Anne of the Island 3 - Student Life
For the next three weeks, Anne and Priscilla continued to feel like strangers in a strange land. But as they attended classes and social events, and became familiar with the professors and other students, Anne and Priscilla felt better. The first-year students, instead of being a collection of unrelated individuals, became close acquaintances who all attended class events and shared a class song and class spirit.
Gilbert Blythe was elected class president. He was also invited to join a fraternity, which was a rare honor for a first-year student. As an initiation to the fraternity, Gilbert had to walk down the main streets of Halifax for a whole day wearing a bonnet and a colorful kitchen apron. He did this cheerfully, shaking ladies' hands as they passed.
Anne and Priscilla found themselves very involved in the social life of Redmond College. Philippa Gordon came from a rich and well-known family. This, along with her beauty and charm, got her invited to many parties and events. And wherever she went, Anne and Priscilla went too.
It was a mystery to Anne how Phil found time to study because she was always going out, especially with young men. Nine-tenths of the male students in first year were rivals for Phil's smiles. "Your two special hometown 'friends', Alec and Alonzo, don't seem to have any serious rivals yet," remarked Anne teasingly.
"Not one," agreed Philippa. "Of course, I can't get the boy I like best. Gilbert Blythe won't take any notice of me, except to look at me as if I'm a little kitten he'd like to pat. I know the reason, Anne. It's clear that Gilbert likes
you
. I really ought to hate you, but instead I adore you! Around you, I wish I was wiser and stronger. Anne, please tell me over again that you like me a little bit!"
"I like you a lot! And I think you're a dear, sweet, adorable little . . .
kitten
." Anne laughed. "But I don't understand how you ever have time to study!"
Somehow Phil must have found time to study because she was the top student in every class except English, where Anne came first by far. Anne found her studies easy, leaving her time for a social life that she thoroughly enjoyed. But never for a moment did she forget Avonlea and her family and friends there.
For Anne, the happiest time of each week was when she read letters from home. The first batch had contained letters from Ruby Gillis, Diana, Marilla, Mrs. Lynde, and Jane Andrews, who had taken over as the new schoolteacher.
Jane's letter was neatly written, without an interesting sentence in it. She didn't answer any of the questions that Anne had asked in her letter to Jane.
But Jane did tell Anne how many yards of lace she had crocheted and how she felt when her head ached.
Ruby Gillis wrote about how much she was missing Anne and asked what the Redmond boys were like. Ruby's letter was silly and harmless, and Anne would have laughed except for one part.
"Gilbert seems to be enjoying Redmond, judging from his letters," wrote Ruby. "I don't think Charlie likes it so much."
So Gilbert was writing to Ruby! "Gilbert can write to anybody he wants to, of course," thought Anne, "but . . ."
Anne was completely confused by her feelings. What Anne didn't know was that Ruby had written to Gilbert first and that he had simply answered to be polite.
Marilla's letter was rather prim, with no gossip or emotion. Yet somehow it conveyed the wholesome, simple life at Green Gables. Mrs. Lynde's letter was full of church news.
"I wonder," said Anne as she folded up her letters, "what Mrs. Lynde would think of Philippa."
One fine winter day, Gilbert, Anne, Priscilla, Charlie, and Phil met to go for a walk through Halifax.
"Let's go down Spofford Avenue," suggested Gilbert. "We can see all the beautiful houses where the rich people live. Nobody can live there unless he or she is a millionaire."
"Oh, yes!" said Phil. "There's a perfectly gorgeous little place I want to show you, Anne. It wasn't built by a millionaire. I swear it must have grown out of the ground while Spofford Avenue was still a country road. I don't like the other houses there; they're too new and showy."
They saw the small house as they walked up the hill. It was white, with pine trees on both sides. The whole place looked like it had been transplanted from some remote country village.
"It's the sweetest place I've ever seen," said Anne, delighted. "It's even quainter than Miss Lavender's house."
"Look at the name, Anne," said Phil, "in white letters around the archway over the gate: ‘Patty's Place.' Isn't that gorgeous?"
"Have you any idea who Patty is?" asked Priscilla.
"Patty Spofford is the name of the old lady who owns it, I've discovered," said Phil. "She lives there with her niece."
"I'm going to dream about Patty's Place tonight," said Anne. "I wonder if, by any chance, we'll ever see the inside of it."
"It isn't likely," said Priscilla.
Anne smiled mysteriously. "No, it isn't likely, but I believe it will happen. I have a strange feeling that Patty's Place and I are going to become better acquainted."
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