登陆注册
4606800000019

第19章

She had her work under her arm in a substantial parcel, and when Anne asked her to stay she promptly took off her capacious sun-hat, which had been held on her head, despite irreverent September breezes, by a tight elastic band under her hard little knob of fair hair.

No hat pins for Miss Cornelia, an it please ye!

Elastic bands had been good enough for her mother and they were good enough for HER. She had a fresh, round, pink-and-white face, and jolly brown eyes. She did not look in the least like the traditional old maid, and there was something in her expression which won Anne instantly. With her old instinctive quickness to discern kindred spirits she knew she was going to like Miss Cornelia, in spite of uncertain oddities of opinion, and certain oddities of attire.

Nobody but Miss Cornelia would have come to make a call arrayed in a striped blue-and-white apron and a wrapper of chocolate print, with a design of huge, pink roses scattered over it. And nobody but Miss Cornelia could have looked dignified and suitably garbed in it. Had Miss Cornelia been entering a palace to call on a prince's bride, she would have been just as dignified and just as wholly mistress of the situation. She would have trailed her rose-spattered flounce over the marble floors just as unconcernedly, and she would have proceeded just as calmly to disabuse the mind of the princess of any idea that the possession of a mere man, be he prince or peasant, was anything to brag of.

"I've brought my work, Mrs. Blythe, dearie," she remarked, unrolling some dainty material. "I'm in a hurry to get this done, and there isn't any time to lose."Anne looked in some surprise at the white garment spread over Miss Cornelia's ample lap. It was certainly a baby's dress, and it was most beautifully made, with tiny frills and tucks. Miss Cornelia adjusted her glasses and fell to embroidering with exquisite stitches.

"This is for Mrs. Fred Proctor up at the Glen," she announced. "She's expecting her eighth baby any day now, and not a stitch has she ready for it. The other seven have wore out all she made for the first, and she's never had time or strength or spirit to make any more. That woman is a martyr, Mrs. Blythe, believe ME.

When she married Fred Proctor _I_ knew how it would turn out. He was one of your wicked, fascinating men.

After he got married he left off being fascinating and just kept on being wicked. He drinks and he neglects his family. Isn't that like a man? I don't know how Mrs. Proctor would ever keep her children decently clothed if her neighbors didn't help her out."As Anne was afterwards to learn, Miss Cornelia was the only neighbor who troubled herself much about the decency of the young Proctors.

"When I heard this eighth baby was coming I decided to make some things for it," Miss Cornelia went on.

"This is the last and I want to finish it today.""It's certainly very pretty," said Anne. "I'll get my sewing and we'll have a little thimble party of two.

You are a beautiful sewer, Miss Bryant."

"Yes, I'm the best sewer in these parts," said Miss Cornelia in a matter-of-fact tone. "I ought to be!

Lord, I've done more of it than if I'd had a hundred children of my own, believe ME! I s'pose I'm a fool, to be putting hand embroidery on this dress for an eighth baby. But, Lord, Mrs. Blythe, dearie, it isn't to blame for being the eighth, and I kind of wished it to have one real pretty dress, just as if it WASwanted. Nobody's wanting the poor mite--so I put some extra fuss on its little things just on that account.""Any baby might be proud of that dress," said Anne, feeling still more strongly that she was going to like Miss Cornelia.

"I s'pose you've been thinking I was never coming to call on you," resumed Miss Cornelia. "But this is harvest month, you know, and I've been busy--and a lot of extra hands hanging round, eating more'n they work, just like the men. I'd have come yesterday, but I went to Mrs. Roderick MacAllister's funeral. At first Ithought my head was aching so badly I couldn't enjoy myself if I did go. But she was a hundred years old, and I'd always promised myself that I'd go to her funeral.""Was it a successful function?" asked Anne, noticing that the office door was ajar.

"What's that? Oh, yes, it was a tremendous funeral.

She had a very large connection. There was over one hundred and twenty carriages in the procession. There was one or two funny things happened. I thought that die I would to see old Joe Bradshaw, who is an infidel and never darkens the door of a church, singing `Safe in the Arms of Jesus' with great gusto and fervor. He glories in singing-- that's why he never misses a funeral. Poor Mrs. Bradshaw didn't look much like singing--all wore out slaving. Old Joe starts out once in a while to buy her a present and brings home some new kind of farm machinery. Isn't that like a man?

But what else would you expect of a man who never goes to church, even a Methodist one? I was real thankful to see you and the young Doctor in the Presbyterian church your first Sunday. No doctor for me who isn't a Presbyterian.""We were in the Methodist church last Sunday evening,"said Anne wickedly.

"Oh, I s'pose Dr. Blythe has to go to the Methodist church once in a while or he wouldn't get the Methodist practice.""We liked the sermon very much," declared Anne boldly.

"And I thought the Methodist minster's prayer was one of the most beautiful I ever heard.""Oh, I've no doubt he can pray. I never heard anyone make more beautiful prayers than old Simon Bentley, who was always drunk, or hoping to be, and the drunker he was the better he prayed.""The Methodist minister is very fine looking," said Anne, for the benefit of the office door.

"Yes, he's quite ornamental," agreed Miss Cornelia.

"Oh, and VERY ladylike. And he thinks that every girl who looks at him falls in love with him--as if a Methodist minister, wandering about like any Jew, was such a prize! If you and the young doctor take MYadvice, you won't have much to do with the Methodists.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 亿万前妻

    亿万前妻

    ***她是一个私生女,她为了妈妈的幸福嫁给了他。商业联姻而已,她知道一开始不会有爱情。结婚纪念日,想要努力获得幸福的她,忽然收获了他的离婚协议书。淡淡的烟雾中,他的脸有些朦胧,“她怀孕了。”她自然知道,那个她,不是自己。她手里拿着的那件想要送给他的衬衫,被她慌乱地丢在了衣柜里。***当在婴儿用品店前看到他,才知道他也可以笑得这样温柔。当知道孩子的爸爸竟然不是他,才知道他的爱可以如此伟大。***在他婚礼举行的前一天,她竟然也验出了身孕。在他婚礼举行的当天,她才知道,那个抢走她老公的女人,是她同父异母的姐姐。***“今天你来,就是想像你妈一样当小三吗?不过,我告诉你,我的老公,你是勾不走的,不要白费那份心!”艳丽动人的新娘,看着她的眼,装满得意和侮辱。“谁是小三,看来有人还不清楚,那我告诉你,你的老公,是我的前夫,是我不要了才让给你的,你捡别人的旧鞋还拿来炫耀,还真是悲哀!”她冷笑,挽着他同父异母弟弟的胳膊,高傲地离开。***四年后,在他离成功只差一步之遥的庆祝酒会上,他看到一个缩小版的他,不到四岁的小男孩。“告诉我,你妈妈是谁?”他眼中带痛,紧盯着那个孩子,伸出去想要抚摸的手,却迟迟不敢落下。“这位大伯,我已经有二个爸爸了,你是想要报名参加‘三个爸爸一个妈’的现场表演吗?”小男孩说得一本正经,漆黑晶亮的眼眸散发着优雅的冷漠。推荐现代文文:紫楠《残废总裁的强悍妻》哀家驾到《二婚不愁嫁》清和《赖上前妻》潇湘非倾城《狂妈》推荐穿越文文:唐淫才子《肥后要出轨》
  • 重生之盛宠公主

    重生之盛宠公主

    天下两分,大周国和凤羯国,两国敌对,实力均等。大周国皇帝年老,凤羯国犯边,周国皇帝派靖南王凌天领兵御敌,靖南王不敌,大败,临阵脱逃,带着家眷逃往京师,正临靖南王妃怀孕十月,路上产女,不巧路遇追兵。为了躲避追兵,焦急之下抱走了一同产女的边境勇武将军夫人的之女。此后两女分开,两女错入她府,开始了一段新的传奇之旅。
  • 亿万宠妻:入骨相思谁能知

    亿万宠妻:入骨相思谁能知

    若羽气愤的瞪着天修“离婚吧,我哥不同意我们在一起”天修皱了皱眉“就你有哥哥啊,我哥还不同意我们离婚呢。”次日,若羽把天修哥哥草拟的离婚协议放在天修面前“这是你哥帮我草拟的离婚协议,这下你没话说了吧。”天修立刻十分狗腿的抱着若羽“老婆,我们不要离婚好不好,你想要什么我都可以送你。”若羽指着电视上的帅哥“我喜欢小鲜肉,你送我一个呗”
  • 九世媚尊

    九世媚尊

    “嘀嗒.”错愕的看着鲜血融进了不小心滴在一个很旧很旧的破镜子的镜面上,于是...夏然开始了她苦逼的穿越之旅.一朝被穿越,时时怕没命.一世,她出生了,倒霉也随之而来.所谓的爹爹为了给怀孕的娘亲弄点补身子的野味,不慎跌入悬崖,挂了.娘亲看到了被抬回来的尸体,哭得死去活来,不小心动了胎气,她早产了,于是夏然带着迷茫出生了,娘亲却死了,她一下子成了孤儿.等她还没反应过来自己已经重生的时候,就被认为她是不祥之物的村民丢进了河里,华丽丽的――淹死了.二世,她附魂在了一个刚死去的女孩身上,还没来得及喘气,一巴掌甩过来,把她甩得晕头转向,还没看清是谁在甩她巴掌,狠狠的一脚踹上了她的肚子,她口吐鲜血――挂掉了.三世,她已经非常的淡定了!她成为了一个大小姐,家族的嫡女,天才.还没来得及骄傲与庆幸,突然跑出来一个蒙着脸一身黑衣的刺客,一个暗器在她脖子上划了一个口子――被杀了.四世,她带着郁闷的心情又投胎了.老天爷总算开眼了,让她有了幸福的人生,还爬上了人人羡慕敬仰的天仙之位,更有爱她爱得疯狂的追求者,于是,她被爱自己爱得死去活来的追求者给活生生的――吃掉了.五世,她又出生了,知道自己永远会带着记忆投胎,投胎,再投胎,这种感觉快要疯掉了,还是小小婴儿的她正打算准备咬舌自尽,路过的一个能人把她从爹娘手中带走了.于是,她走上了修真之路.傲人的天资和妖孽的天赋让她一路扶摇直上.她紧张而小心的低调走着每一步路,终于!她在所有人艳羡的目下光,就要飞升到另一个位面去了,可是滚滚天雷直轰而下把她轰得遍体鳞伤,然后――电死了.六世,她终于知道了,不管她如何努力,再低调再小心也会死得很惨,于是,她干脆就躲进了一个古墓里,过着与世隔绝的生活,却意外的捡到本魂修,修炼到一定等级的时候,她终于忍不住跑出去了,认识了两个她生命中最重要的男人同时为她大手出手,她还是狗血的死掉了――被误杀.她彻底崩溃了,带着愤怒的心情和恐怖的回忆,第九次被强行扯进了投胎之道.艳日昼起,一个新生的小生命在这个时间里诞生了,这便是第九世重生的苦逼夏然.谁想死?谁也不想死!她只是一个二十一世纪的平凡人类,凭什么让她来承受这些莫名其妙的命运?她不接受!她要反抗!第九世...终于苦尽甘来!啥?五行灵根是废物?低调,她会在顶峰笑看着曾经嘲笑过她的人.逆天的宝物使她成为神一般存在的炼丹师,你能吗?
  • 中国历代通俗演义:两晋演义(上)

    中国历代通俗演义:两晋演义(上)

    《两晋演义》起自司马炎代魏,终至刘裕代晋,共一百回,真实再现了中原汉政权衰亡时五胡十六国混战下的分裂局面和各少数民族间的交流融合。本书讲述从“第一回祀南郊司马开基 立东宫庸雏伏祸”到“第五十回选将得人凉州破敌 筑宫渔色石氏宣淫”的历史。西晋内政失修、祸乱侵寻、终致覆亡。夫内政失修,则内讧必起,内讧起,则外侮即乘之而入。木朽虫生,墙罅蚁入,看似与外患相始终,究竟自成鹬蚌,才有渔翁……
  • 七里长谷(长篇小说节选)

    七里长谷(长篇小说节选)

    夜色走向黎明或大地,走向七里长谷。“哎呀,萌芽,你生的小孩,长得可真像七子呀!”说着,转过头来,看着萌芽:“萌芽呀,你真没命,放着有钱人的日子不过,非要背转时运,过这种没男人的光景。你是咋啦?条盘端着,你偏往山圪崂里头钻。你这个过时的冤家呀。” 萌芽笑了,说,“你没有命吗?你为啥不上条盘呀?你为啥不过有钱人的光景呀?”
  • 明星学苑:恨君不怜情

    明星学苑:恨君不怜情

    明星学院,风云骤起。实力派?偶像派?戏中情?情外戏?酷少爷遇到苹果女,浪漫偶像剧悄然上演——你会是我的巨星男友?他是身世显赫的未来巨星,她是学识渊博的教授女儿,不过在超级美男方临星的眼中,她和一只没思想的苹果差不多。还有他,致力于表演的阳光老师,想帮助自己可爱的表妹完成她的梦想。风花雪月,刀枪剑棒,柔情蜜意,悲欢离合,青春渐长,究竟是在演戏,还是在假戏真做?这里是明星学院,制造未来之星的超级学府,美女如云,帅哥如草,所以无论你是偶像派还是实力派,无论是假戏还是真情,在这里,都必须全力投入演出,否则——不要想毕业!(快乐小白文,酸甜青春味,偶尔小虐,慎入哟~~~~)
  • 枯荣家园梦

    枯荣家园梦

    本书内容包括:沉沦的国土、世纪末的忧思、倾听大地、温柔亡国、污染包围中国、谁在谋害大地母亲等报告文学及散文作品。
  • 恋爱一百分:你是我女朋友

    恋爱一百分:你是我女朋友

    漫画画手和投资大佬的故事,有酸有甜,酸酸甜甜才有味!“我不是一直在说你是我女朋友吗?”“那是吗?”“难道不是吗?”“难道是吗?”“……”“分手吧!”“不要啊!”某人急道。
  • 论语通解(一)

    论语通解(一)

    本书稿是作者学习《论语》一书的心得的总结。作者结合现代人生活中遇到的各种困惑,将《论语》中相关的语录做了深入浅出的阐释,全面涵养一个人的灵魂、修养、品味、境界、见识,可以全面提高一个人的洞察力、理解力、判断力、忍耐力和处置力。作者通过通俗的语言,以讲座的方式呈现,语言生动,说理明晰,让读者轻松了解《论语》的真正内涵,同时把古人的思想与智慧应用在当下的生活和工作中。