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slave； _I_ think。 And it would give a man such power to hurt you。
I'd be afraid。 No； no； Alec and Alonzo are two dear boys； and I like
them both so much that I really don't know which I like the better。
That is the trouble。 Alec is the best looking； of course； and I
simply couldn't marry a man who wasn't handsome。 He is good…tempered
too； and has lovely； curly； black hair。 He's rather too perfect
I don't believe I'd like a perfect husband somebody I could never
find fault with。〃
〃Then why not marry Alonzo？〃 asked Priscilla gravely。
〃Think of marrying a name like Alonzo！〃 said Phil dolefully。
〃I don't believe I could endure it。 But he has a classic nose；
and it WOULD be a comfort to have a nose in the family that could
be depended on。 I can't depend on mine。 So far； it takes after the
Gordon pattern； but I'm so afraid it will develop Byrne tendencies
as I grow older。 I examine it every day anxiously to make sure it's
still Gordon。 Mother was a Byrne and has the Byrne nose in the
Byrnest degree。 Wait till you see it。 I adore nice noses。
Your nose is awfully nice； Anne Shirley。 Alonzo's nose nearly
turned the balance in his favor。 But ALONZO！ No； I couldn't decide。
If I could have done as I did with the hats stood them both up
together； shut my eyes； and jabbed with a hatpin it would have
been quite easy。〃
〃What did Alec and Alonzo feel like when you came away？〃 queried Priscilla。
〃Oh； they still have hope。 I told them they'd have to wait
till I could make up my mind。 They're quite willing to wait。
They both worship me； you know。 Meanwhile； I intend to have
a good time。 I expect I shall have heaps of beaux at Redmond。
I can't be happy unless I have； you know。 But don't you think
the freshmen are fearfully homely？
I saw only one really handsome fellow among them。 He went away
before you came。 I heard his chum call him Gilbert。 His chum
had eyes that stuck out THAT FAR。 But you're not going yet； girls？
Don't go yet。〃
〃I think we must；〃 said Anne； rather coldly。 〃It's getting late；
and I've some work to do。〃
〃But you'll both come to see me； won't you？〃 asked Philippa；
getting up and putting an arm around each。 〃And let me come to
see you。 I want to be chummy with you。 I've taken such a fancy
to you both。 And I haven't quite disgusted you with my frivolity；
have I？〃
〃Not quite；〃 laughed Anne； responding to Phil's squeeze； with a
return of cordiality。
〃Because I'm not half so silly as I seem on the surface； you
know。 You just accept Philippa Gordon； as the Lord made her；
with all her faults； and I believe you'll come to like her。
Isn't this graveyard a sweet place？ I'd love to be buried here。
Here's a grave I didn't see before this one in the iron
railing oh； girls； look； see the stone says it's the grave
of a middy who was killed in the fight between the Shannon and
the Chesapeake。 Just fancy！〃
Anne paused by the railing and looked at the worn stone； her pulses
thrilling with sudden excitement。 The old graveyard； with its
over…arching trees and long aisles of shadows； faded from her sight。
Instead； she saw the Kingsport Harbor of nearly a century agone。
Out of the mist came slowly a great frigate； brilliant with
〃the meteor flag of England。〃 Behind her was another； with
a still； heroic form； wrapped in his own starry flag； lying on
the quarter deck the gallant Lawrence。 Time's finger had
turned back his pages； and that was the Shannon sailing
triumphant up the bay with the Chesapeake as her prize。
〃Come back； Anne Shirley come back；〃 laughed Philippa； pulling
her arm。 〃You're a hundred years away from us。 Come back。〃
Anne came back with a sigh； her eyes were shining softly。
〃I've always loved that old story；〃 she said； 〃and although the
English won that victory； I think it was because of the brave；
defeated commander I love it。 This grave seems to bring it so
near and make it so real。 This poor little middy was only
eighteen。 He ‘died of desperate wounds received in gallant
action' so reads his epitaph。 It is such as a soldier might
wish for。〃
Before she turned away； Anne unpinned the little cluster of
purple pansies she wore and dropped it softly on the grave of the
boy who had perished in the great sea…duel。
〃Well； what do you think of our new friend？〃 asked Priscilla；
when Phil had left them。
〃I like her。 There is something very lovable about her； in spite
of all her nonsense。 I believe； as she says herself； that she
isn't half as silly as she sounds。 She's a dear； kissable baby
and I don't know that she'll ever really grow up。〃
〃I like her； too；〃 said Priscilla； decidedly。 〃She talks as much
about boys as Ruby Gillis does。 But it always enrages or sickens
me to hear Ruby； whereas I just wanted to laugh good…naturedly at
Phil。 Now； what is the why of that？〃
〃There is a difference；〃 said Anne meditatively。 〃I think it's
because Ruby is really so CONSCIOUS of boys。 She plays at love
and love…making。 Besides； you feel； when she is boasting of her
beaux that she is doing it to rub it well into you that you
haven't half so many。 Now； when Phil talks of her beaux it
sounds as if she was just speaking of chums。 She really looks
upon boys as good comrades； and she is pleased when she has
dozens of them tagging round； simply because she likes to be
popular and to be thought popular。 Even Alex and Alonzo I'll
never be able to think of those two names separately after this
are to her just two playfellows who want her to play with them
all their lives。 I'm glad we met her； and I'm glad we went to
Old St。 John's。 I believe I've put forth a tiny soul…root into
Kingsport soil this afternoon。 I hope so。 I hate to feel transplanted。〃
Chapter V
Letters from Home
For the next three weeks Anne and Priscilla continued to feel as
strangers in a strange land。 Then； suddenly； everything seemed
to fall into focus Redmond； professors； classes； students；
studies； social doings。 Life became homogeneous again； instead
of being made up of detached fragments。 The Freshmen； instead of
being a collection of unrelated individuals； found themselves a
class； with a class spirit； a class yell； class interests； class
antipathies and class ambitions。 They won the day in the annual
〃Arts Rush〃 against the Sophomores； and thereby gained the
respect of all the classes； and an enormous； confidence…giving
opinion of themselves。 For three years the Sophomores had won in
the 〃rush〃； that the victory of this year perched upon the
Freshmen's banner was attributed to the strategic generalship of
Gilbert Blythe； who marshalled the campaign and originated
certain new tactics； which demoralized the Sophs and swept the
Freshmen to triumph。 As a reward of merit he was elected
president of the Freshman Class； a position of honor and
responsibility from a Fresh point of view； at least coveted
by many。 He was also invited to join the 〃Lambs〃 Redmondese
for Lamba Theta a compliment rarely paid to a Freshman。 As a
preparatory initiation ordeal he had to parade the principal
business streets of Kingsport for a whole day wearing a sunbonnet
and a voluminous kitchen apron of gaudily flowered calico。 This
he did cheerfully； doffing his sunbonnet with courtly grace when
he met ladies of his acquaintance。 Charlie Sloane； who had not
been asked to join the Lambs； told Anne he did not see how Blythe
could do it； and HE； for his part； could never humiliate himself so。
〃Fancy Charlie Sloane in a ‘caliker' apron and a ‘sunbunnit；' 〃
giggled Priscilla。 〃He'd look exactly like his old Grandmother
Sloane。 Gilbert； now； looked as much like a man in them as in
his own proper habiliments。〃
Anne and Priscilla found themselves in the thick of the social
life of Redmond。 That this came about so speedily was due in
great measure to Philippa Gordon。 Philippa was the daughter of a
rich and well…known man； and belonged to an old and exclusive
〃Bluenose〃 family。 This； combined with her beauty and charm a
charm acknowledged by all who met her promptly opened the
gates of all cliques； clubs and classes in Redmond to her； and
where she went Anne and Priscilla went； too。 Phil 〃adored〃 Anne
and Priscilla； especially Anne。 She was a loyal little soul；
crystal…free from any form of snobbishness。 〃Love me； love my
friends〃 seemed to be her unconscious motto。 Without effort；
she took them with her into her ever widening circle of
acquaintanceship； and the two Avonlea girls found their social
pathway at Redmond made very easy and pleasant for them； to the
envy and wonderment of the other freshettes； who； lacking
Philippa's sponsorship； were doomed to remain rather on the
fringe of things during their first college year。
To Anne and Priscilla； with their more serious views of life；
Phil remaine