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being a very "touchy" woman.
While they were there old Mrs. James White called in.
"I've just been down to Lorenzo's," she announced. "He's the proudest man in Avonlea this minute. What do
you think? There's a brand new boy there. . .and after seven girls that's quite an event, I can tell you." Anne
pricked up her ears, and when they drove away she said.
"I'm going straight to Lorenzo White's."
"But he lives on the White Sands road and it's quite a distance out of our, way" protested Diana. "Gilbert and
Fred will canvass him."
"They are not going around until next Saturday and it will be too late by then," said Anne firmly. "The novelty
will be worn off. Lorenzo White is dreadfully mean but he will subscribe to ANYTHING just now. We
mustn't let such a golden opportunity slip, Diana." The result justified Anne's foresight. Mr. White met them
Chapter of 27
in the yard, beaming like the sun upon an Easter day. When Anne asked for a subscription he agreed
enthusiastically.
"Certain, certain. Just put me down for a dollar more than the highest subscription you've got."
"That will be five dollars. . .Mr. Daniel Blair put down four," said Anne, half afraid. But Lorenzo did not
flinch.
"Five it is. . .and here's the money on the spot. Now, I want you to come into the house. There's something in
there worth seeing. . . something very few people have seen as yet. Just come in and pass YOUR opinion."
"What will we say if the baby isn't pretty?" whispered Diana in trepidation as they followed the excited
Lorenzo into the house.
"Oh, there will certainly be something else nice to say about it," said Anne easily. "There always is about a
baby."
The baby WAS pretty, however, and Mr. White felt that he got his five dollars' worth of the girls' honest
delight over the plump little newcomer. But that was the first, last, and only time that Lorenzo White ever
subscribed to anything.
Anne, tired as she was, made one more effort for the public weal that night, slipping over the fields to
interview Mr. Harrison, who was as usual smoking his pipe on the veranda with Ginger beside him. Strickly
speaking he was on the Carmody road; but Jane and Gertie, who were not acquainted with him save by
doubtful report, had nervously begged Anne to canvass him.
Mr. Harrison, however, flatly refused to subscribe a cent, and all Anne's wiles were in vain.
"But I thought you approved of our society, Mr. Harrison," she mourned.
"So I do. . .so I do. . .but my approval doesn't go as deep as my pocket, Anne."
"A few more experiences such as I have had today would make me as much of a pessimist as Miss Eliza
Andrews," Anne told her reflection in the east gable mirror at bedtime.
VII
The Pointing of Duty
Anne leaned back in her chair one mild October evening and sighed. She was sitting at a table covered with
text books and exercises, but the closely written sheets of paper before her had no apparent connection with
studies or school work.
"What is the matter?" asked Gilbert, who had arrived at the open kitchen door just in time to hear the sigh.
Anne colored, and thrust her writing out of sight under some school compositions.
"Nothing very dreadful. I was just trying to write out some of my thoughts, as Professor Hamilton advised me,
but I couldn't get them to please me. They seem so still and foolish directly they're written down on white
paper with black ink. Fancies are like shadows. . . you can't cage them, they're such wayward, dancing things.
But perhaps I'll learn the secret some day if I keep on trying. I haven't a great many spare moments, you
know. By the time I finish correcting school exercises and compositions, I don't always feel like writing any
Chapter of 28
of my own."
"You are getting on splendidly in school, Anne. All the children like you," said Gilbert, sitting down on the
stone step.
"No, not all. Anthony Pye doesn't and WON'T like me. What is worse, he doesn't respect me. . .no, he doesn't.
He simply holds me in contempt and I don't mind confessing to you that it worries me miserably. It isn't that
he is so very bad. . .he is only rather mischievous, but no worse than some of the others. He seldom disobeys
me; but he obeys with a scornful air of toleration as if it wasn't worthwhile disputing the point or he would. .
.and it has a bad effect on the others. I've tried every way to win him but I'm beginning to fear I never shall. I
want to, for he's rather a cute little lad, if he IS a Pye, and I could like him if he'd let me."
"Probably it's merely the effect of what he hears at home."
"Not altogether. Anthony is an independent little chap and makes up his own mind about things. He has
always gone to men before and he says girl teachers are no good. Well, we'll see what patience and kindness
will do. I like overcoming difficulties and teaching is really very interesting work. Paul Irving makes up for all
that is lacking in the others. That child is a perfect darling, Gilbert, and a genius into the bargain. I'm
persuaded the world will hear of him some day," concluded Anne in a tone of conviction.
"I like teaching, too," said Gilbert. "It's good training, for one thing. Why, Anne, I've learned more in the
weeks I've been teaching the young the ideas of White Sands than I learned in all the years I went to school
myself. We all seem to be getting on pretty well. The Newbridge people like Jane, I hear; and I think White
Sands is tolerably satisfied with your humble servant. . .all except Mr. Andrew Spencer. I met Mrs. Peter
Blewett on my way home last night and she told me she thought it her duty to inform me that Mr. Spencer
didn't approve of my methods."
"Have you ever noticed," asked Anne reflectively, "that when people say it is their duty to tell you a certain
thing you may prepare for something disagreeable? Why is it that they never seem to think it a duty to tell you
the pleasant things they hear about you? Mrs. H. B. DonNELL called at the school again yesterday and told
me she thought it HER duty to inform me that Mrs. Harmon Andrew didn't approve of my reading fairy tales
to the children, and that Mr. Rogerson thought Prillie wasn't coming on fast enough in arithmetic. If Prillie
would spend less time making eyes at the boys over her slate she might do better. I feel quite sure that Jack
Gillis works her class sums for her, though I've never been able to catch him red-handed."
"Have you succeeded in reconciling Mrs. DonNELL's hopeful son to his saintly name?"
"Yes," laughed Anne, "but it was really a difficult task. At first, when I called him `St. Clair' he would not
take the least notice until I'd spoken two or three times; and then, when the other boys nudged him, he would
look up with such an aggrieved air, as if I'd called him John or Charlie and he couldn't be expected to know I
meant him. So I kept him in after school one night and talked kindly to him. I told him his mother wished me
to call him St. Clair and I couldn't go against her wishes. He saw it when it was all explained out. . .he's really
a very reasonable little fellow. . .and he said I could call him St. Clair but that he'd `lick the stuffing' out of
any of the boys that tried it. Of course, I had to rebuke him again for using such shocking language. Since then
I call him St. Clair and the boys call him Jake and all goes smoothly. He informs me that he means to be a
carpenter, but Mrs. DonNELL says I am to make a college professor out of him."
The mention of college gave a new direction to Gilbert's thoughts, and they talked for a time of their plans and
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