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XXIX. Poetry and Prose
Whatisanimaginationforifnottoenableyoutopeepatlifethroughotherpeople’seyes?”
“Youmustbemybridesmaid,youknow,Anne.Promisemethat...whereveryoumaybewhenI’mmarried.”
“I’llcomefromtheendsoftheearthifnecessary,”promisedAnnesolemnly.
“Ofcourse,itwon’tbeforeversolongyet,”saidDiana,blushing.“Threeyearsattheveryleast...forI’monlyeighteenandmothersaysnodaughterofhersshallbemarriedbeforeshe’stwenty-one.Besides,Fred’sfatherisgoingtobuytheAbrahamFletcherfarmforhimandhesayshe’sgottohaveittwothirdspaidforbeforehe’llgiveittohiminhisownname.Butthreeyearsisn’tanytoomuchtimetogetreadyforhousekeeping,forIhaven’taspeckoffancyworkmadeyet.ButI’mgoingtobegincrochetingdoiliestomorrow.MyraGillishadthirty-sevendoilieswhenshewasmarriedandI’mdeterminedIshallhaveasmanyasshehad.”
“Isupposeitwouldbeperfectlyimpossibletokeephousewithonlythirty-sixdoilies,”concededAnne,withasolemnfacebutdancingeyes.
Dianalookedhurt.
“Ididn’tthinkyou’dmakefunofme,Anne,”shesaidreproachfully.
“Dearest,Iwasn’tmakingfunofyou,”criedAnnerepentantly.“Iwasonlyteasingyouabit.Ithinkyou’llmakethesweetestlittlehousekeeperintheworld.AndIthinkit’sperfectlylovelyofyoutobeplanningalreadyforyourhomeo’dreams.”
Annehadnosoonerutteredthephrase,“homeo’dreams,”thanitcaptivatedherfancyandsheimmediatelybegantheerectionofoneofherown.
