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atmosphere of the Green Gables kitchen where an eight…year…old
boy was crying grievously on the sofa。
〃What is the matter； Davy？〃 asked Anne； taking him up in her arms。
〃Where are Marilla and Dora？〃
〃Marilla's putting Dora to bed；〃 sobbed Davy； 〃and I'm crying
'cause Dora fell down the outside cellar steps； heels over head；
and scraped all the skin off her nose； and 〃
〃Oh； well； don't cry about it； dear。 Of course； you are sorry
for her； but crying won't help her any。 She'll be all right
tomorrow。 Crying never helps any one； Davy…boy； and 〃
〃I ain't crying 'cause Dora fell down cellar；〃 said Davy； cutting
short Anne's wellmeant preachment with increasing bitterness。
〃I'm crying； cause I wasn't there to see her fall。 I'm always
missing some fun or other； seems to me。〃
〃Oh； Davy！〃 Anne choked back an unholy shriek of laughter。
〃Would you call it fun to see poor little Dora fall down the
steps and get hurt？〃
〃She wasn't MUCH hurt；〃 said Davy； defiantly。 〃'Course； if
she'd been killed I'd have been real sorry； Anne。 But the Keiths
ain't so easy killed。 They're like the Blewetts； I guess。 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 under his heels。
And still he got out alive； with only three bones broke。 Mrs。
Lynde says there are some folks you can't kill with a meat…axe。
Is Mrs。 Lynde coming here tomorrow； Anne？〃
〃Yes； Davy； and I hope you'll be always very nice and good to her。〃
〃I'll be nice and good。 But will she ever put me to bed at nights； Anne？〃
〃Perhaps。 Why？〃
〃'Cause；〃 said Davy very decidedly； 〃if she does I won't say my
prayers before her like I do before you； Anne。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃'Cause I don't think it would be nice to talk to God before
strangers； Anne。 Dora can say hers to Mrs。 Lynde if she likes；
but _I_ won't。 I'll wait till she's gone and then say 'em。 Won't
that be all right； Anne？〃
〃Yes； if you are sure you won't forget to say them； Davy…boy。〃
〃Oh； I won't forget； you bet。 I think saying my prayers is great fun。
But it won't be as good fun saying them alone as saying them to you。
I wish you'd stay home； Anne。 I don't see what you want to go away
and leave us for。〃
〃I don't exactly WANT to； Davy； but I feel I ought to go。〃
〃If you don't want to go you needn't。 You're grown up。 When _I_'m
grown up I'm not going to do one single thing I don't want to do； Anne。〃
〃All your life； Davy； you'll find yourself doing things you don't
want to do。〃
〃I won't；〃 said Davy flatly。 〃Catch me！ I have to do things I
don't want to now 'cause you and Marilla'll send me to bed if I 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； Anne； Milty Boulter says
his mother says you're going to college to see if you can catch a man。
Are you； Anne？ I want to know。〃
For a second Anne burned with resentment。 Then she laughed；
reminding herself that Mrs。 Boulter's crude vulgarity of thought
and speech could not harm her。
〃No； Davy； I'm not。 I'm going to study and grow and learn about many things。〃
〃What things？〃
〃‘Shoes and ships and sealing wax
And cabbages and kings；'〃
quoted Anne。
〃But if you DID want to catch a man how would you go about it？
I want to know；〃 persisted Davy； for whom the subject evidently
possessed a certain fascination。
〃You'd better ask Mrs。 Boulter；〃 said Anne thoughtlessly。 〃I
think it's likely she knows more about the process than I do。〃
〃I will； the next time I see her；〃 said Davy gravely。
〃Davy！ If you do！〃 cried Anne； realizing her mistake。
〃But you just told me to；〃 protested Davy aggrieved。
〃It's time you went to bed；〃 decreed Anne； by way of getting out
of the scrape。
After Davy had gone to bed Anne wandered down to Victoria Island
and sat there alone； curtained with fine…spun； moonlit gloom；
while the water laughed around her in a duet of brook and wind。
Anne had always loved that brook。 Many a dream had she spun 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 of 〃faery
lands forlorn；〃 where lost Atlantis and Elysium lie； with the
evening star for pilot； to the land of Heart's Desire。 And she
was richer in those dreams than in realities； for things seen
pass away； but the things that are unseen are eternal。
Chapter II
Garlands of Autumn
The following week sped swiftly； crowded with innumerable 〃last things；〃
as Anne called them。 Good…bye calls had to be made and received； being
pleasant or otherwise； according to whether callers and called…upon were
heartily in sympathy with Anne's hopes； or thought she was too much
puffed…up over going to college and that it was their duty to 〃take her
down a peg or two。〃
The A。V。I。S。 gave a farewell party in honor of Anne and Gilbert
one evening at the home of Josie Pye； choosing that place； partly
because Mr。 Pye's house was large and convenient； partly because
it was strongly suspected that the Pye girls would have nothing
to do with the affair if their offer of the house for the party
was not accepted。 It was a very pleasant little time； for the
Pye girls were gracious； and said and did nothing to mar the
harmony of the occasion which was not according to their wont。
Josie was unusually amiable so much so that she even remarked
condescendingly to Anne；
〃Your new dress is rather becoming to you； Anne。 Really； you
look ALMOST PRETTY in it。〃
〃How kind of you to say so；〃 responded Anne； with dancing eyes。
Her sense of humor was developing； and the speeches that would
have hurt her at fourteen were becoming merely food for amusement
now。 Josie suspected that Anne was laughing at her behind those
wicked eyes； but she contented herself with whispering to Gertie；
as they went downstairs； that Anne Shirley would put on more airs
than ever now that she was going to college you'd see！
All the 〃old crowd〃 was there； full of mirth and zest and
youthful lightheartedness。 Diana Barry； rosy and dimpled；
shadowed by the faithful Fred； Jane Andrews； neat and sensible
and plain； Ruby Gillis； looking her handsomest and brightest in a
cream silk blouse； with red geraniums in her golden hair； Gilbert
Blythe and Charlie Sloane； both trying to keep as near the
elusive Anne as possible； Carrie Sloane； looking pale and
melancholy because； so it was reported； her father would not
allow Oliver Kimball to come near the place； Moody Spurgeon
MacPherson； whose round face and objectionable ears were as round
and objectionable as ever； and Billy And