Village Improvement Society, Anne?"

"I was just talking it over with some of the girls and boys at the last
Debating Club," said Anne, flushing. "They thought it would be rather
nice . . . and so do Mr. and Mrs. Allan. Lots of villages have them now."

"Well, you'll get into no end of hot water if you do. Better leave it
alone, Anne, that's what. People don't like being improved."

"Oh, we are not going to try to improve the PEOPLE. It is Avonlea
itself. There are lots of things which might be done to make it
prettier. For instance, if we could coax Mr. Levi Boulter to pull
down that dreadful old house on his upper farm wouldn't that be an
improvement?"

"It certainly would," admitted Mrs. Rachel. "That old ruin has been an
eyesore to the settlement for years. But if you Improvers can coax
Levi Boulter to do anything for the public that he isn't to be paid for
doing, may I be there to see and hear the process, that's what. I don't
want to discourage you, Anne, for there may be something in your idea,
though I suppose you did get it out of some rubbishy Yankee magazine;
but you'll have your hands full with your school and I advise you as a
friend not to bother with your improvements, that's what. But there,
I know you'll go ahead with it if you've set your mind on it. You were
always one to carry a thing through somehow."

Something about the firm outlines of Anne's lips told that Mrs. Rachel
was not far astray in this estimate. Anne's heart was bent on forming
the Improvement Society. Gilbert Blythe, who was to teach in White
Sands but would always be home from Friday night to Monday morning, was