the golden road-第7节

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〃Can　you　only　manage　one　a　day？〃　queried　Dan。

〃And　why　before　breakfast？〃　I　asked。

〃Because　it's　easier　to　think　on　an　empty　stomach；〃　said　Peter；　in　all　good　faith。　　But　Felicity　shot　a　furious　glance　at　him。

〃I　selected　that　time；〃　she　explained　with　dignity；　〃because　when　I'm　brushing　my　hair　before　my　glass　in　the　morning　I'll　see　my　resolution　and　remember　it。〃

〃Mr。　Marwood　meant　that　ALL　our　thoughts　ought　to　be　beautiful；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃If　they　were；　people　wouldn't　be　afraid　to　say　what　they　think。〃

〃They　oughtn't　to　be　afraid　to；　anyhow；〃　said　Felix　stoutly。　　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　resolution　to　say　just　what　I　think　always。〃

〃And　do　you　expect　to　get　through　the　year　alive　if　you　do？〃　asked　Dan。

〃It　might　be　easy　enough　to　say　what　you　think　if　you　could　always　be　sure　just　what　you　DO　think；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。　　〃So　often　I　can't　be　sure。〃

〃How　would　you　like　it　if　people　always　said　just　what　they　think　to　you？〃　asked　Felicity。

〃I'm　not　very　particular　what　SOME　people　think　of　me；〃　rejoined　Felix。


〃I　notice　you　don't　like　to　be　told　by　anybody　that　you're　fat；〃　retorted　Felicity。

〃Oh；　dear　me；　I　do　wish　you　wouldn't　all　say　such　sarcastic　things　to　each　other；〃　said　poor　Cecily　plaintively。　　〃It　sounds　so　horrid　the　last　night　of　the　old　year。　　Dear　knows　where　we'll　all　be　this　night　next　year。　　Peter；　it's　your　turn。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　wrote　Peter；　〃to　say　my　prayers　every　night　regular；　and　not　twice　one　night　because　I　don't　expect　to　have　time　the　next；like　I　did　the　night　before　the　party；〃　he　added。

〃I　s'pose　you　never　said　your　prayers　until　we　got　you　to　go　to　church；〃　said　Felicitywho　had　had　no　hand　in　inducing　Peter　to　go　to　church；　but　had　stoutly　opposed　it；　as　recorded　in　the　first　volume　of　our　family　history。

〃I　did；　too；〃　said　Peter。　　〃Aunt　Jane　taught　me　to　say　my　prayers。　　Ma　hadn't　time；　being　as　father　had　run　away；　ma　had　to　wash　at　night　same　as　in　day…time。〃

〃I　shall　learn　to　cook；〃　wrote　the　Story　Girl；　frowning。

〃You'd　better　resolve　not　to　make　puddings　of〃　began　Felicity；　then　stopped　as　suddenly　as　if　she　had　bitten　off　the　rest　of　her　sentence　and　swallowed　it。　　Cecily　had　nudged　her；　so　she　had　probably　remembered　the　Story　Girl's　threat　that　she　would　never　tell　another　story　if　she　was　ever　twitted　with　the　pudding　she　had　made　from　sawdust。　　But　we　all　knew　what　Felicity　had　started　to　say　and　the　Story　Girl　dealt　her　a　most　uncousinly　glance。

〃I　will　not　cry　because　mother　won't　starch　my　aprons；〃　wrote　Sara　Ray。

〃Better　resolve　not　to　cry　about　anything；〃　said　Dan　kindly。

Sara　Ray　shook　her　head　forlornly。

〃That　would　be　too　hard　to　keep。　　There　are　times　when　I　HAVE　to　cry。　　It's　a　relief。〃

〃Not　to　the　folks　who　have　to　hear　you；〃　muttered　Dan　aside　to　Cecily。

〃Oh；　hush；〃　whispered　Cecily　back。　　〃Don't　go　and　hurt　her　feelings　the　last　night　of　the　old　year。　　Is　it　my　turn　again？　Well；　I'll　resolve　not　to　worry　because　my　hair　is　not　curly。　　But；　oh；　I'll　never　be　able　to　help　wishing　it　was。〃

〃Why　don't　you　curl　it　as　you　used　to　do；　then？〃　asked　Dan。

〃You　know　very　well　that　I've　never　put　my　hair　up　in　curl　papers　since　the　time　Peter　was　dying　of　the　measles；〃　said　Cecily　reproachfully。　　〃I　resolved　then　I　wouldn't　because　I　wasn't　sure　it　was　quite　right。〃

〃I　will　keep　my　finger…nails　neat　and　clean；〃　I　wrote。　　〃There；　that's　four　resolutions。　　I'm　not　going　to　make　any　more。　　Four's　enough。〃

〃I　shall　always　think　twice　before　I　speak；〃　wrote　Felix。

〃That's　an　awful　waste　of　time；〃　commented　Dan；　〃but　I　guess　you'll　need　to　if　you're　always　going　to　say　what　you　think。〃

〃I'm　going　to　stop　with　three；〃　said　Peter。

〃I　will　have　all　the　good　times　I　can；〃　wrote　the　Story　Girl。

〃THAT'S　what　I　call　sensible；〃　said　Dan。

〃It's　a　very　easy　resolution　to　keep；　anyhow；〃　commented　Felix。

〃I　shall　try　to　like　reading　the　Bible；〃　wrote　Sara　Ray。

〃You　ought　to　like　reading　the　Bible　without　trying　to；〃　exclaimed　Felicity。

〃If　you　had　to　read　seven　chapters　of　it　every　time　you　were　naughty　I　don't　believe　you　would　like　it　either；〃　retorted　Sara　Ray　with　a　flash　of　spirit。

〃I　shall　try　to　believe　only　half　of　what　I　hear；〃　was　Cecily's　concluding　resolution。

〃But　which　half？〃　scoffed　Dan。

〃The　best　half；〃　said　sweet　Cecily　simply。

〃I'll　try　to　obey　mother　ALWAYS；〃　wrote　Sara　Ray；　with　a　tremendous　sigh；　as　if　she　fully　realized　the　difficulty　of　keeping　such　a　resolution。　　〃And　that's　all　I'm　going　to　make。〃

〃Felicity　has　only　made　one；〃　said　the　Story　Girl。

〃I　think　it　better　to　make　just　one　and　keep　it　than　make　a　lot　and　break　them；〃　said　Felicity　loftily。

She　had　the　last　word　on　the　subject；　for　it　was　time　for　Sara　Ray　to　go；　and　our　circle　broke　up。　　Sara　and　Felix　departed　and　we　watched　them　down　the　lane　in　the　moonlightSara　walking　demurely　in　one　runner　track；　and　Felix　stalking　grimly　along　in　the　other。　　I　fear　the　romantic　beauty　of　that　silver　shining　night　was　entirely　thrown　away　on　my　mischievous　brother。

And　it　was；　as　I　remember　it；　a　most　exquisite　nighta　white　poem；　a　frosty；　starry　lyric　of　light。　　It　was　one　of　those　nights　on　which　one　might　fall　asleep　and　dream　happy　dreams　of　gardens　of　mirth　and　song；　feeling　all　the　while　through　one's　sleep　the　soft　splendour　and　radiance　of　the　white　moon…world　outside；　as　one　hears　soft；　far…away　music　sounding　through　the　thoughts　and　words　that　are　born　of　it。

As　a　matter　of　fact；　however；　Cecily　dreamed　that　night　that　she　saw　three　full　moons　in　the　sky；　and　wakened　up　crying　with　the　horror　of　it。



CHAPTER　V

THE　FIRST　NUMBER　OF　Our　Magazine


The　first　number　of　Our　Magazine　was　ready　on　New　Year's　Day；　and　we　read　it　that　evening　in　the　kitchen。　　All　our　staff　had　worked　nobly　and　we　were　enormously　proud　of　the　result；　although　Dan　still　continued　to　scoff　at　a　paper　that　wasn't　printed。　　The　Story　Girl　and　I　read　it　turnabout　while　the　others；　except　Felix；　ate　apples。　　It　opened　with　a　short


EDITORIAL

With　this　number　Our　Magazine　makes　its　first　bow　to　the　public。　　All　the　editors　have　done　their　best　and　the　various　departments　are　full　of　valuable　information　and　amusement。　　The　tastefully　designed　cover　is　by　a　famous　artist；　Mr。　Blair　Stanley；　who　sent　it　to　us　all　the　way　from　Europe　at　the　request　of　his　daughter。　　Mr。　Peter　Craig；　our　enterprising　literary　editor；　contributes　a　touching　love　story。　　（Peter；　aside；　in　a　gratified　pig's　whisper：　〃I　never　was　called　'Mr。'　before。〃）　Miss　Felicity　King's　essays　on　Shakespeare　is　none　the　worse　for　being　an　old　school　composition；　as　it　is　new　to　most　of　our　readers。　　Miss　Cecily　King　contributes　a　thrilling　article　of　adventure。　　The　various　departments　are　ably　edited；　and　we　feel　that　we　have　reason　to　be　proud　of　Our　Magazine。　　But　we　shall　not　rest　on　our　oars。　　〃Excelsior〃　shall　ever　be　our　motto。　　We　trust　that　each　succeeding　issue　will　be　better　than　the　one　that　went　before。　　We　are　well　aware　of　many　defects；　but　it　is　easier　to　see　them　than　to　remedy　them。　　Any　suggestion　that　would　tend　to　the　improvement　of　Our　Magazine　will　be　thankfully　received；　but　we　trust　that　no　criticism　will　be　made　that　will　hurt　anyone's　feelings。　　Let　us　all　work　together　in　harmony；　and　strive　to　make　Our　Magazine　an　influence　for　good　and　a　source　of　innocent　pleasure；　and　let　us　always　remember　the　words　of　the　poet。


　　〃The　heights　by　great　men　reached　and　kept　　　　　　Were　not　attained　by　sudden　flight；　　　　But　they；　while　their　companions　slept；　　　　　　Were　toiling　upwards　in　the　night。〃


（Peter；　IMPRESSIVELY：〃I've　read　many　a　worse　editorial　in　the　Enterprise。〃）


ESSAY　ON　SHAKESPEARE

Shakespeare's　full　name　was　William　Shakespeare。　　He　did　not　always　spell　it　the　same　way。　　He　lived　in　the　reign　of　Queen　Elizabeth　and　wrote　a　great　many　plays。　　His　plays　are　written　in　dialogue　form。　　Some　people　think　they　were　not　written　by　Shakespeare　but　by　another　man　of　the　same　name。　　I　have　read　some　of　them　because　our　school　teacher　says　everybody　ought　to　read　them；　but　I　did　not　care　much　for　them。　　There　are　some　things　in　them　I　cannot　understand。　　I　like　the　stories　of　Valeria　H。　Montague　in　the　Family　Guide　ever　so　much　better。　　They　are　more　exciting　and　truer　to　life。　　Romeo　and　Juliet　was　one　of　the　plays　I　read。　　It　was　very　sad。　　Juliet　dies　and　I　don't　like　stories　where　people　die。　　I　like　it　better　when　they　all　get　married　especially　to　dukes　and　earls。　　Shakespeare　himself　was　married　to　Anne　Hatheway。　　They　are　both　dead　now。　　They　have　been　dead　a　good　while。　　He　was　a　very　famous　man。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FELICITY　KING。


（PETER；　MODESTLY：　　〃I　don't　know　much　about　Shakespeare　myself　but　I've　got　a　book　of　his　plays　that　belonged　to　my　Aunt　Jane；　and　I　guess　I'll　have　to　tackle　him　as　soon　as　I　finish　with　the　Bible。〃）


THE　STORY　OF　AN　ELOPEMENT　FROM　CHURCH

This　is　a　true　story。　　It　happened　in　Markdale　to　an　uncle　of　my　mothers。　　He　wanted　to　marry　Miss　Jemima　Parr。　　Felicity　says　Jemima　is　not　a　romantic　name　for　a　heroin　of　a　story　but　I　cant　help　it　in　this　case　because　it　is　a　true　story　and　her　name　realy　was　Jemima。　　My　mothers　uncle　was　named　Thomas　Taylor