The Golden Road [33]
A new boy is coming to school. His name is Cyrus Brisk and his folks moved up from Markdale. He says he is going to punch Willy Fraser's head if Willy keeps on thinking he is Miss Cecily King's beau.
(CECILY: "I haven't ANY beau! I don't mean to think of such a thing for at least eight years yet!")
Miss Alice Reade of Charlottetown Royalty has come to Carlisle to teach music. She boards at Mr. Peter Armstrong's. The girls are all going to take music lessons from her. Two descriptions of her will be found in another column. Felix wrote one, but the girls thought he did not do her justice, so Cecily wrote another one. She admits she copied most of the description out of Valeria H. Montague's story Lord Marmaduke's First, Last, and Only Love; or the Bride of the Castle by the Sea, but says they fit Miss Reade better than anything she could make up.
* * *
HOUSEHOLD DEPARTMENT
Always keep the kitchen tidy and then you needn't mind if company comes unexpectedly.
ANXIOUS INQUIRER: We don't know anything that will take the stain out of a silk dress when a soft-boiled egg is dropped on it. Better not wear your silk dress so often, especially when boiling eggs.
Ginger tea is good for colds.
OLD HOUSEKEEPER: Yes, when the baking-powder gives out you can use tooth-powder instead.
(FELICITY: "I never wrote that! I don't care, I don't think it's fair for other people to be putting things in my department!")
Our apples are not keeping well this year. They are rotting; and besides father says we eat an awful lot of them.
PERSEVERANCE: I will give you the recipe for dumplings you ask for. But remember it is not everyone who can make dumplings, even from the recipe. There's a knack in it.
If the soap falls into the porridge do not tell your guests about it until they have finished eating it because it might take away their appetite.
FELICITY KING.
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ETIQUETTE DEPARTMENT
P-r C-g:--Do not criticize people's noses unless you are sure they can't hear you, and don't criticize your best girl's great-aunt's nose in any case.
(FELICITY, TOSSING HER HEAD: "Oh, my! I s'pose Dan thought that was extra smart.")
C-y K-g:--When my most intimate friend walks with another girl and exchanges lace patterns with her, what ought I to do? Ans. Adopt a dignified attitude.
F-y K-g:--It is better not to wear your second best hat to church, but if your mother says you must it is not for me to question her decision.
(FELICITY: "Dan just copied that word for word out of the Family Guide, except about the hat part.")
P-r C-g:--Yes, it would be quite proper to say good evening to the family ghost if you met it.
F-x K-g:--No, it is not polite to sleep with your mouth open. What's more, it isn't safe. Something might fall into it.
DAN KING.
* * *
FASHION NOTES
Crocheted watch pockets are all the rage now. If you haven't a watch they do to carry your pencil in or a piece of gum.
It is stylish to have hair ribbons to match your dress. But it is hard to match gray drugget. I like scarlet for that.
It is stylish to pin a piece of ribbon on your coat the same colour as your chum wears in her hair. Mary Martha Cowan saw them doing it in town and started us doing it here. I always wear Kitty's ribbon and Kitty wears mine, but the Story Girl thinks it is silly.
CECILY KING.
* * *
AN ACCOUNT OF OUR VISIT TO COUSIN MATTIE'S
We all walked over to Cousin Mattie's last week. They were all well there and we had a fine dinner. On our way back a snow-storm came up and we got lost in the woods. We didn't know where we were or nothing. If we hadn't seen a light I guess we'd all have been frozen and snowed over, and they would never have found us till spring and that would be very sad. But we saw a light and made for it and it was Peg Bowen's. Some people think she is a witch and it's hard to tell, but she was real hospitable and took us all in. Her house was very untidy but it was warm. She has a skull. I mean a loose skull, not her own. She lets on it tells her