Anne of Avonlea

adow o

been picking apples in the Green Gables orchard, but were now resting from their labors in a sunny corner, where airy fleet

valley below Green Gables overflowed with asters of ethereal purple, and the Lake of Shining Waters was blue-blue-blue; not the changeful blue of spring, nor the pale azur

hand with a smile. "And Miss Lavendar's wedding seemed to come as a sort

en gone long enough to go ar

s Lavendar and Mr. and Mrs. Allan gone-how lonely the manse looks with the shutters all

conviction. "I suppose we'll have all kinds of supplies this winter, and half t

here," insinua

ove up?" asked Diana, as if sh

are room. Oh, no, never there! It would have been too terrible-I couldn't have slept a wink from awe. I never WALKED through that room when Marilla sent me in on an errand-no, indeed, I tiptoed through it and held my breath, as if I were in church, and felt relieved when I got out of it. The pictures of George Whitefield and the Duke of Wellington hung there, one on each side of the mirror, and frowned so sternly at me all the time I was in, especially if I dared pe

moaned Diana for the hundredth ti

hought of going myself-home and I are such good friends. Talk of being lonesome! It's I who should groan. YOU'LL

Sloane," said Diana, imitati

ible damsels laughed. Diana knew exactly what Anne thought of Charlie Sloane; but, despite sundry confidential

nd I am sure I shall like it after a while. But for the first few weeks I know I won't. I shan't even have the comfort of

" said Diana sadly. "I have a feeling that

lly. "We had to come to it. Do you think, Diana, that being grown-up is

h always had the effect of making Anne feel suddenly left out and inexperienced. "But there are so many puzzling things,

iana. In two more years we'll be twenty. When I was ten I thought twenty was a green old age. In no time you'll be a staid, middle-aged matron, and I shall be nice, old maid Aunt Anne, coming to visit you on vacations. You'll always

ndid and handsome and rich-and no spare room in Avonlea will be half gorgeous

g that shapely organ. "I haven't so many good features that I could afford to spoil those I have; so, eve

o the Post Office. She found a letter awaiting her there, and when Gilbert Blythe overtook h

idn't think her father would consent. He has, however, and we're to board together. I feel that I can face an

old burg, they tell me, and has the finest natural park in

around her with the loving, enraptured eyes of those to whom "home" must always be th

her sinking Dory on the day Elaine floated down to Camelot. The fine, empurpling dye of sunset still stained the western skies, but the moon

iet, Anne," said

ll this wonderful beauty will vanish ju

deepened into darkness, his still boyish lips opened to say something of the dream and hope that thrille

lla had a headache this afternoon, and I'm sure the twins will be in some d

lt rather relieved when they parted. There had been a new, secret self-consciousness in her heart with regard to Gilbert, ever since that fleeting moment

ully, as she walked alone up the lane. "Our friendship will be spoiled if he goes on with

tion was far from being an unpleasant one-very different from that which had attended a similar demonstration on Charlie Sloane's part, when she had been sitting out a dance with him at a White Sands party three nights before. Anne shivered over

d Anne, taking him up in her arm

ying 'cause Dora fell down the outside cellar steps, heel

rry for her, but crying won't help her any. She'll be all

's wellmeant preachment with increasing bitterness. "I'm crying, cause I was

of laughter. "Would you call it fun to see poo

Herb Blewett fell off the hayloft last Wednesday, and rolled right down through the turnip chute into the box stall, where they had a fearful wild, cross horse, and rolled right un

you'll be always very

But will she ever put me

aps.

if she does I won't say my prayers be

y n

, Anne. Dora can say hers to Mrs. Lynde if she likes, but I won't. I'l

e you won't forget t

it won't be as good fun saying them alone as saying them to you. I wish yo

NT to, Davy, but I

grown up. When I'm grown up I'm not going to

ll find yourself doing thi

don't. But when I grow up you can't do that, and there'll be nobody to tell me not to do things. Won't I have the time! Say, A

laughed, reminding herself that Mrs. Boulter's crud

oing to study and grow an

t th

ships and

ages and

ed A

about it? I want to know," persisted Davy, for whom t

e thoughtlessly. "I think it's likely she

time I see her,"

" cried Anne, rea

d me to," protest

," decreed Anne, by way of

n over its sparkling water in days gone by. She forgot lovelorn youths, and the cayenne speeches of malicious neighbors, and all the problems of her girlish existence. In imagination she sailed over storied seas that wash the distant shining shores