“Andwhatareyoureyespoppingoutofyourheadabout.Now?” askedMarilla,whenAnnehadjustcomeinfromaruntothepostoffice. “Haveyoudiscoveredanotherkindredspirit?” ExcitementhungaroundAnnelikeagarment,shoneinhereyes,kindledineveryfeature. Shehadcomedancingupthelane,likeawind-blownsprite,throughthemellowsunshineandlazyshadowsoftheAugustevening. “No,Marilla,butoh,whatdoyouthink? Iaminvitedtoteaatthemansetomorrowafternoon! Mrs.Allanlefttheletterformeatthepostoffice.Justlookatit,Marilla.‘MissAnneShirley,GreenGables.’ ThatisthefirsttimeIwasevercalled‘Miss.’Suchathrillasitgaveme! Ishallcherishitforeveramongmychoicesttreasures.” “Mrs.AllantoldmeshemeanttohaveallthemembersofherSunday-schoolclasstoteainturn,”saidMarilla,regardingthewonderfuleventverycoolly. “Youneedn’tgetinsuchafeveroverit.Dolearntotakethingscalmly,child.” ForAnnetotakethingscalmlywouldhavebeentochangehernature. All“spiritandfireanddew,”asshewas,thepleasuresandpainsoflifecametoherwithtrebledintensity. Marillafeltthisandwasvaguelytroubledoverit,realizingthattheupsanddownsofexistencewouldprobablybearhardlyonthisimpulsivesoulandnotsufficientlyunderstandingthattheequallygreatcapacityfordelightmightmorethancompensate. ThereforeMarillaconceivedittobeherdutytodrillAnneintoatranquiluniformityofdispositionasimpossibleandalientoherastoadancingsunbeaminoneofthebrookshallows. Shedidnotmakemuchheadway,asshesorrowfullyadmittedtoherself. ThedownfallofsomedearhopeorplanplungedAnneinto“deepsofaffliction.” Thefulfillmentthereofexaltedhertodizzyrealmsofdelight. Marillahadalmostbeguntodespairofeverfashioningthiswaifoftheworldintohermodellittlegirlofdemuremannersandprimdeportment. NeitherwouldshehavebelievedthatshereallylikedAnnemuchbetterasshewas. AnnewenttobedthatnightspeechlesswithmiserybecauseMatthewhadsaidthewindwasroundnortheastandhefeareditwouldbearainydaytomorrow. Therustleofthepoplarleavesaboutthehouseworriedher,itsoundedsolikepatteringraindrops,andthefull,farawayroarofthegulf,towhichshelisteneddelightedlyatothertimes,lovingitsstrange,sonorous,hauntingrhythm,nowseemedlikeaprophecyofstormanddisastertoasmallmaidenwhoparticularlywantedafineday. Annethoughtthatthemorningwouldnevercome. Butallthingshaveanend,evennightsbeforethedayonwhichyouareinvitedtotaketeaatthemanse. Themorning,inspiteofMatthew’spredictions,wasfineandAnne’sspiritssoaredtotheirhighest. “Oh,Marilla,thereissomethinginmetodaythatmakesmejustloveeverybodyIsee,”sheexclaimedasshewashedthebreakfastdishes.“Youdon’tknowhowgoodIfeel!Wouldn’titbeniceifitcouldlast? IbelieveIcouldbeamodelchildifIwerejustinvitedouttoteaeveryday. Butoh,Marilla,it’sasolemnoccasiontoo.Ifeelsoanxious.WhatifIshouldn’tbehaveproperly? YouknowIneverhadteaatamansebefore,andI’mnotsurethatIknowalltherulesofetiquette,althoughI’vebeenstudyingtherulesgivenintheEtiquetteDepartmentoftheFamilyHeraldeversinceIcamehere. I’msoafraidI’lldosomethingsillyorforgettodosomethingIshoulddo. WoulditbegoodmannerstotakeasecondhelpingofanythingifyouwantedtoVERYmuch?” “Thetroublewithyou,Anne,isthatyou’rethinkingtoomuchaboutyourself. YoushouldjustthinkofMrs.Allanandwhatwouldbenicestandmostagreeabletoher,”saidMarilla,hittingforonceinherlifeonaverysoundandpithypieceofadvice.Anneinstantlyrealizedthis. “Youareright,Marilla.I’lltrynottothinkaboutmyselfatall.” Anneevidentlygotthroughhervisitwithoutanyseriousbreachof“etiquette,”forshecamehomethroughthetwilight,underagreat,high-sprungskygloriedoverwithtrailsofsaffronandrosycloud,inabeatifiedstateofmindandtoldMarillaallaboutithappily,sittingonthebigred-sandstoneslabatthekitchendoorwithhertiredcurlyheadinMarilla’sginghamlap. Acoolwindwasblowingdownoverthelongharvestfieldsfromtherimsoffirrywesternhillsandwhistlingthroughthepoplars. OneclearstarhungovertheorchardandthefireflieswereflittingoverinLover’sLane,inandoutamongthefernsandrustlingboughs. Annewatchedthemasshetalkedandsomehowfeltthatwindandstarsandfireflieswerealltangleduptogetherintosomethingunutterablysweetandenchanting. “Oh,Marilla,I’vehadamostFASCINATINGtime. IfeelthatIhavenotlivedinvainandIshallalwaysfeellikethatevenifIshouldneverbeinvitedtoteaatamanseagain. WhenIgotthereMrs.Allanmetmeatthedoor. Shewasdressedinthesweetestdressofpale-pinkorgandy,withdozensoffrillsandelbowsleeves,andshelookedjustlikeaseraph. IreallythinkI’dliketobeaminister’swifewhenIgrowup,Marilla. Aministermightn’tmindmyredhairbecausehewouldn’tbethinkingofsuchworldlythings. ButthenofcourseonewouldhavetobenaturallygoodandI’llneverbethat,soIsupposethere’snouseinthinkingaboutit. Somepeoplearenaturallygood,youknow,andothersarenot.I’moneoftheothers. Mrs.LyndesaysI’mfulloforiginalsin. NomatterhowhardItrytobegoodIcannevermakesuchasuccessofitasthosewhoarenaturallygood. It’sagooddeallikegeometry,Iexpect. Butdon’tyouthinkthetryingsohardoughttocountforsomething? Mrs.Allanisoneofthenaturallygoodpeople.Iloveherpassionately. Youknowtherearesomepeople,likeMatthewandMrs.Allanthatyoucanloverightoffwithoutanytrouble. Andthereareothers,likeMrs.Lynde,thatyouhavetotryveryhardtolove. YouknowyouOUGHTtolovethembecausetheyknowsomuchandaresuchactiveworkersinthechurch,butyouhavetokeepremindingyourselfofitallthetimeorelseyouforget. Therewasanotherlittlegirlatthemansetotea,fromtheWhiteSandsSundayschool. HernamewasLauretteBradley,andshewasaverynicelittlegirl. Notexactlyakindredspirit,youknow,butstillverynice. Wehadaneleganttea,andIthinkIkeptalltherulesofetiquetteprettywell. AfterteaMrs.AllanplayedandsangandshegotLaurettaandmetosingtoo. Mrs.AllansaysIhaveagoodvoiceandshesaysImustsingintheSunday-schoolchoirafterthis. Youcan’tthinkhowIwasthrilledatthemerethought. I’velongedsotosingintheSunday-schoolchoir,asDianadoes,butIfeareditwasanhonorIcouldneveraspireto. LaurettahadtogohomeearlybecausethereisabigconcertintheWhiteSandsHoteltonightandhersisteristoreciteatit. LaurettasaysthattheAmericansatthehotelgiveaconcerteveryfortnightinaidoftheCharlottetownhospital,andtheyasklotsoftheWhiteSandspeopletorecite. Laurettasaidsheexpectedtobeaskedherselfsomeday.Ijustgazedatherinawe. AftershehadgoneMrs.AllanandIhadaheart-to-hearttalk. Itoldhereverything—aboutMrs.ThomasandthetwinsandKatieMauriceandViolettaandcomingtoGreenGablesandmytroublesovergeometry.Andwouldyoubelieveit,Marilla? Mrs.Allantoldmeshewasadunceatgeometrytoo.Youdon’tknowhowthatencouragedme. Mrs.LyndecametothemansejustbeforeIleft,andwhatdoyouthink,Marilla? Thetrusteeshavehiredanewteacherandit’salady.HernameisMissMurielStacy.Isn’tthataromanticname? Mrs.Lyndesaysthey’veneverhadafemaleteacherinAvonleabeforeandshethinksitisadangerousinnovation. ButIthinkitwillbesplendidtohavealadyteacher,andIreallydon’tseehowI’mgoingtolivethroughthetwoweeksbeforeschoolbegins.I’msoimpatienttoseeher.” 
