amusement talking to an old woman like me. It's such a
pity the boys ain't home."

"We want to run in and see Ruby Gillis a little while," explained Diana.

"Oh, anything does for an excuse, of course," said Aunt Atossa, amiably.
"Just whip in and whip out before you have time to say how-do decently.
It's college airs, I s'pose. You'd be wiser to keep away from Ruby
Gillis. The doctors say consumption's catching. I always knew Ruby'd get
something, gadding off to Boston last fall for a visit. People who ain't
content to stay home always catch something."

"People who don't go visiting catch things, too. Sometimes they even
die," said Diana solemnly.

"Then they don't have themselves to blame for it," retorted Aunt Atossa
triumphantly. "I hear you are to be married in June, Diana."

"There is no truth in that report," said Diana, blushing.

"Well, don't put it off too long," said Aunt Atossa significantly.
"You'll fade soon--you're all complexion and hair. And the Wrights are
terrible fickle. You ought to wear a hat, MISS SHIRLEY. Your nose is
freckling scandalous. My, but you ARE redheaded! Well, I s'pose we're
all as the Lord made us! Give Marilla Cuthbert my respects. She's never
been to see me since I come to Avonlea, but I s'pose I oughtn't to
complain. The Cuthberts always did think themselves a cut higher than
any one else round here."

"Oh, isn't she dreadful?" gasped Diana, as they escaped down the lane.

"She's worse than Miss Eliza Andrews," said Anne. "But then think of
living all your life with a name like Atossa! Wouldn't it sour almost
any one? She should have tried to imagine her name was Cordelia. It
might have helped her a great deal. It certainly helped me in the days
when I didn't like ANNE."

"Josie Pye will be just like her when she grows up," said Diana.
"Josie's mother and Aunt Atossa are cousins, you know. Oh, dear, I'm
glad that's over. She's so malicious--she seems to put a bad flavor in
everything. Father tells such a funny story about her. One time they had
a minister in Spencervale who was a very good, spiritual man but very
deaf. He couldn't hear any ordinary conversation at all. Well, they used
to have a prayer meeting on Sunday evenings, and all the church members
present would get up and pray in turn, or say a few words on some Bible
verse. But one evening Aunt Atossa bounced up. She didn't either pray or
preach. Instead, she lit into everybody else in the church and gave them