Аня из Авонлеи
VI. All Sorts and Conditions of Men... and women
LeviBoulterwarnedhisneighborsthattheImproverswouldinsistthateverybodypulldownhishouseandrebuilditafterplansapprovedbythesociety.Mr.JamesSpencersentthemwordthathewishedtheywouldkindlyshoveldownthechurchhill.EbenWrighttoldAnnethathewishedtheImproverscouldinduceoldJosiahSloanetokeephiswhiskerstrimmed.Mr.LawrenceBellsaidhewouldwhitewashhisbarnsifnothingelsewouldpleasethembuthewouldNOThanglacecurtainsinthecowstablewindows.Mr.MajorSpenceraskedCliftonSloane,anImproverwhodrovethemilktotheCarmodycheesefactory,ifitwastruethateverybodywouldhavetohavehismilk-standhand-paintednextsummerandkeepanembroideredcenterpieceonit.
Inspiteof...orperhaps,humannaturebeingwhatitis,becauseof...this,theSocietywentgamelytoworkattheonlyimprovementtheycouldhopetobringaboutthatfall.Atthesecondmeeting,intheBarryparlor,OliverSloanemovedthattheystartasubscriptiontore-shingleandpaintthehall;JuliaBellsecondedit,withanuneasyfeelingthatshewasdoingsomethingnotexactlyladylike.Gilbertputthemotion,itwascarriedunanimously,andAnnegravelyrecordeditinherminutes.Thenextthingwastoappointacommittee,andGertiePye,determinednottoletJuliaBellcarryoffallthelaurels,boldlymovedthatMissJaneAndrewsbechairmanofsaidcommittee.Thismotionbeingalsodulysecondedandcarried,JanereturnedthecomplimentbyappointingGertieonthecommittee,alongwithGilbert,Anne,Diana,andFredWright.
