Anne of the Island by L.
M.
Montgomery Read by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 11 Continued Josie Pye will be just like Aunt Atossa when she grows up,
Said Diana.
Josie's mother and Aunt Atossa are cousins,
You know.
Oh dear,
I'm glad that's over.
That woman is so malicious who seems to put a bad flavour in everything.
Father tells such a funny story about her.
One time they had a minister in Spencer Vale who was a very good spiritual man,
But very deaf.
He couldn't hear any ordinary conversation at all.
They used to have a prayer meeting on Sunday evenings and all the church members present would get up and pray in turn or say a few words on some Bible verse.
But one evening Aunt Atossa bounced up.
She didn't either pray or preach.
Instead she lit into everybody else in the church and gave them a fearful raking down,
Calling them right out by name and telling them how they'd all behaved,
Casting up all the quarrels and scandals of the past ten years.
Finally she wound up by saying she was disgusted with Spencer Vale Church and she never meant to darken its door again and hoped a fearful judgement would come upon it.
Then she sat down out of breath and the minister,
Who hadn't heard a word she said,
Immediately remarked in a very devout voice,
Amen.
The Lord grant our dear sister's prayer.
You ought to hear Father tell the story.
It's so funny.
Speaking of stories,
Diana,
Remarked Anne in a significant,
Confidential tone,
Do you know,
Lately I've been wondering if I could write a short story,
A story that would be good enough to be published.
Of course you could,
Said Diana,
After she'd grasped the amazing suggestion.
We used to write perfectly thrilling stories years ago in our old story club.
Well,
I hardly meant one of those kind of stories,
Smiled Anne.
I've been thinking about it a little of late,
But I'm always afraid to try,
For if I should fail it would be too humiliating.
I heard Priscilla say once,
All Mrs.
Morgan's first stories were rejected.
But I'm sure yours wouldn't be,
Anne,
For it's likely editors are more sensed nowadays.
Margaret Burton,
One of the junior girls at Redmond,
Said Anne,
Wrote a story last winter,
And it was published in the Canadian Woman.
I really do think I could write one at least as good.
And will you have it published in the Canadian Woman?
I might try one of the bigger magazines first,
Said Anne.
It all depends on what kind of story I write.
What is it to be about?
I don't know yet.
I want to get hold of a good plot.
I believe this is very necessary from an editor's point of view.
The only thing I've settled on is the heroine's name.
It's to be Averil Lester.
Rather pretty,
Don't you think?
Don't mention this to anyone,
Diana.
I haven't told anybody but you and Mr.
Harrison.
He wasn't very encouraging.
He said there was far too much trash written nowadays as it was.
He'd expected something better of me after a year at college.
What does Mr.
Harrison know about it?
Demanded Diana scornfully.
They found the Gillis home gay with lights and callers.
Leonard Kimble of Spencervale and Morgan Bell of Carmody were glaring at each other across the parlour.
Several merry girls had dropped in.
Ruby was dressed in white and her eyes and cheeks were very brilliant.
She laughed and chatted incessantly.
And after the other girls had gone,
She took Anne upstairs to display her new summer dresses.
I've a blue silk to make up yet but it's a little heavy for summer wear.
I think I'll leave it till the fall.
I'm going to teach in White Sands,
You know.
How do you like my hat?
That one you had on in church yesterday was real dinky but I'd like something brighter for myself.
Did you notice those two ridiculous boys downstairs?
They've both come determined to sit each other out.
I don't care a single bit about either of them,
You know.
Herb Spencer is the one I like.
Sometimes I really do think he's Mr.
Right.
At Christmas I thought the Spencervale schoolmaster was that but I found out something about him that turned me against him.
He nearly went insane when I turned him down.
I wish those two boys hadn't come tonight.
I wanted to have a nice good talk with you Anne and to tell you such heaps of things.
You and I always were such chums,
Weren't we?
Ruby slipped her arm about Anne's waist with a shallow little laugh.
But just for a moment their eyes met.
And behind all the luster,
Anne saw something that made her heart ache.
Come up often,
Won't you Anne?
Whispered Ruby.
Come alone,
I want to talk to you.
Are you feeling quite well,
Ruby?
Me?
Why,
I'm perfectly well.
I never felt better in my life.
Of course that congestion last winter pulled me down a bit but just see my colour now.
I don't look much like an invalid,
I'm sure.
Ruby's voice was almost sharp.
She pulled her arm away from Anne as if in resentment and then she ran downstairs where she was gayer than ever.
Apparently so much absorbed in bantering her two swains that Diana and Anne felt rather out of it.
And soon they went away.
