JuniorAvonleafoundithardtosettledowntohumdrumexistenceagain. ToAnneinparticularthingsseemedfearfullyflat,stale,andunprofitableafterthegobletofexcitementshehadbeensippingforweeks. Couldshegobacktotheformerquietpleasuresofthosefarawaydaysbeforetheconcert? Atfirst,asshetoldDiana,shedidnotreallythinkshecould. “I’mpositivelycertain,Diana,thatlifecanneverbequitethesameagainasitwasinthoseoldendays,”shesaidmournfully,asifreferringtoaperiodofatleastfiftyyearsback. “PerhapsafterawhileI’llgetusedtoit,butI’mafraidconcertsspoilpeopleforeverydaylife. IsupposethatiswhyMarilladisapprovesofthem.Marillaissuchasensiblewoman. Itmustbeagreatdealbettertobesensible;butstill,Idon’tbelieveI’dreallywanttobeasensibleperson,becausetheyaresounromantic. Mrs.Lyndesaysthereisnodangerofmyeverbeingone,butyoucannevertell. IfeeljustnowthatImaygrowuptobesensibleyet. ButperhapsthatisonlybecauseI’mtired. Isimplycouldn’tsleeplastnightforeversolong. Ijustlayawakeandimaginedtheconcertoverandoveragain. That’sonesplendidthingaboutsuchaffairs—it’ssolovelytolookbacktothem.” Eventually,however,Avonleaschoolslippedbackintoitsoldgrooveandtookupitsoldinterests.Tobesure,theconcertlefttraces. RubyGillisandEmmaWhite,whohadquarreledoverapointofprecedenceintheirplatformseats,nolongersatatthesamedesk,andapromisingfriendshipofthreeyearswasbrokenup. JosiePyeandJuliaBelldidnot“speak”forthreemonths,becauseJosiePyehadtoldBessieWrightthatJuliaBell’sbowwhenshegotuptorecitemadeherthinkofachickenjerkingitshead,andBessietoldJulia. NoneoftheSloaneswouldhaveanydealingswiththeBells,becausetheBellshaddeclaredthattheSloaneshadtoomuchtodointheprogram,andtheSloaneshadretortedthattheBellswerenotcapableofdoingthelittletheyhadtodoproperly. Finally,CharlieSloanefoughtMoodySpurgeonMacPherson,becauseMoodySpurgeonhadsaidthatAnneShirleyputonairsaboutherrecitations,andMoodySpurgeonwas“licked”;consequentlyMoodySpurgeon’ssister,EllaMay,wouldnot“speak”toAnneShirleyalltherestofthewinter. Withtheexceptionofthesetriflingfrictions,workinMissStacy’slittlekingdomwentonwithregularityandsmoothness. Thewinterweeksslippedby.Itwasanunusuallymildwinter,withsolittlesnowthatAnneandDianacouldgotoschoolnearlyeverydaybywayoftheBirchPath. OnAnne’sbirthdaytheyweretrippinglightlydownit,keepingeyesandearsalertamidalltheirchatter,forMissStacyhadtoldthemthattheymustsoonwriteacompositionon“AWinter’sWalkintheWoods,”anditbehoovedthemtobeobservant. “Justthink,Diana,I’mthirteenyearsoldtoday,”remarkedAnneinanawedvoice. “IcanscarcelyrealizethatI’minmyteens. WhenIwokethismorningitseemedtomethateverythingmustbedifferent. You’vebeenthirteenforamonth,soIsupposeitdoesn’tseemsuchanoveltytoyouasitdoestome. Itmakeslifeseemsomuchmoreinteresting. IntwomoreyearsI’llbereallygrownup. It’sagreatcomforttothinkthatI’llbeabletousebigwordsthenwithoutbeinglaughedat.” “RubyGillissaysshemeanstohaveabeauassoonasshe’sfifteen,”saidDiana. “RubyGillisthinksofnothingbutbeaus,”saidAnnedisdainfully. “She’sactuallydelightedwhenanyonewriteshernameupinatake-noticeforallshepretendstobesomad. ButI’mafraidthatisanuncharitablespeech. Mrs.Allansaysweshouldnevermakeuncharitablespeeches;buttheydoslipoutsooftenbeforeyouthink,don’tthey? Isimplycan’ttalkaboutJosiePyewithoutmakinganuncharitablespeech,soInevermentionheratall.Youmayhavenoticedthat. I’mtryingtobeasmuchlikeMrs.AllanasIpossiblycan,forIthinkshe’sperfect.Mr.Allanthinkssotoo. Mrs.Lyndesayshejustworshipsthegroundshetreadsonandshedoesn’treallythinkitrightforaministertosethisaffectionssomuchonamortalbeing. Butthen,Diana,evenministersarehumanandhavetheirbesettingsinsjustlikeeverybodyelse. IhadsuchaninterestingtalkwithMrs.AllanaboutbesettingsinslastSundayafternoon. Therearejustafewthingsit’spropertotalkaboutonSundaysandthatisoneofthem. Mybesettingsinisimaginingtoomuchandforgettingmyduties. I’mstrivingveryhardtoovercomeitandnowthatI’mreallythirteenperhapsI’llgetonbetter.” “Infourmoreyearswe’llbeabletoputourhairup,”saidDiana.“AliceBellisonlysixteenandsheiswearinghersup,butIthinkthat’sridiculous.IshallwaituntilI’mseventeen.” “IfIhadAliceBell’scrookednose,”saidAnnedecidedly,“Iwouldn’t—butthere! Iwon’tsaywhatIwasgoingtobecauseitwasextremelyuncharitable. Besides,Iwascomparingitwithmyownnoseandthat’svanity. I’mafraidIthinktoomuchaboutmynoseeversinceIheardthatcomplimentaboutitlongago.Itreallyisagreatcomforttome.Oh,Diana,look,there’sarabbit. That’ssomethingtorememberforourwoodscomposition. Ireallythinkthewoodsarejustaslovelyinwinterasinsummer. They’resowhiteandstill,asiftheywereasleepanddreamingprettydreams.” “Iwon’tmindwritingthatcompositionwhenitstimecomes,”sighedDiana. “Icanmanagetowriteaboutthewoods,buttheonewe’retohandinMondayisterrible. TheideaofMissStacytellingustowriteastoryoutofourownheads!” “Why,it’saseasyaswink,”saidAnne. “It’seasyforyoubecauseyouhaveanimagination,”retortedDiana,“butwhatwouldyoudoifyouhadbeenbornwithoutone?Isupposeyouhaveyourcompositionalldone?” Annenodded,tryinghardnottolookvirtuouslycomplacentandfailingmiserably. “IwroteitlastMondayevening.It’scalled‘TheJealousRival;orInDeathNotDivided.’ IreadittoMarillaandshesaiditwasstuffandnonsense. ThenIreadittoMatthewandhesaiditwasfine.ThatisthekindofcriticIlike.It’sasad,sweetstory. IjustcriedlikeachildwhileIwaswritingit. It’sabouttwobeautifulmaidenscalledCordeliaMontmorencyandGeraldineSeymourwholivedinthesamevillageandweredevotedlyattachedtoeachother. Cordeliawasaregalbrunettewithacoronetofmidnighthairanddusklyflashingeyes. Geraldinewasaqueenlyblondewithhairlikespungoldandvelvetypurpleeyes.” “Ineversawanybodywithpurpleeyes,”saidDianadubiously. “NeitherdidI.Ijustimaginedthem.Iwantedsomethingoutofthecommon.Geraldinehadanalabasterbrowtoo. I’vefoundoutwhatanalabasterbrowis. Thatisoneoftheadvantagesofbeingthirteen. Youknowsomuchmorethanyoudidwhenyouwereonlytwelve.” “Well,whatbecameofCordeliaandGeraldine?”askedDiana,whowasbeginningtofeelratherinterestedintheirfate. “Theygrewinbeautysidebysideuntiltheyweresixteen. ThenBertramDeVerecametotheirnativevillageandfellinlovewiththefairGeraldine. Hesavedherlifewhenherhorseranawaywithherinacarriage,andshefaintedinhisarmsandhecarriedherhomethreemiles;because,youunderstand,thecarriagewasallsmashedup. IfounditratherhardtoimaginetheproposalbecauseIhadnoexperiencetogoby. IaskedRubyGillisifsheknewanythingabouthowmenproposedbecauseIthoughtshe’dlikelybeanauthorityonthesubject,havingsomanysistersmarried. RubytoldmeshewashidinthehallpantrywhenMalcolmAndresproposedtohersisterSusan. ShesaidMalcolmtoldSusanthathisdadhadgivenhimthefarminhisownnameandthensaid,‘Whatdoyousay,darlingpet,ifwegethitchedthisfall?’ AndSusansaid,‘Yes—no—Idon’tknow—letmesee’—andtheretheywere,engagedasquickasthat. ButIdidn’tthinkthatsortofaproposalwasaveryromanticone,sointheendIhadtoimagineitoutaswellasIcould. ImadeitveryfloweryandpoeticalandBertramwentonhisknees,althoughRubyGillissaysitisn’tdonenowadays. Geraldineacceptedhiminaspeechapagelong. IcantellyouItookalotoftroublewiththatspeech. IrewroteitfivetimesandIlookuponitasmymasterpiece. BertramgaveheradiamondringandarubynecklaceandtoldhertheywouldgotoEuropeforaweddingtour,forhewasimmenselywealthy. Butthen,alas,shadowsbegantodarkenovertheirpath. CordeliawassecretlyinlovewithBertramherselfandwhenGeraldinetoldherabouttheengagementshewassimplyfurious,especiallywhenshesawthenecklaceandthediamondring. AllheraffectionforGeraldineturnedtobitterhateandshevowedthatsheshouldnevermarryBertram. ButshepretendedtobeGeraldine’sfriendthesameasever. OneeveningtheywerestandingonthebridgeoverarushingturbulentstreamandCordelia,thinkingtheywerealone,pushedGeraldineoverthebrinkwithawild,mocking,‘Ha,ha,ha.’ ButBertramsawitallandheatonceplungedintothecurrent,exclaiming,‘Iwillsavethee,mypeerlessGeraldine.’ Butalas,hehadforgottenhecouldn’tswim,andtheywerebothdrowned,claspedineachother’sarms. Theirbodieswerewashedashoresoonafterwards. Theywereburiedintheonegraveandtheirfuneralwasmostimposing,Diana. It’ssomuchmoreromantictoendastoryupwithafuneralthanawedding. AsforCordelia,shewentinsanewithremorseandwasshutupinalunaticasylum. Ithoughtthatwasapoeticalretributionforhercrime.” “Howperfectlylovely!”sighedDiana,whobelongedtoMatthew’sschoolofcritics. “Idon’tseehowyoucanmakeupsuchthrillingthingsoutofyourownhead,Anne. Iwishmyimaginationwasasgoodasyours.” “Itwouldbeifyou’donlycultivateit,”saidAnnecheeringly.“I’vejustthoughtofaplan,Diana. Letyouandmehaveastorycluballourownandwritestoriesforpractice. I’llhelpyoualonguntilyoucandothembyyourself. Yououghttocultivateyourimagination,youknow.MissStacysaysso.Onlywemusttaketherightway. ItoldherabouttheHauntedWood,butshesaidwewentthewrongwayaboutitinthat.” Thiswashowthestoryclubcameintoexistence. ItwaslimitedtoDianaandAnneatfirst,butsoonitwasextendedtoincludeJaneAndrewsandRubyGillisandoneortwootherswhofeltthattheirimaginationsneededcultivating. Noboyswereallowedinit—althoughRubyGillisopinedthattheiradmissionwouldmakeitmoreexciting—andeachmemberhadtoproduceonestoryaweek. “It’sextremelyinteresting,”AnnetoldMarilla. “Eachgirlhastoreadherstoryoutloudandthenwetalkitover. Wearegoingtokeepthemallsacredlyandhavethemtoreadtoourdescendants.Weeachwriteunderanom-de-plume.MineisRosamondMontmorency.Allthegirlsdoprettywell.RubyGillisisrathersentimental. Sheputstoomuchlovemakingintoherstoriesandyouknowtoomuchisworsethantoolittle. Janeneverputsanybecauseshesaysitmakesherfeelsosillywhenshehadtoreaditoutloud.Jane’sstoriesareextremelysensible. ThenDianaputstoomanymurdersintohers. Shesaysmostofthetimeshedoesn’tknowwhattodowiththepeoplesoshekillsthemofftogetridofthem. Imostlyalwayshavetotellthemwhattowriteabout,butthatisn’thardforI’vemillionsofideas.” “Ithinkthisstory-writingbusinessisthefoolishestyet,”scoffedMarilla. “You’llgetapackofnonsenseintoyourheadsandwastetimethatshouldbeputonyourlessons. Readingstoriesisbadenoughbutwritingthemisworse.” “Butwe’resocarefultoputamoralintothemall,Marilla,”explainedAnne.“Iinsistuponthat. Allthegoodpeoplearerewardedandallthebadonesaresuitablypunished. I’msurethatmusthaveawholesomeeffect.Themoralisthegreatthing.Mr.Allansaysso. IreadoneofmystoriestohimandMrs.Allanandtheybothagreedthatthemoralwasexcellent.Onlytheylaughedinthewrongplaces.Ilikeitbetterwhenpeoplecry. JaneandRubyalmostalwayscrywhenIcometothepatheticparts. DianawroteherAuntJosephineaboutourclubandherAuntJosephinewrotebackthatweweretosendhersomeofourstories. Sowecopiedoutfourofourverybestandsentthem. MissJosephineBarrywrotebackthatshehadneverreadanythingsoamusinginherlife. Thatkindofpuzzledusbecausethestorieswereallverypatheticandalmosteverybodydied.ButI’mgladMissBarrylikedthem. Itshowsourclubisdoingsomegoodintheworld. Mrs.Allansaysthatoughttobeourobjectineverything. IdoreallytrytomakeitmyobjectbutIforgetsooftenwhenI’mhavingfun. IhopeIshallbealittlelikeMrs.AllanwhenIgrowup. Doyouthinkthereisanyprospectofit,Marilla?” “Ishouldn’tsaytherewasagreatdeal”wasMarilla’sencouraginganswer.“I’msureMrs.Allanwasneversuchasilly,forgetfullittlegirlasyouare.” “No;butshewasn’talwayssogoodassheisnoweither,”saidAnneseriously. “Shetoldmesoherself—thatis,shesaidshewasadreadfulmischiefwhenshewasagirlandwasalwaysgettingintoscrapes.IfeltsoencouragedwhenIheardthat. Isitverywickedofme,Marilla,tofeelencouragedwhenIhearthatotherpeoplehavebeenbadandmischievous?Mrs.Lyndesaysitis. Mrs.Lyndesaysshealwaysfeelsshockedwhenshehearsofanyoneeverhavingbeennaughty,nomatterhowsmalltheywere. Mrs.Lyndesayssheonceheardaministerconfessthatwhenhewasaboyhestoleastrawberrytartoutofhisaunt’spantryandsheneverhadanyrespectforthatministeragain.Now,Iwouldn’thavefeltthatway. I’dhavethoughtthatitwasrealnobleofhimtoconfessit,andI’dhavethoughtwhatanencouragingthingitwouldbeforsmallboysnowadayswhodonaughtythingsandaresorryforthemtoknowthatperhapstheymaygrowuptobeministersinspiteofit.That’showI’dfeel,Marilla.” “ThewayIfeelatpresent,Anne,”saidMarilla,“isthatit’shightimeyouhadthosedisheswashed. You’vetakenhalfanhourlongerthanyoushouldwithallyourchattering. Learntoworkfirstandtalkafterwards.” 
