry　for　him。　　There　are　lots　of　people　who　are　not　as　friendly　and　gentlemanly　as　Paddy　was；　and　he　was　a　great　mouser。　　We　buried　all　that　was　mortal　of　poor　Pat　in　the　orchard　and　we　are　never　going　to　forget　him。　　We　have　resolved　that　whenever　the　date　of　his　death　comes　round　we'll　bow　our　heads　and　pronounce　his　name　at　the　hour　of　his　funeral。　　If　we　are　anywhere　where　we　can't　say　the　name　out　loud　we'll　whisper　it。


〃Farewell；　dearest　Paddy；　in　all　the　years　that　are　to　be　We'll　cherish　your　memory　faithfully。〃＇1＇


＇1＇　The　obituary　was　written　by　Mr。　Felix　King；　but　the　two　lines　of　poetry　were　composed　by　Miss　Sara　Ray。


MY　MOST　EXCITING　ADVENTURE

My　most　exciting　adventure　was　the　day　I　fell　off　Uncle　Roger's　loft　two　years　ago。　　I　wasn't　excited　until　it　was　all　over　because　I　hadn't　time　to　be。　　The　Story　Girl　and　I　were　looking　for　eggs　in　the　loft。　　It　was　filled　with　wheat　straw　nearly　to　the　roof　and　it　was　an　awful　distance　from　us　to　the　floor。　　And　wheat　straw　is　so　slippery。　　I　made　a　little　spring　and　the　straw　slipped　from　under　my　feet　and　there　I　was　going　head　first　down　from　the　loft。　　It　seemed　to　me　I　was　an　awful　long　time　falling；　but　the　Story　Girl　says　I　couldn't　have　been　more　than　three　seconds。　　But　I　know　that　I　thought　five　thoughts　and　there　seemed　to　be　quite　a　long　time　between　them。　　The　first　thing　I　thought　was；　what　has　happened；　because　I　really　didn't　know　at　first；　it　was　so　sudden。　　Then　after　a　spell　I　thought　the　answer；　I　am　falling　off　the　loft。　　And　then　I　thought；　what　will　happen　to　me　when　I　strike　the　floor；　and　after　another　little　spell　I　thought；　I'll　be　killed。　　And　then　I　thought；　well；　I　don't　care。　　I　really　wasn't　a　bit　frightened。　　I　just　was　quite　willing　to　be　killed。　　If　there　hadn't　been　a　big　pile　of　chaff