I ve made up my mind to stay simply for the sake of getting better
acquainted with that Anne-girl, she said frankly. She amuses me, and
at my time of life an amusing person is a rarity.
Marilla s only comment when she heard the story was, I told you so.
This was for Matthew s benefit.
Miss Barry stayed her month out and over. She was a more agreeable guest
than usual, for Anne kept her in good humor. They became firm friends.
When Miss Barry went away she said:
Remember, you Anne-girl, when you come to town you re to visit me and
I ll put you in my very sparest spare-room bed to sleep.
Miss Barry was a kindred spirit, after all, Anne confided to Marilla.
You wouldn t think so to look at her, but she is. You don t find it
right out at first, as in Matthew s case, but after a while you come
to see it. Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It s
splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.
CHAPTER XX. A Good Imagination Gone Wrong
SPRING had come once more to Green Gables--the beautiful capricious,
reluctant Canadian spring, lingering along through April and May in a
succession of sweet, fresh, chilly days, with pink sunsets and miracles
of resurrection and growth. The maples in Lover s Lane were red budded
and little curly ferns pushed up around the Dryad s Bubble. Away up in
the barrens, behind Mr. Silas Sloane s place, the Mayflowers blossomed
out, pink and white stars of sweetness under their brown leaves. All the
school girls and boys had one golden afternoon gathering them, coming
home in the clear, echoing twilight with arms and baskets full of
flowery spoil.
I m so sorry for people who live in lands where there are no
Mayflowers, said Anne. Diana says perhaps they have something better,
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