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warp quilt this winter。 Mrs。 Silas Sloane has a handsome new
apple…leaf pattern。
〃When I feel that I must have some excitement I read the murder
trials in that Boston paper my niece sends me。 I never used to
do it； but they're real interesting。 The States must be an awful
place。 I hope you'll never go there； Anne。 But the way girls
roam over the earth now is something terrible。 It always makes
me think of Satan in the Book of Job； going to and fro and walking
up and down。 I don't believe the Lord ever intended it； that's what。
〃Davy has been pretty good since you went away。 One day he was
bad and Marilla punished him by making him wear Dora's apron all
day； and then he went and cut all Dora's aprons up。 I spanked
him for that and then he went and chased my rooster to death。
〃The MacPhersons have moved down to my place。 She's a great
housekeeper and very particular。 She's rooted all my June lilies
up because she says they make a garden look so untidy。 Thomas
set them lilies out when we were married。 Her husband seems a
nice sort of a man； but she can't get over being an old maid；
that's what。
〃Don't study too hard； and be sure and put your winter
underclothes on as soon as the weather gets cool。
Marilla worries a lot about you； but I tell her you've
got a lot more sense than I ever thought you would have
at one time； and that you'll be all right。〃
Davy's letter plunged into a grievance at the start。
〃Dear anne； please write and tell marilla not to tie me to the
rale of the bridge when I go fishing the boys make fun of me when
she does。 Its awful lonesome here without you but grate fun in
school。 Jane andrews is crosser than you。 I scared mrs。 lynde
with a jacky lantern last nite。 She was offel mad and she was
mad cause I chased her old rooster round the yard till he fell
down ded。 I didn't mean to make him fall down ded。 What made
him die； anne； I want to know。 mrs。 lynde threw him into the
pig pen she mite of sold him to mr。 blair。 mr。 blair is giving
50 sense apeace for good ded roosters now。 I herd mrs。 lynde
asking the minister to pray for her。 What did she do that was so
bad； anne； I want to know。 I've got a kite with a magnificent
tail； anne。 Milty bolter told me a grate story in school
yesterday。 it is troo。 old Joe Mosey and Leon were playing
cards one nite last week in the woods。 The cards were on a stump
and a big black man bigger than the trees come along and grabbed
the cards and the stump and disapered with a noys like thunder。
Ill bet they were skared。 Milty says the black man was the old
harry。 was he； anne； I want to know。 Mr。 kimball over at
spenservale is very sick and will have to go to the hospitable。
please excuse me while I ask marilla if thats spelled rite。
Marilla says its the silem he has to go to not the other place。
He thinks he has a snake inside of him。 whats it like to have a
snake inside of you； anne。 I want to know。 mrs。 lawrence bell
is sick to。 mrs。 lynde says that all that is the matter with
her is that she thinks too much about her insides。〃
〃I wonder；〃 said Anne； as she folded up her letters； 〃what Mrs。
Lynde would think of Philippa。〃
Chapter VI
In the Park
〃What are you going to do with yourselves today； girls？〃
asked Philippa； popping into Anne's room one Saturday afternoon。
〃We are going for a walk in the park；〃 answered Anne。 〃I ought to
stay in and finish my blouse。 But I couldn't sew on a day like this。
There's something in the air that gets into my blood and makes a sort
of glory in my soul。 My fingers would twitch and I'd sew a crooked seam。
So it's ho for the park and the pines。〃
〃Does ‘we' include any one but yourself and Priscilla？〃
〃Yes； it includes Gilbert and Charlie； and we'll be very glad if
it will include you； also。〃
〃But；〃 said Philippa dolefully； 〃if I go I'll have to be gooseberry；
and that will be a new experience for Philippa Gordon。〃
〃Well； new experiences are broadening。 Come along； and you'll be
able to sympathize with all poor souls who have to play
gooseberry often。 But where are all the victims？〃
〃Oh； I was tired of them all and simply couldn't be bothered with
any of them today。 Besides； I've been feeling a little blue
just a pale； elusive azure。 It isn't serious enough for anything
darker。 I wrote Alec and Alonzo last week。 I put the letters
into envelopes and addressed them； but I didn't seal them up。
That evening something funny happened。 That is； Alec would think
it funny； but Alonzo wouldn't be likely to。 I was in a hurry； so
I snatched Alec's letter as I thought out of the envelope
and scribbled down a postscript。 Then I mailed both letters。 I
got Alonzo's reply this morning。 Girls； I had put that postscript
to his letter and he was furious。 Of course he'll get over it
and I don't care if he doesn't but it spoiled my day。
So I thought I'd come to you darlings to get cheered up。
After the football season opens I won't have any spare Saturday
afternoons。 I adore football。 I've got the most gorgeous
cap and sweater striped in Redmond colors to wear to the games。
To be sure； a little way off I'll look like a walking barber's pole。
Do you know that that Gilbert of yours has been elected Captain of
the Freshman football team？〃
〃Yes； he told us so last evening；〃 said Priscilla； seeing that
outraged Anne would not answer。 〃He and Charlie were down。
We knew they were coming； so we painstakingly put out of sight
or out of reach all Miss Ada's cushions。 That very elaborate one
with the raised embroidery I dropped on the floor in the corner
behind the chair it was on。 I thought it would be safe there。
But would you believe it？ Charlie Sloane made for that chair；
noticed the cushion behind it； solemnly fished it up； and sat on
it the whole evening。 Such a wreck of a cushion as it was！ Poor
Miss Ada asked me today； still smiling； but oh； so reproachfully；
why I had allowed it to be sat upon。 I told her I hadn't that
it was a matter of predestination coupled with inveterate
Sloanishness and I wasn't a match for both combined。〃
〃Miss Ada's cushions are really getting on my nerves；〃 said Anne。
〃She finished two new ones last week； stuffed and embroidered
within an inch of their lives。 There being absolutely no other
cushionless place to put them she stood them up against the wall
on the stair landing。 They topple over half the time and if we
come up or down the stairs in the dark we fall over them。 Last
Sunday； when Dr。 Davis prayed for all those exposed to the
perils of the sea； I added in thought ‘and for all those who live
in houses where cushions are loved not wisely but too well！'
There！ we're ready； and I see the boys coming through Old St。 John's。
Do you cast in your lot with us； Phil？〃
〃I'll go； if I can walk with Priscilla and Charlie。 That will be
a bearable degree of gooseberry。 That Gilbert of yours is a
darling； Anne； but why does he go around so much with Goggle…eyes？〃
Anne stiffened。 She had no great liking for Charlie Sloane； but
he was of Avonlea； so no outsider had any business to laugh at him。
〃Charlie and Gilbert have always been friends；〃 she said coldly。
〃Charlie is a nice boy。 He's not to blame for his eyes。〃
〃Don't tell me that！ He is！ He must have done something
dreadful in a previous existence to be punished with such eyes。
Pris and I are going to have such sport with him this afternoon。
We'll make fun of him to his face and he'll never know it。〃
Doubtless； 〃the abandoned P's；〃 as Anne called them； did carry
out their amiable intentions。 But Sloane was blissfully
ignorant； he thought he was quite a fine fellow to be walking
with two such coeds； especially Philippa Gordon； the class beauty
and belle。 It must surely impress Anne。 She would see that some
people appreciated him at his real value。
Gilbert and Anne loitered a little behind the others； enjoying
the calm； still beauty of the autumn afternoon under the pines of
the park； on the road that climbed and twisted round the harbor shore。
〃The silence here is like a prayer； isn't it？〃 said Anne；
her face upturned to the shining sky。 〃How I love the pines！
They seem to strike their roots deep into the romance of all the ages。
It is so comforting to creep away now and then for a good talk with them。
I always feel so happy out here。〃
〃‘And so in mountain solitudes o'ertaken
As by some spell divine；
Their cares drop from them like the needles shaken
From out the gusty pine；'〃
quoted Gilbert。
〃They make our little ambitions seem rather petty； don't they； Anne？〃
〃I think； if ever any great sorrow came to me； I would come to the
pines for comfort；〃 said Anne dreamily。
〃I hope no great sorrow ever will come to you； Anne；〃 said Gilbert；
who c