Alden, I want to ask a favour of you, said Anne
winningly. Hes always saying outrageous things like that to women.
Its so delightful to bathe her plump, dimpled
little body . Ive been hearing things about you, Stella, said Anne, shaking afinger
at her. The stairs were just BLACK with quack bears. A month later Stella Chase came
to Ingleside and again sat down byAnne on the verandah steps
Of course rats couldnt eat a brass pig with
fiftycoppers inside of him.
Reese came up a little later, flushedand
apologetic. Blythe, youmight not think so much of the view. Churchill must have been
laughing in her sleeveall the time.
They passed on then, quite unwitting of what they
had done to thesmall boy sitting on the nail-keg. Mother was up when he went into
her room, brushing her long shininghair before the glass. You have the most
wonderful view here, said Anne, when Mrs.
Transubstantiationalist, said Jem
proudly.
I think it would be a very suitable one, Mrs.
Iwonder if he has the slightest notion that Alden and Stella
aresweethearting.
Itwas no wonder he was considered something of a
matrimonial prize. Anne did not think Stella was the sort of girl to fall tooripely
into any mans outstretched hand.
She went on, a little moreeasily:Alden and I met at
a party in Lowbridge last November.
Paxton to your spree and tell HIM togive your
Stella a good time?
God bless the days that are coming foryou, my
dear.
NOW you wont have to wait till Dads ship comes in,
said Jemwith a fine nonchalance. Stella would never dare take Alden tothe house, of
course.
He has got the strangest liking for cats,
too.
Oh, Ill see that she has a rip-roaring time. He
said tohimself, There is my wife, when he saw me come in at the door.
Besides, he wanted to earn the money forit
himself.
Jen Pringles letter today saying she is going
tomarry Lewis Stedman whom she met at my party. They were all coming to depend on
him so. As for namesakes,he had more than he could count.
Never will I lift a finger to promote a marriageif
nobody in the world ever gets married again. Dearest, your happiness is all Ive
wanted. Elliott, said Richard Chase solemnly, I have asecret leaning towards
evolution myself.
So Dad was about again and Mother was laughing
again, and .
I didnt suppose youd be trying to catchpneumonia,
too, the minute my back was turned. How pretty the pearls looked on her white
throat! He would go onan expedition to the Congo in search of gorillas. Why hadnt
heasked Susan to be sure and call him?
MUST you make such unearthly noises down there?
Gilbert was wont to say that Anne HAD to buy a book ifthe word garden were in the
title.