put this blessed brown baby on his bed and get my knitting."



CHAPTER II. SHEER GOSSIP

"Where are the other children?" asked Miss Cornelia, when the
first greetings--cordial on her side, rapturous on Anne's, and
dignified on Susan's--were over.

"Shirley is in bed and Jem and Walter and the twins are down in
their beloved Rainbow Valley," said Anne. "They just came home
this afternoon, you know, and they could hardly wait until supper
was over before rushing down to the valley. They love it above
every spot on earth. Even the maple grove doesn't rival it in
their affections."

"I am afraid they love it too well," said Susan gloomily.
"Little Jem said once he would rather go to Rainbow Valley than
to heaven when he died, and that was not a proper remark."

"I suppose they had a great time in Avonlea?" said Miss Cornelia.

"Enormous. Marilla does spoil them terribly. Jem, in
particular, can do no wrong in her eyes."

"Miss Cuthbert must be an old lady now," said Miss Cornelia,
getting out her knitting, so that she could hold her own with
Susan. Miss Cornelia held that the woman whose hands were
employed always had the advantage over the woman whose hands were