he　single　diamond　is　in　better　taste。
  The　new　winter　hats　at　Markdale　are　very　pretty。　　It　is　so　exciting　to　pick　a　hat。　　Boys　can't　have　that　fun。　　Their　hats　are　so　much　alike。
  CECILY　KING。
  FUNNY　PARAGRAPHS
  This　is　a　true　joke　and　really　happened。
  There　was　an　old　local　preacher　in　New　Brunswick　one　time　whose　name　was　Samuel　Clask。　　He　used　to　preach　and　pray　and　visit　the　sick　just　like　a　regular　minister。　　One　day　he　was　visiting　a　neighbour　who　was　dying　and　he　prayed　the　Lord　to　have　mercy　on　him　because　he　was　very　poor　and　had　worked　so　hard　all　his　life　that　he　hadn't　much　time　to　attend　to　religion。
  〃And　if　you　don't　believe　me；　O　Lord；〃　Mr。　Clask　finished　up　with；　〃just　take　a　look　at　his　hands。〃
  FELIX　KING。
  GENERAL　INFORMATION　BUREAU
  DAN：Do　porpoises　grow　on　trees　or　vines？
  Ans。　　Neither。　　They　inhabit　the　deep　sea。
  FELIX　KING。
  （DAN；　AGGRIEVED：〃Well；　I'd　never　heard　of　porpoises　and　it　sounded　like　something　that　grew。　　But　you　needn't　have　gone　and　put　it　in　the　paper。〃
  FELIX：〃It　isn't　any　worse　than　the　things　you　put　in　about　me　that　I　never　asked　at　all。〃
  CECILY；　SOOTHINGLY：〃Oh；　well；　boys；　it's　all　in　fun；　and　I　think　Our　Magazine　is　perfectly　elegant。〃
  FELICITY；　FAILING　TO　SEE　THE　STORY　GIRL　AND　BEVERLEY　EXCHANGING　WINKS　BEHIND　HER　BACK：〃It　certainly　is；　though　SOME　PEOPLE　were　so　opposed　to　starting　it。〃）
  What　harmless；　happy　fooling　it　all　was！　　How　we　laughed　as　we　read　and　listened　and　devoured　apples！　　Blow　high；　blow　low；　no　wind　can　ever　quench　the　ruddy　glow　of　that　faraway　winter　night　in　our　memories。　　And　though　Our　Magazine　never　made　much　of　a　stir　in　the　world；　or　was　the　means　of　hatching　any　genius；　it　continued　to　be　capital　fun　for　us　throughout　the　year。
  CHAPTER　VI
  GREAT…AUNT　ELIZA'S　VISIT
  It　was　a　diamond　winter　day　in　Februaryclear；　cold；　hard；　brilliant。　　The　sharp　blue　sky　shone；　the　white　fields　and　hills　glittered；　the　fringe　of　icicles　around　the　eaves　of　Uncle　Alec's　house　sparkled。　　Keen　was　the　frost　and　crisp　the　snow　over　our　world；　and　we　young　fry　of　the　King　households　were　all　agog　to　enjoy　lifefor　was　it　not　Saturday；　and　were　we　not　left　all　alone　to　keep　house？
  Aunt　Janet　and　Aunt　Olivia　had　had　their　last　big　〃kill〃　of　market　poultry　the　day　before；　and　early　in　the　morning　all　our　grown…ups　set　forth　to　Charlottetown；　to　be　gone　the　whole　day。　　They　left　us　many　charges　as　usual；　some　of　which　we　remembered　and　some　of　which　we　forgot；　but　with　Felicity　in　command　none　of　us　dared　stray　far　out　of　line。　　The　Story　Girl　and　Peter　came　over；　of　course；　and　we　all　agreed　that　we　would　haste　and　get　the　work　done　in　the　forenoon；　that　we　might　have　an　afternoon　of　uninterrupted　enjoyment。　　A　taffy…pull　after　dinner　and　then　a　jolly　hour　of　coasting　on　the　hill　field　before　supper　were　on　our　programme。　　But　disappointment　was　our　portion。　　We　did　manage　to　get　the　taffy　made　but　before　we　could　sample　the　result　satisfactorily；　and　just　as　the　girls　were　finishing　with　the　washing　of　the　dishes；　Felicity　glanced　out　of　the　window　and　exclaimed　in　tones　of　dismay；
  〃Oh；　dear　me；　here's　Great…aunt　Eliza　coming　up　the　lane！　　Now；　isn't　that　too　mean？〃
  We　all　looked　out　to　see　a　tall；　gray…haired　lady　approaching　the　house；　looking　about　her　with　the　slightly　puzzled　air　of　a　stranger。　　We　had　been　expecting　Great…aunt　Eliza's　advent　for　some　weeks；　for　she　was　visiting　relatives　in　Markdale。　　We　knew　she　was　liable　to　pounce　down　on　us　any　time；　being　one　of　those　delightful　folk　who　like　to　〃surprise〃　people；　but　we　had　never　thought　of　her　coming　that　particular　day。　　It　must　be　confessed　that　we　did　not　look　forward　to　her　visit　with　any　pleasure。　　None　of　us　had　ever　seen　her；　but　we　knew　she　was　very　deaf；　and　had　very　decided　opinions　as　to　the　way　in　which　children　should　behave。
  〃Whew！〃　whistled　Dan。　　〃We're　in　for　a　jolly　afternoon。　　She's　deaf　as　a　post　and　we'll　have　to　split　our　throats　to　make　her　hear　at　all。　　I've　a　notion　to　skin　out。〃
  〃Oh；　don't　talk　like　that；　Dan；〃　said　Cecily　reproachfully。　　〃She's　old　and　lonely　and　has　had　a　great　deal　of　trouble。　　She　has　buried　three　husbands。　　We　must　be　kind　to　her　and　do　the　best　we　can　to　make　her　visit　pleasant。〃
  〃She's　coming　to　the　back　door；〃　said　Felicity；　with　an　agitated　glance　around　the　kitchen。　　〃I　told　you；　Dan；　that　you　should　have　shovelled　the　snow　away　from　the　front　door　this　morning。　　Cecily；　set　those　pots　in　the　pantry　quickhide　those　boots；　Felixshut　the　cupboard　door；　PeterSara；　straighten　up　the　lounge。　　She's　awfully　particular　and　ma　says　her　house　is　always　as　neat　as　wax。〃
  To　do　Felicity　justice；　while　she　issued　orders　to　the　rest　of　us；　she　was　flying　busily　about　herself；　and　it　was　amazing　how　much　was　accomplished　in　the　way　of　putting　the　kitchen　in　perfect　order　during　the　two　minutes　in　which　Great…aunt　Eliza　was　crossing　the　yard。
  〃Fortunately　the　sitting…room　is　tidy　and　there's　plenty　in　the　pantry；〃　said　Felicity；　who　could　face　anything　undauntedly　with　a　well…stocked　larder　behind　her。
  Further　conversation　was　cut　short　by　a　decided　rap　at　the　door。　　Felicity　opened　it。
  〃Why；　how　do　you　do；　Aunt　Eliza？〃　she　said　loudly。
  A　slightly　bewildered　look　appeared　on　Aunt　Eliza's　face。　　Felicity　perceived　she　had　not　spoken　loudly　enough。
  〃How　do　you　do；　Aunt　Eliza；〃　she　repeated　at　the　top　of　her　voice。　　〃Come　inwe　are　glad　to　see　you。　　We've　been　looking　for　you　for　ever　so　long。〃
  〃Are　your　father　and　mother　at　home？〃　asked　Aunt　Eliza；　slowly。
  〃No；　they　went　to　town　today。　　But　they'll　be　home　this　evening。〃
  〃I'm　sorry　they're　away；〃　said　Aunt　Eliza；　coming　in；　〃because　I　can　stay　only　a　few　hours。〃
  〃Oh；　that's　too　bad；〃　shouted　poor　Felicity；　darting　an　angry　glance　at　the　rest　of　us；　as　if　to　demand　why　we　didn't　help　her　out。　　〃Why；　we've　been　thinking　you'd　stay　a　week　with　us　anyway。　　You　MUST　stay　over　Sunday。〃
  〃I　really　can't。　　I　have　to　go　to　Charlottetown　tonight；〃　returned　Aunt　Eliza。
  〃Well；　you'll　take　off　your　things　and　stay　to　tea；　at　least；〃　urged　Felicity；　as　hospitably　as　her　strained　vocal　chords　would　admit。
  〃Yes；　I　think　I'll　do　that。　　I　want　to　get　acquainted　with　mymy　nephews　and　nieces；〃　said　Aunt　Eliza；　with　a　rather　pleasant　glance　around　our　group。　　If　I　could　have　associated　the　thought　of　such　a　thing　with　my　preconception　of　Great…aunt　Eliza　I　could　have　sworn　there　was　a　twinkle　in　her　eye。　　But　of　course　it　was　impossible。　　〃Won't　you　introduce　yourselves；　please？〃
  Felicity　shouted　our　names　and　Great…aunt　Eliza　shook　hands　all　round。　　She　performed　the　duty　grimly　and　I　concluded　I　must　have　been　mistaken　about　the　twinkle。　　She　was　certainly　very　tall　and　dignified　and　imposingaltogether　a　great…aunt　to　be　respected。
  Felicity　and　Cecily　took　her　to　the　spare　room　and　then　left　her　in　the　sitting…room　while　they　returned　to　the　kitchen；　to　discuss　the　matter　in　family　conclave。
  〃Well；　and　what　do　you　think　of　dear　Aunt　Eliza？〃　asked　Dan。
  〃S…s…s…sh；〃　warned　Cecily；　with　a　glance　at　the　half…open　hall　door。
  〃Pshaw；〃　scoffed　Dan；　〃she　can't　hear　us。　　There　ought　to　be　a　law　against　anyone　being　as　deaf　as　that。〃
  〃She's　not　so　old…looking　as　I　expected；〃　said　Felix。　　〃If　her　hair　wasn't　so　white　she　wouldn't　look　much　older　than　your　mother。〃
  〃You　don't　have　to　be　very　old　to　be　a　great…aunt；〃　said　Cecily。　　〃Kitty　Marr　has　a　great…aunt　who　is　just　the　same　age　as　her　mother。　　I　expect　it　was　burying　so　many　husbands　turned　her　hair　white。　　But　Aunt　Eliza　doesn't　look　just　as　I　expected　she　would　either。〃
  〃She's　dressed　more　stylishly　than　I　expected；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃I　thought　she'd　be　real　old…fashioned；　but　her　clothes　aren't　too　bad　at　all。〃
  〃She　wouldn't　be　bad…looking　if　'tweren't　for　her　nose；〃　said　Peter。　　〃It's　too　long；　and　crooked　besides。〃
  〃You　needn't　criticize　our　relations　like　that；〃　said　Felicity　tartly。
  〃Well；　aren't　you　doing　it　yourselves？〃　expostulated　Peter。
  〃That's　different；〃　retorted　Felicity。　　〃Never　you　mind　Great…aunt　Eliza's　nose。〃
  〃Well；　don't　expect　me　to　talk　to　her；〃　said　Dan；　〃'cause　I　won't。〃
  〃I'm　going　to　be　very　polite　to　her；〃　said　Felicity。　　〃She's　rich。　　But　how　are　we　to　entertain　her；　that's　the　question。〃
  〃What　does　the　Family　Guide　say　about　entertaining　your　rich；　deaf　old　aunt？〃　queried　Dan　ironically。
  〃The　Family　Guide　says　we　should　be　polite　to　EVERYBODY；〃　said　Cecily；　with　a　reproachful　look　at　Dan。
  〃The　worst　of　it　is；〃　said　Felicity；　looking　worried；　〃that　there　isn't　a　bit　of　old　bread　in　the　house　and　she　can't　eat　new；　I've　heard　father　say。　　It　gives　her　indigestion。　　What　will　we　do？〃
  〃Make　a　pan　of　rusks　and　apologize　for　having　no　old　bread；〃　suggested　the　Story　Girl；　probably　by　way　of　teasing　Felicity。　　The　latter；　however；　took　it　in　all　good　faith。
  〃The　Family　Guide　says　we　should　never　apologize　for　things　we　can't　help。　　It　says　it's　adding　insult　to　injury　to　do　it。　　But　you　run　over　home　for　a　loaf　of　stale　bread；　Sara；　and　it's　a　good　idea　about　the　rusks。　　I'll　make　a　panful。〃
  〃Let　me　make　them；〃　sa