ynde's garden and set the flowers dancing--and then I'll go
with one great swoop over the clover field--and then I'll blow over the
Lake of Shining Waters and ripple it all up into little sparkling waves.
Oh, there's so much scope for imagination in a wind! So I'll not talk
any more just now, Marilla."
"Thanks be to goodness for that," breathed Marilla in devout relief.
CHAPTER XI. Anne's Impressions of Sunday-School
"Well, how do you like them?" said Marilla.
Anne was standing in the gable room, looking solemnly at three new
dresses spread out on the bed. One was of snuffy colored gingham which
Marilla had been tempted to buy from a peddler the preceding summer
because it looked so serviceable; one was of black-and-white checkered
sateen which she had picked up at a bargain counter in the winter; and
one was a stiff print of an ugly blue shade which she had purchased that
week at a Carmody store.
She had made them up herself, and they were all made alike--plain skirts
fulled tightly to plain waists, with sleeves as plain as waist and skirt
and tight as sleeves could be.
"I'll imagine that I like them," said Anne soberly.
"I don't want you to imagine it," said Marilla, offended. "Oh, I can see
you don't like the dresses! What is the matter with them? Aren't they
neat and clean and new?"
"Yes."
"Then why don't you like them?"
"They're--they're not--pretty," said Anne reluctantly.
"Pretty!" Marilla sniffed. "I didn't trouble my head about getting
pretty dresses for you. I don't believe in pampering vanity, Anne, I'll
tell you that right off. Those dresses are good, sensible, serviceable
dresses, without any frills or furbelows about them, and they're all
you'll get this summer. The brown gingham and the blue print will do
you for school when you begin to go. The sateen is for church and Sunday
school. I'll expect you to keep them neat and clean and not to tear
them. I should think you'd be grateful to get most anything after those
skimpy wincey things you've been wearing."
"Oh, I AM grateful," protested Anne. "But I'd be ever so much
gratefuller if--if you'd made just one of them with puffed sleeves.
Puffed sleeves are so fashionable now. It would give me such a thrill,
Marilla, just to wear a dress with puffed sleeves."
"Well, you'll have to do without your thrill. I hadn't any material
to waste on puffed sleeves. I think they are ridiculous-looking things
anyhow. I prefer the plain,
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