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Anne of Avonlea

Chapter 4 No.4

Word Count: 4200    |    Released on: 04/12/2017

l's

it is still unspoiled; it is full of curious relics, and haloed by the romance of many legends of the past. Once it was a mere frontier station on the fringe of the wilderness, and those were the days when Indians kept life from being mo

pride in Old St. John's, for, if he be of any pretensions at all, he has an ancestor buried there, with a queer, crooked slab at his head, or else sprawling protectively over the grave, on which all the main facts of his history are recorded. For the most part no great art or skill was lavished on those old tombstones. The larger number are of roughly chiselled brown or gray native stone, and only in a few cases is there any attempt at ornamentation. Some are adorned with skull and cross-bones, and this grizzly dec

registered as students, after which there was nothing more to do that day. The girls gladly made their escape, for it was not exhila

ether on the big staircase of the entrance hall, where they were shouting out glees with all the vigor of youthful lungs, as a species of defiance to their traditional enem

f a Sloane," said Priscilla, as they crossed the campus, "but I'd welcome C

cket. It's bad enough to feel insignificant, but it's unbearable to have it grained into your soul that you will never, can never, be anything but insignificant, and t

ificant; but I think it's better than to feel as big and awkward as I did-as if I were sprawled all over Redmond. That's how I felt-I suppose because I was a good two inches

ody and had a place of our own. I suppose we have been unconsciously expecting to take life up at Redmond just where we left off at Queen's, and now we feel as if the ground had slipped from under our feet. I'm thankful that neit

d all will be well. Anne, did you notice the girl who stood alone just outside the door of t

eemed the only creature there who LOOKED as lonely an

would come. If I hadn't felt so much like the aforesaid elephant I'd have gone to her. But I couldn't lumber across that big hall with all those boys howling on the sta

od place to go to get cheered up, but it seems the only get-at-able place where there are trees, and tre

John's to keep her eyes wide open. They went in by the entrance gates, pa

an yet the wild

hts henceforth shall

ce where winds were fond of purring. Up and down the long grassy aisles they wandered, re

d health. He was a brave officer, the best of husbands, the best of fathers, the best of friends. He died October 29th, 1792, aged 84 years.' There's an epitaph for you, Prissy. There is certainly some 'scope for imag

r," said Prisc

. This is raised as a tribute of affection by one whom he served so faithfully for 27 ye

need be added. Here's a sorrowful little gray stone, Prissy-'to the memory of a favorite child.' And here is another 'erected to the memory of one who is buried elsewhere.' I wonder where that unknown grave is

me up the avenue exactly half a dozen times, and half a dozen times has she turned and gone back. Either she's dreadfully shy or she

n and velvety, under oddly-pointed black brows, and her crooked mouth was rose-red. She wore a smart brown suit, with two very modish little shoes peeping from beneath it; and her hat of dull pink straw, wreathed with golden-brown poppies, had the indefinable, unmistakable air which pertains to the "creation" of an artist in milliner

had evidently concluded that they were coming to speak to her. Instantly she sprang up and came forward with outs

e been DYING to know. I saw you at Redmond this morning. Say, wasn't it

strained laughter at this unexpected con

t acquainted. It won't be hard. I know we're going to adore each other-I knew it as soon

you?" aske

as soon as I decide to do something I feel in my bones that another course would be the correct one. It's a dreadful misfortune, but I was born

ou were too s

s-or virtues-of Philippa Gordon-Phil for short. Do

a Grant," said

rley," said Priscil

the Island," sai

gbroke, Nova Scoti

med Anne. "Why, that

? Why, that makes you

onnell who said that if a man was born in a stable

g-that, and indecision, as aforesaid. Would you believe it?-it took me half an hour to decide which hat to wear when I was coming here-HERE, to a graveyard! At first I inclined to my brown one with the feather; but as soon as I put it on I thought this pink one with the floppy brim

rious tone, Priscilla laughed again. But Ann

that you were the prettie

d into a bewitching, crooked sm

rably that I'm not. Besides, have a horrible old great-aunt who is always saying to me, with a mournful sigh, 'You were such a pretty baby. It's strange how children change when they grow up.' I adore aunts, but I detest grea

irmly convinced of our own good looks that we don't n

ents to other girls when they deserve them. I'm so glad I know you folks. I came up on Saturday and I've nearly died of homesickness ever since. It's a horrible feeling, isn'

ht St. John

place in the world. As for cats-well, surely ALL the Kingsport cats can't congregate there at night, but half of them must. I adore cats on hearth rugs, snoozing before nice, friendly fires, but cats i

nd to come to Redmond at all, if you are really

as set on it-why, I don't know. It seems perfectly ridiculous to think of me studying for

d Priscil

d have to get married. Mother wanted that-wanted it decidedly. Mother has plenty of decision. But I really hated the thought of being married for a few years yet. I want to have heaps of fun before I settle down. And, ridiculous as the idea of

so many?"

ere were only two that mattered. The rest were all too

must

Oh, no, my husband must have heaps of money. So that narrowed them down to two. But I couldn't decide between two any easier th

hesitatingly. It was not easy for her to speak to a s

, 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

ry Alonzo?" asked

n 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 i

feel like when you came

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 h

rather coldly. "It's getting l

arm around each. "And let me come to see you. I want to be chummy with you. I've taken

esponding to Phil's squeeze,

elieve 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 iro

ad, 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, wra

ghed Philippa, pulling her arm. "You're

a sigh; her eyes w

, defeated commander I love it. This grave seems to bring it so near and make it so real. This poor little middy was only eig

of purple pansies she wore and dropped it softly on the

our new friend?" asked Prisc

ense. I believe, as she says herself, that she isn't half as silly as she sounds

s Ruby Gillis does. But it always enrages or sickens me to hear Ruby, whereas

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

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