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color was。 His legs were white with black spots on them。
His back was gray with a huge patch of yellow on one side and a
black patch on the other。 His tail was yellow with a gray tip。
One ear was black and one yellow。 A black patch over one eye gave
him a fearfully rakish look。 In reality he was meek and inoffensive；
of a sociable disposition。 In one respect； if in no other； Joseph
was like a lily of the field。 He toiled not neither did he spin
or catch mice。 Yet Solomon in all his glory slept not on softer
cushions； or feasted more fully on fat things。
Joseph and the Sarah…cat arrived by express in separate boxes。
After they had been released and fed； Joseph selected the cushion
and corner which appealed to him； and the Sarah…cat gravely sat
herself down before the fire and proceeded to wash her face。 She
was a large； sleek； gray…and…white cat； with an enormous dignity
which was not at all impaired by any consciousness of her plebian
origin。 She had been given to Aunt Jamesina by her washerwoman。
〃Her name was Sarah； so my husband always called puss the
Sarah…cat；〃 explained Aunt Jamesina。 〃She is eight years old；
and a remarkable mouser。 Don't worry； Stella。 The Sarah…cat
NEVER fights and Joseph rarely。〃
〃They'll have to fight here in self…defense；〃 said Stella。
At this juncture Rusty arrived on the scene。 He bounded
joyously half way across the room before he saw the intruders。
Then he stopped short； his tail expanded until it was as big as
three tails。 The fur on his back rose up in a defiant arch；
Rusty lowered his head； uttered a fearful shriek of hatred and
defiance； and launched himself at the Sarah…cat。
The stately animal had stopped washing her face and was looking
at him curiously。 She met his onslaught with one contemptuous
sweep of her capable paw。 Rusty went rolling helplessly over on
the rug； he picked himself up dazedly。 What sort of a cat was
this who had boxed his ears？ He looked dubiously at the Sarah…cat。
Would he or would he not？ The Sarah…cat deliberately turned her
back on him and resumed her toilet operations。 Rusty decided that
he would not。 He never did。 From that time on the Sarah…cat ruled
the roost。 Rusty never again interfered with her。
But Joseph rashly sat up and yawned。 Rusty； burning to avenge
his disgrace； swooped down upon him。 Joseph； pacific by nature；
could fight upon occasion and fight well。 The result was a
series of drawn battles。 Every day Rusty and Joseph fought at
sight。 Anne took Rusty's part and detested Joseph。 Stella was
in despair。 But Aunt Jamesina only laughed。
Let them fight it out；〃 she said tolerantly。 〃They'll make friends
after a bit。 Joseph needs some exercise he was getting too fat。
And Rusty has to learn he isn't the only cat in the world。〃
Eventually Joseph and Rusty accepted the situation and from sworn
enemies became sworn friends。 They slept on the same cushion with
their paws about each other； and gravely washed each other's faces。
〃We've all got used to each other；〃 said Phil。 〃And I've learned
how to wash dishes and sweep a floor。〃
〃But you needn't try to make us believe you can chloroform a cat；〃
laughed Anne。
〃It was all the fault of the knothole；〃 protested Phil。
〃It was a good thing the knothole was there；〃 said Aunt Jamesina
rather severely。 〃Kittens HAVE to be drowned； I admit； or the
world would be overrun。 But no decent； grown…up cat should be
done to death unless he sucks eggs。〃
〃You wouldn't have thought Rusty very decent if you'd seen him when
he came here；〃 said Stella。 〃He positively looked like the Old Nick。〃
〃I don't believe Old Nick can be so very； ugly〃 said Aunt Jamesina
reflectively。 〃He wouldn't do so much harm if he was。 _I_ always
think of him as a rather handsome gentleman。〃
Chapter XVII
A Letter from Davy
〃It's beginning to snow； girls；〃 said Phil； coming in one
November evening； 〃and there are the loveliest little stars and
crosses all over the garden walk。 I never noticed before what
exquisite things snowflakes really are。 One has time to notice
things like that in the simple life。 Bless you all for permitting
me to live it。 It's really delightful to feel worried because
butter has gone up five cents a pound。〃
〃Has it？〃 demanded Stella； who kept the household accounts。
〃It has and here's your butter。 I'm getting quite expert at marketing。
It's better fun than flirting；〃 concluded Phil gravely。
〃Everything is going up scandalously；〃 sighed Stella。
〃Never mind。 Thank goodness air and salvation are still free；〃
said Aunt Jamesina。
〃And so is laughter；〃 added Anne。 〃There's no tax on it yet
and that is well； because you're all going to laugh presently。
I'm going to read you Davy's letter。 His spelling has improved
immensely this past year； though he is not strong on apostrophes；
and he certainly possesses the gift of writing an interesting letter。
Listen and laugh； before we settle down to the evening's study…grind。〃
〃Dear Anne；〃 ran Davy's letter； 〃I take my pen to tell you that
we are all pretty well and hope this will find you the same。
It's snowing some today and Marilla says the old woman in the sky
is shaking her feather beds。 Is the old woman in the sky God's
wife； Anne？ I want to know。
〃Mrs。 Lynde has been real sick but she is better now。 She fell
down the cellar stairs last week。 When she fell she grabbed hold
of the shelf with all the milk pails and stewpans on it； and it
gave way and went down with her and made a splendid crash。
Marilla thought it was an earthquake at first。
One of the stewpans was all dinged up and Mrs。 Lynde straned her ribs。
The doctor came and gave her medicine to rub on her ribs but
she didn't under stand him and took it all inside instead。
The doctor said it was a wonder it dident kill her but it dident
and it cured her ribs and Mrs。 Lynde says doctors dont know much
anyhow。 But we couldent fix up the stewpan。 Marilla had to
throw it out。 Thanksgiving was last week。 There was no school
and we had a great dinner。 I et mince pie and rost turkey and
frut cake and donuts and cheese and jam and choklut cake。
Marilla said I'd die but I dident。 Dora had earake after it；
only it wasent in her ears it was in her stummick。 I dident
have earake anywhere。
〃Our new teacher is a man。 He does things for jokes。 Last week
he made all us third…class boys write a composishun on what kind
of a wife we'd like to have and the girls on what kind of a
husband。 He laughed fit to kill when he read them。 This was
mine。 I thought youd like to see it。
〃‘The kind of a wife I'd like to Have。
〃‘She must have good manners and get my meals on time and do
what I tell her and always be very polite to me。 She must be
fifteen yers old。 She must be good to the poor and keep her
house tidy and be good tempered and go to church regularly。
She must be very handsome and have curly hair。 If I get a wife
that is just what I like Ill be an awful good husband to her。
I think a woman ought to be awful good to her husband。 Some poor
women havent any husbands。
‘THE END。'〃
〃I was at Mrs。 Isaac Wrights funeral at White Sands last week。
The husband of the corpse felt real sorry。 Mrs。 Lynde says
Mrs。 Wrights grandfather stole a sheep but Marilla says we mustent
speak ill of the dead。 Why mustent we； Anne？ I want to know。
It's pretty safe； ain't it？
〃Mrs。 Lynde was awful mad the other day because I asked her if
she was alive in Noah's time。 I dident mean to hurt her feelings。
I just wanted to know。 Was she； Anne？
〃Mr。 Harrison wanted to get rid of his dog。 So he hunged him
once but he come to life and scooted for the barn while Mr。
Harrison was digging the grave； so he hunged him again and he
stayed dead that time。 Mr。 Harrison has a new man working for him。
He's awful okward。 Mr。 Harrison says he is left handed in both
his feet。 Mr。 Barry's hired man is lazy。 Mrs。 Barry says that
but Mr。 Barry says he aint lazy exactly only he thinks it easier
to pray for things than to work for them。
〃Mrs。 Harmon Andrews prize pig that she talked so much of died
in a fit。 Mrs。 Lynde says it was a judgment on her for pride。
But I think it was hard on the pig。 Milty Boulter has been sick。
The doctor gave him medicine and it tasted horrid。 I offered to
take it for him for a quarter but the Boulters are so mean。
Milty says he'd rather take it himself and save his money。
I asked Mrs。 Boulter how a person would go about catching a man and
she got awful mad and said she dident know； shed never chased men。
〃The A。V。I。S。 is going to paint the hall again。 They're tired
of having it blue。
〃The new minister was here to tea last night。 He took three
pieces of pie。
If I did that Mrs。 Ly