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〃We ought to make some New Year resolutions；〃 suggested the Story Girl。 〃New Year's Eve is the time to make them。〃
〃I can't think of any resolutions I want to make；〃 said Felicity； who was perfectly satisfied with herself。
〃I could suggest a few to you；〃 said Dan sarcastically。
〃There are so many I would like to make；〃 said Cecily； 〃that I'm afraid it wouldn't be any use trying to keep them all。〃
〃Well； let's all make a few； just for the fun of it； and see if we can keep them；〃 I said。 〃And let's get paper and ink and write them out。 That will make them seem more solemn and binding。〃
〃And then pin them up on our bedroom walls； where we'll see them every day；〃 suggested the Story Girl； 〃and every time we break a resolution we must put a cross opposite it。 That will show us what progress we are making； as well as make us ashamed if we have too many crosses。〃
〃And let's have a Roll of Honour in Our Magazine；〃 suggested Felix； 〃and every month we'll publish the names of those who keep their resolutions perfect。〃
〃I think it's all nonsense；〃 said Felicity。 But she joined our circle around the table； though she sat for a long time with a blank sheet before her。
〃Let's each make a resolution in turn；〃 I said。 〃I'll lead off。〃
And； recalling with shame certain unpleasant differences of opinion I had lately had with Felicity； I wrote down in my best hand；
〃I shall try to keep my temper always。〃
〃You'd better；〃 said Felicity tactfully。
It was Dan's turn next。
〃I can't think of anything to start with；〃 he said； gnawing his penholder fiercely。
〃You might make a resolution not to eat poison berries；〃 suggested Felicity。
〃You'd better make one not to nag people everlastingly；〃 retorted Dan。
〃Oh； don't quarrel the last night of the old year；〃 implored Cecily。
〃You might resolve not to quarrel any time；〃 suggested Sara Ray。
〃No； sir；〃 said Dan emphatically。 〃There's no use making a resolution you CAN'T keep。 There are people in this family you've just GOT to quarrel with if you want to live。 But I've thought of oneI won't do things to spite people。〃
Felicitywho really was in an unbearable mood that nightlaughed disagreeably； but Cecily gave her a fierce nudge； which probably restrained her from speaking。
〃I will not eat any apples；〃 wrote Felix。
〃What on earth do you want to give up eating apples for？〃 asked Peter in astonishment。
〃Never mind；〃 returned Felix。
〃Apples make people fat； you know；〃 said Felicity sweetly。
〃It seems a funny kind of resolution；〃 I said doubtfully。 〃I think our resolutions ought to be giving up wrong things or doing right ones。〃
〃You make your resolutions to suit yourself and I'll make mine to suit myself；〃 said Felix defiantly。
〃I shall never get drunk；〃 wrote Peter painstakingly。
〃But you never do；〃 said the Story Girl in astonishment。
〃Well； it will be all the easier to keep the resolution；〃 argued Peter。
〃That isn't fair；〃 complained Dan。 〃If we all resolved not to do the things we never do we'd all be on the Roll of Honour。〃
〃You let Peter alone；〃 said Felicity severely。 〃It's a very good resolution and one everybody ought to make。〃
〃I shall not be jealous；〃 wrote the Story Girl。
〃But are you？〃 I asked； surprised。
The Story Girl coloured and nodded。 〃Of one thing；〃 she confessed； 〃but I'm not going to tell what it is。〃
〃I'm jealous sometimes； too；〃 confessed Sara Ray； 〃and so my first resolution will be 'I shall try not to feel jealous when I hear the other girls in school describing all the sick spells they've had。'〃
〃Goodness； do you want to be sick？〃 demanded Felix in astonishment。
〃It makes a person important；〃 explained Sara Ray。
〃I am going to try to improve my mind by reading good books and listening to older people；〃 wrote Cecily。
〃You got that out of the Sunday School paper；〃 cried Felicity。
〃It doesn't matter where I got it；〃 said Cecily with dignity。 〃The main thing is to keep it。〃
〃It's your turn； Felicity；〃 I said。
Felicity tossed her beautiful golden head。
〃I told you I wasn't going to make any resolutions。 Go on yourself。〃
〃I shall always study my grammar lesson；〃 I wroteI； who loathed grammar with a deadly loathing。
〃I hate grammar too；〃 sighed Sara Ray。 〃It seems so unimportant。〃
Sara was rather fond of a big word； but did not always get hold of the right one。 I rather suspected that in the above instance she really meant uninteresting。
〃I won't get mad at Felicity； if I can help it；〃 wrote Dan。
〃I'm sure I never do anything to make you mad；〃 exclaimed Felicity。
〃I don't think it's polite to make resolutions about your sisters；〃 said Peter。
〃He can't keep it anyway；〃 scoffed Felicity。 〃He's got such an awful temper。〃
〃It's a family failing；〃 flashed Dan； breaking his resolution ere the ink on it was dry。
〃There you go；〃 taunted Felicity。
〃I'll work all my arithmetic problems without any help；〃 scribbled Felix。
〃I wish I could resolve that； too；〃 sighed Sara Ray； 〃but it wouldn't be any use。 I'd never be able to do those compound multiplication sums the teacher gives us to do at home every night if I didn't get Judy Pineau to help me。 Judy isn't a good reader and she can't spell AT ALL； but you can't stick her in arithmetic as far as she went herself。 I feel sure；〃 concluded poor Sara； in a hopeless tone； 〃that I'll NEVER be able to understand compound multiplication。〃
〃'Multiplication is vexation； Division is as bad； The rule of three perplexes me； And fractions drive me mad；'〃
quoted Dan。
〃I haven't got as far as fractions yet；〃 sighed Sara； 〃and I hope I'll be too big to go to school before I do。 I hate arithmetic； but I am PASSIONATELY fond of geography。〃
〃I will not play tit…tat…x on the fly leaves of my hymn book in church；〃 wrote Peter。
〃Mercy； did you ever do such a thing？〃 exclaimed Felicity in horror。
Peter nodded shamefacedly。
〃Yesthat Sunday Mr。 Bailey preached。 He was so long…winded； I got awful tired； and； anyway； he was talking about things I couldn't understand； so I played tit…tat…x with one of the Markdale boys。 It was the day I was sitting up in the gallery。〃
〃Well； I hope if you ever do the like again you won't do it in OUR pew；〃 said Felicity severely。
〃I ain't going to do it at all；〃 said Peter。 〃I felt sort of mean all the rest of the day。〃
〃I shall try not to be vexed when people interrupt me when I'm telling stories；〃 wrote the Story Girl。 〃but it will be hard；〃 she added with a sigh。
〃I never mind being interrupted；〃 said Felicity。
〃I shall try to be cheerful and smiling all the time；〃 wrote Cecily。
〃You are； anyway；〃 said Sara Ray loyally。
〃I don't believe we ought to be cheerful ALL the time；〃 said the Story Girl。 〃The Bible says we ought to weep with those who weep。〃
〃But maybe it means that we're to weep cheerfully；〃 suggested Cecily。
〃Sorter as if you were thinking； 'I'm very sorry for you but I'm mighty glad I'm not in the scrape too；'〃 said Dan。
〃Dan； don't be irreverent；〃 rebuked Felicity。
〃I know a story about old Mr。 and Mrs。 Davidson of Markdale；〃 said the Story Girl。 〃She was always smiling and it used to aggravate her husband； so one day he said very crossly； 'Old lady； what ARE you grinning at？' 'Oh； well； Abiram； everything's so bright and pleasant； I've just got to smile。'
〃Not long after there came a time when everything went wrongthe crop failed and their best cow died； and Mrs。 Davidson had rheumatism； and finally Mr。 Davidson fell and broke his leg。 But still Mrs。 Davidson smiled。 'What in the dickens are you grinning about now； old lady？' he demanded。 'Oh； well； Abiram；' she said； 'everything is so dark and unpleasant I've just got to smile。' 'Well；' said the old man crossly； 'I think you might give your face a rest sometimes。'〃
〃I shall not talk gossip；〃 wrote Sara Ray with a satisfied air。
〃Oh； don't you think that's a little TOO strict？〃 asked Cecily anxiously。 〃Of course； it's not right to talk MEAN gossip； but the harmless kind doesn't hurt。 If I say to you that Emmy MacPhail is going to get a new fur collar this winter； THAT is harmless gossip； but if I say I don't see how Emmy MacPhail can afford a new fur collar when her father can't pay my father for the oats he got from him； that would be MEAN gossip。 If I were you； Sara； I'd put MEAN gossip。〃
Sara consented to this amendment。
〃I will be polite to everybody；〃 was my third resolution； which passed without comment。
〃I'll try not to use slang since Cecily doesn't like it；〃 wrote Dan。
〃I think some slang is real cute；〃 said Felicity。
〃The Family Guide says it's very vulgar；〃 grinned Dan。 〃Doesn't it； Sara Stanley？〃
〃Don't disturb me；〃 said the Story Girl dreamily。 〃I'm just thinking a beautiful thought。〃
〃I've thought of a resolution to make；〃 cried Felicity。 〃Mr。 Marwood said last Sunday we should always try to think beautiful thoughts and then our lives would be very beautiful。 So I shall resolve to think a beautiful thought every morning before breakfast。〃
〃Can you only manage one a day？〃 queried Dan。
〃And why before breakfast？〃 I asked。
〃Because it's easier to