Anne of the Island by L.
M.
Montgomery Read by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 10 Continued We're going to live in Patty's place next winter,
Said Anne to Philippa triumphantly.
Liv,
Mark,
You're not bored.
We've rented it and Stella Maynard's coming and her aunt is going to keep house for us.
At this,
Phil bounced up.
She wiped her nose and she fell on her knees before the unsuspecting Anne.
Girls,
Girls,
Let me come too.
I'll be so good.
If there's no room for me,
I'll sleep in the little doghouse in the orchard.
I've seen it.
Only let me come.
Get up,
You goose.
I won't store off my marrow bones till you tell me I can live with you next winter.
Anne and Priscilla looked at each other.
Then Anne said slowly,
Phil,
Dear,
We'd love to have you,
But we may as well speak plainly.
I'm poor.
Pris is poor.
Stella Maynard is poor.
Our housekeeping will have to be very simple and our table plain.
You'd have to live as we would.
Now you are rich and your boarding house fair attests the fact.
Oh,
What do I care for that?
Demanded Phil tragically.
Better a din of herbs when your chums are than a stalled ox in a lonely boarding house.
Don't think I'm all stomach,
Girls.
I'd be willing to live on bread and water with just a little jam if only you'd let me come.
And then,
Continued Anne,
There will be a good deal of work to be done.
Stella's aunt can't do it all,
You know.
We all expect to have our chores to do.
Now you.
.
.
Toil not,
Neither do I spin,
Finished Philippa,
But I'll learn to do things.
You'll only have to show me once.
I can make my own bed to begin with.
And remember that though I can't cook,
I can keep my temper.
That's something,
Isn't it?
And I never growl about the weather,
Do I?
That's more.
Oh,
Please,
Please.
I never wanted anything so much in my life.
And this floor is awfully hot.
There's just one more thing,
Said Priscilla resolutely.
You feel,
As all Redmond knows,
Entertained callers almost every evening.
Now at Patty's place,
We can't do that.
We've decided we should be at home to our friends on Friday evenings only.
If you come with us,
You'll have to abide by that rule.
Oh,
Don't think I'll mind that,
Do you?
I'm quite glad of it,
Said Philippa.
I knew I should have some such rule myself,
But I hadn't enough decision to make it all stick to it.
When I can shuffle off the responsibility onto you,
It will be a great relief.
If you won't let me cast in my lot with you,
I'll die of the disappointment.
And then I'll come back and haunt you.
I'll camp on this very doorstep of Patty's place,
And you won't be able to go out or come in without falling over my spook.
Again,
Anne and Priscilla exchanged eloquent looks.
Well,
Said Anne,
Of course we can't promise to take you till we've consulted with Stella,
But I don't think she'll object.
And as far as we're concerned,
You may come and glad welcome.
If you get tired of our simple life,
You can leave us.
No questions asked,
Added Priscilla.
At this,
Phil sprang up,
Hugged them both jubilantly,
And went on her way rejoicing.
I hope things will go right.
We must make them go right,
Vowed Anne.
I think Phil will fit into our happy little home very well.
Oh,
Phil's a dear to rattle round with and be chums,
And of course the more there are of us,
The easier it will be on our slim purses.
But how will she be able to live with us?
You have to summer and winter with anyone before you know if she's liveable or not.
Oh well,
We'll be put to the test as far as that goes,
And we must quit us like sensible folk,
Living and let live.
Phil isn't selfish,
You know,
Although she's a little thoughtless,
And I believe we will all get along beautifully in Patty's place.
Chapter 11.
The Round of Life Anne was back in Avonlea with a luster of the Thorburn scholarship on her brow.
People told her she hadn't changed much in a tone which hinted they were surprised and a little disappointed.
Avonlea had not changed either,
At least so it seemed at first.
But as Anne sat in the Green Gables pew on the first Sunday after her return and looked over the congregation,
She saw several little changes which,
All coming home to her at once,
Made her realise that time did not quite stand still,
Even in Avonlea.
A new minister was in the pulpit.
In the pews,
More than one familiar face was missing forever.
Old Uncle Abe,
His prophesying over and done with.
Mrs Peter Sloane,
Who had sighed it was to be hoped for the last time.
Timothy Cotton,
As Mrs Rachel Lynn said,
Had actually managed to die at last after practising at it for twenty years.
And old Josiah Sloane,
Whom nobody knew in his coffin because he had his whiskers neatly trimmed,
Were all sleeping in the little graveyard behind the church.
And Billy Andrews had married Nettie Blewitt.
They appeared out that Sunday.
When Billy,
Beaming with pride and happiness,
Showed his beplumed and besilked bride into the Harman Andrews pew,
Anne dropped her lids to hide her dancing eyes.
She recalled the stormy winter night of the Christmas holidays when Jane had proposed for Billy.
He certainly had not broken his heart over his rejection.
Anne wondered if Jane had also proposed to Nettie for him,
Or if he had mustered up enough spunk to ask the fateful question himself.
All the Andrews family seemed to share in his pride and pleasure,
From Mrs Harman in the pew to Jane in the choir.
Jane had resigned from the Avonlea school and intended to go west in the fall.
Can't get a bow in Avonlea,
That's what,
Said Mrs Rachel Lynn scornfully.
Says she thinks she'll have better health out west.
I never heard her health was poor before.
Jane is a nice girl,
Anne had said loyally.
She never tried to attract attention as some did.
No,
She never chased the boys,
If that's what you mean,
Said Mrs Rachel,
But she'd like to be married just as much as anybody,
That's what.
What else would take her out west to some forsaken place,
Whose only recommendation is that men are plenty and women scarce?
Don't you tell me.
But it was not at Jane Anne gazed that day in dismay and surprised.
It was at Ruby Gillis,
Who sat beside her in the choir.
What had happened to Ruby?
She was even handsomer than ever,
But her blue eyes were too bright and lustrous and the colour of her cheeks was hectically brilliant.
Beside she was very thin,
The hands that held her hymn book were almost transparent in their delicacy.
Is Ruby Gillis ill?
Anne asked of Mrs Linde as they went home from church.
Ruby Gillis is dying of galloping consumption,
Said Mrs Linde bluntly.
Everybody knows it except herself and her family.
They won't give in,
If you ask them she's perfectly well.
She hasn't been able to teach since she had that attack of congestion in the winter,
But she says she's going to teach again in the fall and she's after the White Sand School.
She will be in her grave,
Poor girl,
When White Sand School opens,
That's what.
