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these days ‘know all men by these presents' that those coffin…plates
have caused it。
〃But it's all delightful and I said so。 Janet loved me for it；
just as she detested poor Esther because Esther had said so much
shade was unhygienic and had objected to sleeping on a feather bed。
Now； I glory in feather…beds； and the more unhygienic and feathery
they are the more I glory。 Janet says it is such a comfort to see
me eat； she had been so afraid I would be like Miss Haythorne； who
wouldn't eat anything but fruit and hot water for breakfast and tried
to make Janet give up frying things。 Esther is really a dear girl；
but she is rather given to fads。 The trouble is that she hasn't
enough imagination and HAS a tendency to indigestion。
〃Janet told me I could have the use of the parlor when any young
men called！ I don't think there are many to call。 I haven't
seen a young man in Valley Road yet； except the next…door
hired boy Sam Toliver； a very tall； lank； tow…haired youth。
He came over one evening recently and sat for an hour on the
garden fence； near the front porch where Janet and I were doing
fancy…work。 The only remarks he volunteered in all that time
were； ‘Hev a peppermint； miss！ Dew now…fine thing for carARRH；
peppermints；' and； ‘Powerful lot o' jump…grasses round here
ternight。 Yep。'
〃But there is a love affair going on here。 It seems to be my
fortune to be mixed up； more or less actively； with elderly love
affairs。 Mr。 and Mrs。 Irving always say that I brought about
their marriage。 Mrs。 Stephen Clark of Carmody persists in being
most grateful to me for a suggestion which somebody else would
probably have made if I hadn't。 I do really think； though； that
Ludovic Speed would never have got any further along than placid
courtship if I had not helped him and Theodora Dix out。
〃In the present affair I am only a passive spectator。 I've tried
once to help things along and made an awful mess of it。 So I
shall not meddle again。 I'll tell you all about it when we meet。〃
Chapter XXXII
Tea with Mrs。 Douglas
On the first Thursday night of Anne's sojourn in Valley Road
Janet asked her to go to prayer…meeting。 Janet blossomed out
like a rose to attend that prayer…meeting。 She wore a pale…blue；
pansy…sprinkled muslin dress with more ruffles than one would ever
have supposed economical Janet could be guilty of； and a white
leghorn hat with pink roses and three ostrich feathers on it。
Anne felt quite amazed。 Later on； she found out Janet's motive
in so arraying herself a motive as old as Eden。
Valley Road prayer…meetings seemed to be essentially feminine。
There were thirty…two women present； two half…grown boys； and one
solitary man； beside the minister。 Anne found herself studying
this man。 He was not handsome or young or graceful； he had
remarkably long legs so long that he had to keep them coiled
up under his chair to dispose of them and he was stoopshouldered。
His hands were big； his hair wanted barbering； and his moustache
was unkempt。 But Anne thought she liked his face； it was kind and
honest and tender； there was something else in it； too just what；
Anne found it hard to define。 She finally concluded that this man had
suffered and been strong； and it had been made manifest in his face。
There was a sort of patient； humorous endurance in his expression
which indicated that he would go to the stake if need be； but would
keep on looking pleasant until he really had to begin squirming。
When prayer…meeting was over this man came up to Janet and said；
〃May I see you home； Janet？〃
Janet took his arm 〃as primly and shyly as if she were no more
than sixteen； having her first escort home；〃 Anne told the girls
at Patty's Place later on。
〃Miss Shirley； permit me to introduce Mr。 Douglas；〃 she said stiffly。
Mr。 Douglas nodded and said； 〃I was looking at you in prayer…meeting；
miss； and thinking what a nice little girl you were。〃
Such a speech from ninety…nine people out of a hundred would have
annoyed Anne bitterly； but the way in which Mr。 Douglas said it made
her feel that she had received a very real and pleasing compliment。
She smiled appreciatively at him and dropped obligingly behind on
the moonlit road。
So Janet had a beau！ Anne was delighted。 Janet would make a paragon
of a wife cheery； economical； tolerant； and a very queen of cooks。
It would be a flagrant waste on Nature's part to keep her a permanent
old maid。
〃John Douglas asked me to take you up to see his mother；〃 said
Janet the next day。 〃She's bed…rid a lot of the time and never
goes out of the house。 But she's powerful fond of company and
always wants to see my boarders。 Can you go up this evening？〃
Anne assented； but later in the day Mr。 Douglas called on his
mother's behalf to invite them up to tea on Saturday evening。
〃Oh； why didn't you put on your pretty pansy dress？〃 asked Anne；
when they left home。 It was a hot day； and poor Janet； between
her excitement and her heavy black cashmere dress； looked as if
she were being broiled alive。
〃Old Mrs。 Douglas would think it terrible frivolous and unsuitable；
I'm afraid。 John likes that dress； though；〃 she added wistfully。
The old Douglas homestead was half a mile from 〃Wayside〃 cresting
a windy hill。 The house itself was large and comfortable； old
enough to be dignified； and girdled with maple groves and orchards。
There were big； trim barns behind it； and everything bespoke prosperity。
Whatever the patient endurance in Mr。 Douglas' face had meant it hadn't；
so Anne reflected； meant debts and duns。
John Douglas met them at the door and took them into the
sitting…room； where his mother was enthroned in an armchair。
Anne had expected old Mrs。 Douglas to be tall and thin； because
Mr。 Douglas was。 Instead； she was a tiny scrap of a woman； with
soft pink cheeks； mild blue eyes； and a mouth like a baby's。
Dressed in a beautiful； fashionably…made black silk dress；
with a fluffy white shawl over her shoulders； and her snowy
hair surmounted by a dainty lace cap； she might have posed
as a grandmother doll。
〃How do you do； Janet dear？〃 she said sweetly。 〃I am so glad to
see you again； dear。〃 She put up her pretty old face to be kissed。
〃And this is our new teacher。 I'm delighted to meet you。 My son
has been singing your praises until I'm half jealous； and I'm sure
Janet ought to be wholly so。〃
Poor Janet blushed； Anne said something polite and conventional；
and then everybody sat down and made talk。 It was hard work；
even for Anne； for nobody seemed at ease except old Mrs。 Douglas；
who certainly did not find any difficulty in talking。 She made
Janet sit by her and stroked her hand occasionally。 Janet sat
and smiled； looking horribly uncomfortable in her hideous dress；
and John Douglas sat without smiling。
At the tea table Mrs。 Douglas gracefully asked Janet t