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to come up tomorrow。 I'm dying for a good talk with you。 I want
to hear all about your doings at Redmond。〃
Anne knew that Ruby meant that she wanted to tell Anne all about
her own recent flirtations； but she promised to go； and Diana
offered to go with her。
〃I've been wanting to go to see Ruby for a long while；〃 she told Anne；
when they left Green Gables the next evening； 〃but I really couldn't
go alone。 It's so awful to hear Ruby rattling on as she does； and
pretending there is nothing the matter with her； even when she can
hardly speak for coughing。 She's fighting so hard for her life；
and yet she hasn't any chance at all； they say。〃
The girls walked silently down the red； twilit road。 The robins
were singing vespers in the high treetops； filling the golden air
with their jubilant voices。 The silver fluting of the frogs came
from marshes and ponds； over fields where seeds were beginning to
stir with life and thrill to the sunshine and rain that had
drifted over them。 The air was fragrant with the wild； sweet；
wholesome smell of young raspberry copses。 White mists were
hovering in the silent hollows and violet stars were shining
bluely on the brooklands。
〃What a beautiful sunset；〃 said Diana。 〃Look； Anne； it's just like
a land in itself； isn't it？ That long； low back of purple cloud
is the shore； and the clear sky further on is like a golden sea。〃
〃If we could sail to it in the moonshine boat Paul wrote of in
his old composition you remember？ how nice it would be；〃
said Anne； rousing from her reverie。 〃Do you think we could find
all our yesterdays there； Diana all our old springs and
blossoms？ The beds of flowers that Paul saw there are the roses
that have bloomed for us in the past？〃
〃Don't！〃 said Diana。 〃You make me feel as if we were old women
with everything in life behind us。〃
〃I think I've almost felt as if we were since I heard about poor Ruby；〃
said Anne。 〃If it is true that she is dying any other sad thing might
be true； too。〃
〃You don't mind calling in at Elisha Wright's for a moment； do you？〃
asked Diana。 〃Mother asked me to leave this little dish of jelly
for Aunt Atossa。〃
〃Who is Aunt Atossa？〃
〃Oh； haven't you heard？ She's Mrs。 Samson Coates of Spencervale
Mrs。 Elisha Wright's aunt。 She's father's aunt； too。 Her
husband died last winter and she was left very poor and lonely；
so the Wrights took her to live with them。 Mother thought we
ought to take her； but father put his foot down。 Live with Aunt
Atossa he would not。〃
〃Is she so terrible？〃 asked Anne absently。
〃You'll probably see what she's like before we can get away；〃
said Diana significantly。 〃Father says she has a face like a
hatchet it cuts the air。 But her tongue is sharper still。〃
Late as it was Aunt Atossa was cutting potato sets in the Wright
kitchen。 She wore a faded old wrapper； and her gray hair was
decidedly untidy。 Aunt Atossa did not like being 〃caught in a
kilter；〃 so she went out of her way to be disagreeable。
〃Oh； so you're Anne Shirley？〃 she said； when Diana introduced Anne。
〃I've heard of you。〃 Her tone implied that she had heard nothing good。
〃Mrs。 Andrews was telling me you were home。 She said you had improved
a good deal。〃
There was no doubt Aunt Atossa thought there was plenty of room for
further improvement。 She ceased not from cutting sets with much energy。
〃Is it any use to ask you to sit down？〃 she inquired sarcastically。
〃Of course； there's nothing very entertaining here for you。 The rest
are all away。〃
〃Mother sent you this little pot of rhubarb jelly；〃 said Diana
pleasantly。 〃She made it today and thought you might like some。〃
〃Oh； thanks；〃 said Aunt Atossa sourly。 〃I never fancy your
mother's jelly she always makes it too sweet。 However； I'll
try to worry some down。 My appetite's been dreadful poor this
spring。 I'm far from well；〃 continued Aunt Atossa solemnly； 〃but
still I keep a…doing。 People who can't work aren't wanted here。
If it isn't too much trouble will you be condescending enough
to set the jelly in the pantry？ I'm in a hurry to get these spuds
done tonight。 I suppose you two LADIES never do anything like this。
You'd be afraid of spoiling your hands。〃
〃I used to cut potato sets before we rented the farm；〃 smiled Anne。
〃I do it yet；〃 laughed Diana。 〃I cut sets three days last week。
Of course；〃 she added teasingly； 〃I did my hands up in lemon
juice and kid gloves every night after it。〃
Aunt Atossa sniffed。
〃I suppose you got that notion out of some of those silly
magazines you read so many of。 I wonder your mother allows you。
But she always spoiled you。 We all thought when George married
her she wouldn't be a suitable wife for him。〃
Aunt Atossa sighed heavily； as if all forebodings upon the
occasion of George Barry's marriage had been amply and darkly
fulfilled。
〃Going； are you？〃 she inquired； as the girls rose。 〃Well； I
suppose you can't find much amusement talking to an old woman
like me。 It's such a pity the boys ain't home。〃
〃We want to run in and see Ruby Gillis a little while；〃 explained Diana。
〃Oh； anything does for an excuse； of course；〃 said Aunt Atossa； amiably。
〃Just whip in and whip out before you have time to say how…do decently。
It's college airs； I s'pose。 You'd be wiser to keep away from Ruby Gillis。
The doctors say consumption's catching。 I always knew Ruby'd get something；
gadding off to Boston last fall for a visit。 People who ain't content to
stay home always catch something。〃
〃People who don't go visiting catch things； too。 Sometimes they even die；〃
said Diana solemnly。
〃Then they don't have themselves to blame for it；〃 retorted Aunt Atossa
triumphantly。 〃I hear you are to be married in June； Diana。〃
〃There is no truth in that report；〃 said Diana； blushing。
〃Well； don't put it off too long；〃 said Aunt Atossa significantly。
〃You'll fade soon you're all complexion and hair。 And the Wrights
are terrible fickle。 You ought to wear a hat； MISS SHIRLEY。 Your nose
is freckling scandalous。 My； but you ARE redheaded！ Well； I s'pose
we're all as the Lord made us！ Give Marilla Cuthbert my respects。
She's never been to see me since I come to Avonlea； but I s'pose I
oughtn't to complain。 The Cuthberts always did think themselves
a cut higher than any one else round here。〃
〃Oh； isn't she dreadful？〃 gasped Diana； as they escaped down the lane。
〃She's worse than Miss Eliza Andrews；〃 said Anne。 〃But then think
of living all your life with a name like Atossa！ Wouldn't it sour
almost any one？ She should have tried to imagine her name was Cordelia。
It might have helped her a great deal。 It certainly helped me in the
days when I didn't like ANNE。〃
〃Josie Pye will be just like her when she grows up；〃 said Diana。
〃Josie's mother and Aunt Atossa are cousins； you know。 Oh； dear；
I'm glad that's over。 She's so malicious she seems to put a
bad flavor in everything。 Father tells such a funny story about her。
One time they had a minister in Spencervale who was a very good；
spiritual man but very deaf。 He couldn't hear any ordinary
conversation at all。 Well； they used to have a prayer meeting on
Sunday evenings； and all the church members present would get up
and pray in turn； or say a few words on some Bible verse。 But
one evening Aunt Atossa bounced up。 She didn't either pray or
preach。 Instead； she lit into everybody else in the church and
gave them a fearful raking down； calling them right out by name
and telling them how they all had behaved； and casting up all the
quarrels and scandals of the past ten years。 Finally she wound
up by saying that she was disgusted with Spencervale church and
she never meant to darken its door again； and she hoped a fearful
judgment would come upon it。 Then she sat down out of breath；
and the minister； who hadn't heard a word she said； immediately
remarked； in a very devout voice； ‘amen！ The Lord grant our dear
sister's prayer！' You ought to hear father tell the story。〃
〃Speaking of stories； Diana；〃 remarked Anne； in a significant；
confidential tone； 〃do you know that lately I have been wondering
if I could write a short story a story that would be good
enough to be published？〃
〃Why； of course you could；〃 said Diana； after she had grasped the
amazing suggestion。 〃You used to write perfectly thrilling stories
years ago in our old Story Club。〃
〃Well； I hardly meant one of that kind of stories；〃 smiled Anne。
〃I've been thinking about it a little of late； but I'm almost
afraid to try； for； if I should fail； it would be too humiliating。〃
〃I heard Priscilla say once that all Mrs。 Morgan's first stories
were rejected。 But I'm sure yours wouldn't be； Anne； for it's
likely editors have more sense nowadays。〃
〃Margaret Burton； one of the Junior girls at Redm