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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