the letters, complained Anne. I learn the proposition off by heart and
then he draws it on the blackboard and puts different letters from what
are in the book and I get all mixed up. I don t think a teacher should
take such a mean advantage, do you? We re studying agriculture now and
I ve found out at last what makes the roads red. It s a great comfort.
I wonder how Marilla and Mrs. Lynde are enjoying themselves. Mrs. Lynde
says Canada is going to the dogs the way things are being run at Ottawa
and that it s an awful warning to the electors. She says if women were
allowed to vote we would soon see a blessed change. What way do you
vote, Matthew?
Conservative, said Matthew promptly. To vote Conservative was part of
Matthew s religion.
Then I m Conservative too, said Anne decidedly. I m glad because
Gil--because some of the boys in school are Grits. I guess Mr. Phillips
is a Grit too because Prissy Andrews s father is one, and Ruby Gillis
says that when a man is courting he always has to agree with the girl s
mother in religion and her father in politics. Is that true, Matthew?
Well now, I dunno, said Matthew.
Did you ever go courting, Matthew?
Well now, no, I dunno s I ever did, said Matthew, who had certainly
never thought of such a thing in his whole existence.
Anne reflected with her chin in her hands.
It must be rather interesting, don t you think, Matthew? Ruby Gillis
says when she grows up she s going to have ever so many beaus on the
string and have them all crazy about her; but I think that would be too
exciting. I d rather have just one in his right mind. But Ruby Gillis
knows a great deal about such matters because she has so many big
sisters, and Mrs. Lynde says the Gillis girls have gone off like hot
cakes. Mr. Phillips goes up to see Prissy Andrews nearly every evening.
He says it is to help her with her lessons but Miranda Sloane is
studying for Queen s too, and I should think she needed help a lot more
than Prissy because she s ever so much stupider, but he never goes to
help her in the evenings at all. There are a great many things in this
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