the schoolgirls dropping in to bring her flowers and books and tell her
all the happenings in the juvenile world of Avonlea.
Everybody has been so good and kind, Marilla, sighed Anne happily,
on the day when she could first limp across the floor. It isn t very
pleasant to be laid up; but there is a bright side to it, Marilla. You
find out how many friends you have. Why, even Superintendent Bell came
to see me, and he s really a very fine man. Not a kindred spirit, of
course; but still I like him and I m awfully sorry I ever criticized his
prayers. I believe now he really does mean them, only he has got into
the habit of saying them as if he didn t. He could get over that if he d
take a little trouble. I gave him a good broad hint. I told him how hard
I tried to make my own little private prayers interesting. He told me
all about the time he broke his ankle when he was a boy. It does seem
so strange to think of Superintendent Bell ever being a boy. Even my
imagination has its limits, for I can t imagine _that_. When I try to
imagine him as a boy I see him with gray whiskers and spectacles, just
as he looks in Sunday-school, only small. Now, it s so easy to imagine
Mrs. Allan as a little girl. Mrs. Allan has been to see me fourteen
times. Isn t that something to be proud of, Marilla? When a minister s
wife has so many claims on her time! She is such a cheerful person to
have visit you, too. She never tells you it s your own fault and she
hopes you ll be a better girl on account of it. Mrs. Lynde always told
me that when she came to see me; and she said it in a kind of way that
made me feel she might hope I d be a better girl but didn t really
believe I would. Even Josie Pye came to see me. I received her as
politely as I could, because I think she was sorry she dared me to walk
a ridgepole. If I had been killed she would had to carry a dark burden
of remorse all her life. Diana has been a faithful friend. She s been
over every day to cheer my lonely pillow. But oh, I shall be so glad
when I can go to school for I ve heard such exciting things about the
new teacher. The girls all think she is perfectly sweet. Diana says she
has the loveliest fair curly hair and such fascinating eyes. She dresses
beautifully, and her sleeve puffs are bigger than anybody else s in
Avonlea. Every other Friday afternoon she has recitations and everybody
has to say a piece or take part in a dialogue. Oh, it s just glorious to
think of it. Josie Pye says she hates it but that is just because Josie
has so little imagination. Diana and Ruby Gillis and Jane Andrews are
preparing a dialogue, called A Morning Visit, for next Friday. And the
Friday afternoons they don t have recitations Miss Stacy takes them
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