“Indeed I didn’t,” said Anne radiantly.
“I know I’m not so freckled as I used to be, so I’ve much to be thankful for, but I really hadn’t dared to hope there was any other improvement.
I’m so glad you think there is, Miss Barry.”
Miss Barry’s house was furnished with “great magnificence,” as Anne told Marilla afterward.
The two little country girls were rather abashed by the splendor of the parlor where Miss Barry left them when she went to see about dinner.
“Isn’t it just like a palace?” whispered Diana.
“I never was in Aunt Josephine’s house before, and I’d no idea it was so grand.
I just wish Julia Bell could see this—she puts on such airs about her mother’s parlor.”
“Velvet carpet,” sighed Anne luxuriously, “and silk curtains!
I’ve dreamed of such things, Diana.
But do you know I don’t believe I feel very comfortable with them after all.
There are so many things in this room and all so splendid that there is no scope for imagination.
That is one consolation when you are poor—there are so many more things you can imagine about.”
Their sojourn in town was something that Anne and Diana dated from for years.
From first to last it was crowded with delights.
On Wednesday Miss Barry took them to the Exhibition grounds and kept them there all day.
“It was splendid,” Anne related to Marilla later on.
“I never imagined anything so interesting.
I don’t really know which department was the most interesting.
I think I liked the horses and the flowers and the fancywork best.
Josie Pye took first prize for knitted lace.
I was real glad she did.
And I was glad that I felt glad, for it shows I’m improving, don’t you think, Marilla, when I can rejoice in Josie’s success?
Mr. Harmon Andrews took second prize for Gravenstein apples and Mr. Bell took first prize for a pig.
Diana said she thought it was ridiculous for a Sunday-school superintendent to take a prize in pigs, but I don’t see why.
Do you?
She said she would always think of it after this when he was praying so solemnly.
Clara Louise MacPherson took a prize for painting, and Mrs. Lynde got first prize for homemade butter and cheese.
So Avonlea was pretty well represented, wasn’t it?
Mrs. Lynde was there that day, and I never knew how much I really liked her until I saw her familiar face among all those strangers.
There were thousands of people there, Marilla.
It made me feel dreadfully insignificant.
And Miss Barry took us up to the grandstand to see the horse races.
Mrs. Lynde wouldn’t go; she said horse racing was an abomination and, she being a church member, thought it her bounden duty to set a good example by staying away.
But there were so many there I don’t believe Mrs. Lynde’s absence would ever be noticed.
I don’t think, though, that I ought to go very often to horse races, because they are awfully fascinating.
Diana got so excited that she offered to bet me ten cents that the red horse would win.
I didn’t believe he would, but I refused to bet, because I wanted to tell Mrs. Allan all about everything, and I felt sure it wouldn’t do to tell her that.
It’s always wrong to do anything you can’t tell the minister’s wife.
It’s as good as an extra conscience to have a minister’s wife for your friend.
And I was very glad I didn’t bet, because the red horse did win, and I would have lost ten cents.
So you see that virtue was its own reward.
We saw a man go up in a balloon.
I’d love to go up in a balloon, Marilla; it would be simply thrilling; and we saw a man selling fortunes.
You paid him ten cents and a little bird picked out your fortune for you.
Miss Barry gave Diana and me ten cents each to have our fortunes told.
Mine was that I would marry a dark-complected man who was very wealthy, and I would go across water to live.
I looked carefully at all the dark men I saw after that, but I didn’t care much for any of them, and anyhow I suppose it’s too early to be looking out for him yet.
Oh, it was a never-to-be-forgotten day, Marilla.
I was so tired I couldn’t sleep at night.