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pines　for　comfort；〃　said　Anne　dreamily。



〃I　hope　no　great　sorrow　ever　will　come　to　you；　Anne；〃　said　Gilbert；

who　could　not　connect　the　idea　of　sorrow　with　the　vivid；　joyous

creature　beside　him；　unwitting　that　those　who　can　soar　to　the

highest　heights　can　also　plunge　to　the　deepest　depths；　and　that

the　natures　which　enjoy　most　keenly　are　those　which　also　suffer

most　sharply。



〃But　there　must　　sometime；〃　mused　Anne。　　〃Life　seems　like　a　cup

of　glory　held　to　my　lips　just　now。　　But　there　must　be　some

bitterness　in　it　　there　is　in　every　cup。　　I　shall　taste　mine

some　day。　　Well；　I　hope　I　shall　be　strong　and　brave　to　meet　it。

And　I　hope　it　won't　be　through　my　own　fault　that　it　will　come。

Do　you　remember　what　Dr。　Davis　said　last　Sunday　evening　　that

the　sorrows　God　sent　us　brought　comfort　and　strength　with　them；

while　the　sorrows　we　brought　on　ourselves；　through　folly　or

wickedness；　were　by　far　the　hardest　to　bear？　　But　we　mustn't　talk

of　sorrow　on　an　afternoon　like　this。　　It's　meant　for　the　sheer

joy　of　living；　isn't　it？〃



〃If　I　had　my　way　I'd　shut　everything　out　of　your　life　but

happiness　and　pleasure；　Anne；〃　said　Gilbert　in　the　tone　that

meant　〃danger　ahead。〃



〃Then　you　would　be　very　unwise；〃　rejoined　Anne　hastily。　　〃I'm　sure

no　life　can　be　properly　developed　and　rounded　out　without　some

trial　and　sorrow　　though　I　suppose　it　is　only　when　we　are　pretty

comfortable　that　we　admit　it。　　Come　　the　others　have　got　to　the

pavilion　and　are　beckoning　to　us。〃



They　all　sat　down　in　the　little　pavilion　to　watch　an　autumn

sunset　of　deep　red　fire　and　pallid　gold。　　To　their　left　lay

Kingsport；　its　roofs　and　spires　dim　in　their　shroud　of　violet　smoke。

To　their　right　lay　the　harbor；　taking　on　tints　of　rose　and　copper　as

it　stretched　out　into　the　sunset。　　Before　them　the　water　shimmered；

satin　smooth　and　silver　gray；　and　beyond；　clean　shaven　William's

Island　loomed　out　of　the　mist；　guarding　the　town　like　a　sturdy　bulldog。

Its　lighthouse　beacon　flared　through　the　mist　like　a　baleful　star；

and　was　answered　by　another　in　the　far　horizon。



〃Did　you　ever　see　such　a　strong…looking　place？〃　asked　Philippa。

〃I　don't　want　William's　Island　especially；　but　I'm　sure　I　couldn't

get　it　if　I　did。　　Look　at　that　sentry　on　the　summit　of　the　fort；

right　beside　the　flag。　　Doesn't　he　look　as　if　he　had　stepped　out

of　a　romance？〃



〃Speaking　of　romance；〃　said　Priscilla；　〃we've　been　looking　for

heather　　but；　of　course；　we　couldn't　find　any。　　It's　too　late

in　the　season；　I　suppose。〃



〃Heather！〃　exclaimed　Anne。　　〃Heather　doesn't　grow　in　America；

does　it？〃



〃There　are　just　two　patches　of　it　in　the　whole　continent；〃　said　Phil；

〃one　right　here　in　the　park；　and　one　somewhere　else　in　Nova　Scotia；

I　forget　where。　　The　famous　Highland　Regiment；　the　Black　Watch；

camped　here　one　year；　and；　when　the　men　shook　out　the　straw　of

their　beds　in　the　spring；　some　seeds　of　heather　took　root。〃



〃Oh；　how　delightful！〃　said　enchanted　Anne。



〃Let's　go　home　around　by　Spofford　Avenue；〃　suggested　Gilbert。

〃We　can　see　all　‘the　handsome　houses　where　the　wealthy　nobles

dwell。'　Spofford　Avenue　is　the　finest　residential　street　in

Kingsport。　　Nobody　can　build　on　it　unless　he's　a　millionaire。〃



〃Oh；　do；〃　said　Phil。　　〃There's　a　perfectly　killing　little　place　I

want　to　show　you；　Anne。　　IT　wasn't　built　by　a　millionaire。　　It's

the　first　place　after　you　leave　the　park；　and　must　have　grown

while　Spofford　Avenue　was　still　a　country　road。　　It　DID　grow　

it　wasn't　built！　　I　don't　care　for　the　houses　on　the　Avenue。

They're　too　brand　new　and　plateglassy。　　But　this　little　spot　is　a

dream　　and　its　name　　but　wait　till　you　see　it。〃



They　saw　it　as　they　walked　up　the　pine…fringed　hill　from　the　park。

Just　on　the　crest；　where　Spofford　Avenue　petered　out　into　a

plain　road；　was　a　little　white　frame　house　with　groups　of　pines

on　either　side　of　it；　stretching　their　arms　protectingly　over　its

low　roof。　　It　was　covered　with　red　and　gold　vines；　through　which

its　green…shuttered　windows　peeped。　　Before　it　was　a　tiny　garden；

surrounded　by　a　low　stone　wall。　　October　though　it　was；　the

garden　was　still　very　sweet　with　dear；　old…fashioned；　unworldly

flowers　and　shrubs　　sweet　may；　southern…wood；　lemon　verbena；

alyssum；　petunias；　marigolds　and　chrysanthemums。　　A　tiny　brick

wall；　in　herring…bone　pattern；　led　from　the　gate　to　the　front

porch。　　The　whole　place　might　have　been　transplanted　from　some

remote　country　village；　yet　there　was　something　about　it　that

made　its　nearest　neighbor；　the　big　lawn…encircled　palace　of　a

tobacco　king；　look　exceedingly　crude　and　showy　and　ill…bred　by

contrast。　　As　Phil　said；　it　was　the　difference　between　being　born

and　being　made。



〃It's　the　dearest　place　I　ever　saw；〃　said　Anne　delightedly。　　〃It

gives　me　one　of　my　old；　delightful　funny　aches。　　It's　dearer　and

quainter　than　even　Miss　Lavendar's　stone　house。〃



〃It's　the　name　I　want　you　to　notice　especially；〃　said　Phil。

〃Look　　in　white　letters；　around　the　archway　over　the　gate。

‘Patty's　Place。'　Isn't　that　killing？　　Especially　on　this　Avenue

of　Pinehursts　and　Elmwolds　and　Cedarcrofts？　　‘Patty's　Place；'

if　you　please！　　I　adore　it。〃



〃Have　you　any　idea　who　Patty　is？〃　asked　Priscilla。



〃Patty　Spofford　is　the　name　of　the　old　lady　who　owns　it；　I've

discovered。　　She　lives　there　with　her　niece；　and　they've　lived

there　for　hundreds　of　years；　more　or　less　　maybe　a　little　less；

Anne。　　Exaggeration　is　merely　a　flight　of　poetic　fancy。　　I　understand

that　wealthy　folk　have　tried　to　buy　the　lot　time　and　again　　it's

really　worth　a　small　fortune　now；　you　know　　but　‘Patty'　won't　sell

upon　any　consideration。　　And　there's　an　apple　orchard　behind　the　house

in　place　of　a　back　yard　　you'll　see　it　when　we　get　a　little　past　

a　real　apple　orchard　on　Spofford　Avenue！〃



〃I'm　going　to　dream　about　‘Patty's　Place'　tonight；〃　said　Anne。

〃Why；　I　feel　as　if　I　belonged　to　it。　　I　wonder　if；　by　any　chance；

we'll　ever　see　the　inside　of　it。〃



〃It　isn't　likely；〃　said　Priscilla。



Anne　smiled　mysteriously。



〃No；　it　isn't　likely。　　But　I　believe　it　will　happen。　　I　have　a

queer；　creepy；　crawly　feeling　　you　can　call　it　a　presentiment；

if　you　like　　that　‘Patty's　Place'　and　I　are　going　to　be　better

acquainted　yet。〃









Chapter　VII



Home　Again





Those　first　three　weeks　at　Redmond　had　seemed　long；　but　the　rest

of　the　term　flew　by　on　wings　of　wind。　　Before　they　realized　it

the　Redmond　students　found　themselves　in　the　grind　of　Christmas

examinations；　emerging　therefrom　more　or　less　triumphantly。　　The

honor　of　leading　in　the　Freshman　classes　fluctuated　between　Anne；

Gilbert　and　Philippa；　Priscilla　did　very　well；　Charlie　Sloane

scraped　through　respectably；　and　comported　himself　as　complacently

as　if　he　had　led　in　everything。



〃I　can't　really　believe　that　this　time　tomorrow　I'll　be　in　Green　Gables；〃

said　Anne　on　the　night　before　departure。　　〃But　I　shall　be。　　And　you；　Phil；

will　be　in　Bolingbroke　with　Alec　and　Alonzo。〃



〃I'm　longing　to　see　them；〃　admitted　Phil；　between　the　chocolate

she　was　nibbling。　　〃They　really　are　such　dear　boys；　you　know。

There's　to　be　no　end　of　dances　and　drives　and　general　jamborees。

I　shall　never　forgive　you；　Queen　Anne；　for　not　coming　home　with

me　for　the　holidays。〃



〃‘Never'　means　three　days　with　you；　Phil。　　It　was　dear　of　you　to

ask　me　　and　I'd　love　to　go　to　Bolingbroke　some　day。　　But　I

can't　go　this　year　　I　MUST　go　home。　　You　don't　know　how　my

heart　longs　for　it。〃



〃You　won't　have　much　of　a　time；〃　said　Phil　scornfully。　　〃There'll

be　one　or　two　quilting　parties；　I　suppose；　and　all　the　old

gossips　will　talk　you　over　to　your　face　and　behind　your　back。

You'll　die　of　lonesomeness；　child。〃



〃In　Avonlea？〃　said　Anne；　highly　amused。



〃Now；　if　you'd　come　with　me　you'd　have　a　perfectly　gorgeous　time。

Bolingbroke　would　go　wild　over　you；　Queen　Anne　　your　hair　and

your　style　and；　oh；　everything！　　You're　so　DIFFERENT。　　You'd　be

such　a　success　　and　I　would　bask　in　reflected　glory　　‘not　the

rose　but　near　the　rose。'　Do　come；　after　all；　Anne。〃



〃Your　picture　of　social　triumphs　is　quite　fascinating；　Phil；　but

I'll　paint　one　to　offset　it。　　I'm　going　home　to　an　old　country

farmhouse；　once　green；　rather　faded　now；　set　among　leafless　apple

orchards。　　There　is　a　brook　below　and　a　December　fir　wood　beyond；

where　I've　heard　harps　swept　by　the　fingers　of　rain　and　wind。

There　is　a　pond　nearby　that　will　be　gray　and　brooding　now。　　There

will　be　two　oldish　ladies　in　the　house；　one　tall　and　thin；　one

short　and　fat；　and　there　will　be　two　twins；　one　a　perfect　model；

the　other　what　Mrs。　Lynde　calls　a　‘holy　terror。'　There　will　be　a

little　room　upstairs　over　the　porch；　where　old　dreams　hang　thick；

and　a　big；　fat；　glorious　feather　bed　which　will　almost　seem　the

height　of　luxury　after　a　boardinghouse　mattress。　　How　do　you　like

my　picture；　Phil？〃



〃It　seems　a　very　dull　one；〃　said　Phil；　with　a　gri