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VI. All Sorts and Conditions of Men... and women
PriscillaisgoingtowriteapaperforournextImprovementmeeting,andIexpectitwillbegood,forherauntissuchacleverwriterandnodoubtitrunsinthefamily.IshallneverforgetthethrillitgavemewhenIfoundoutthatMrs.CharlotteE.MorganwasPriscilla’saunt.ItseemedsowonderfulthatIwasafriendofthegirlwhoseauntwrote‘EdgewoodDays’and‘TheRosebudGarden.’”
“WheredoesMrs.Morganlive?”
“InToronto.AndPriscillasayssheiscomingtotheIslandforavisitnextsummer,andifitispossiblePriscillaisgoingtoarrangetohaveusmeether.Thatseemsalmosttoogoodtobetrue—butit’ssomethingpleasanttoimagineafteryougotobed.”
TheAvonleaVillageImprovementSocietywasanorganizedfact.GilbertBlythewaspresident,FredWrightvice-president,AnneShirleysecretary,andDianaBarrytreasurer.The“Improvers,”astheywerepromptlychristened,weretomeetonceafortnightatthehomesofthemembers.Itwasadmittedthattheycouldnotexpecttoaffectmanyimprovementssolateintheseason;buttheymeanttoplanthenextsummer’scampaign,collectanddiscussideas,writeandreadpapers,and,asAnnesaid,educatethepublicsentimentgenerally.
Therewassomedisapproval,ofcourse,and...whichtheImproversfeltmuchmorekeenly...agooddealofridicule.Mr.ElishaWrightwasreportedtohavesaidthatamoreappropriatenamefortheorganizationwouldbeCourtingClub.Mrs.HiramSloanedeclaredshehadheardtheImproversmeanttoploughupalltheroadsidesandsetthemoutwithgeraniums.Mr.
