Not exactly regally lovely , of course -- it would n't do , I suppose , for a minister to have a regally lovely wife , because it might set a bad example . Mrs. Lynde says the minister 's wife over at Newbridge sets a very bad example because she dresses so fashionably . Our new minister 's wife was dressed in blue muslin with lovely puffed sleeves and a hat trimmed with roses . Jane Andrews said she thought puffed sleeves were too worldly for a minister 's wife , but I did n't make any such uncharitable remark , Marilla , because I know what it is to long for puffed sleeves . Besides , she 's only been a minister 's wife for a little while , so one should make allowances , should n't they ? They are going to board with Mrs. Lynde until the manse is ready . '' If Marilla , in going down to Mrs. Lynde 's that evening , was actuated by any motive save her avowed one of returning the quilting frames she had borrowed the preceding winter , it was an amiable weakness shared by most of the Avonlea people . Many a thing Mrs. Lynde had lent , sometimes never expecting to see it again , came home that night in charge of the borrowers thereof . A new minister , and moreover a minister with a wife , was a lawful object of curiosity in a quiet little country settlement where sensations were few and far between . Old Mr. Bentley , the minister whom Anne had found lacking in imagination , had been pastor of Avonlea for eighteen years . He was a widower when he came , and a widower he remained , despite the fact that gossip regularly married him to this , that , or the other one , every year of his sojourn . In the preceding February he had resigned his charge and departed amid the regrets of his people , most of whom had the affection born of long intercourse for their good old minister in spite of his shortcomings as an orator . Since then the Avonlea church had enjoyed a variety of religious dissipation in listening to the many and various candidates and `` supplies '' who came Sunday after Sunday to preach on trial . These stood or fell by the judgment of the fathers and mothers in Israel ; but a certain small , red-haired girl who sat meekly in the corner of the old Cuthbert pew also had her opinions about them and discussed the same in full with Matthew , Marilla always declining from principle to criticize ministers in any shape or form . `` I do n't think Mr. Smith would have done , Matthew '' was Anne 's final summing up . `` Mrs. Lynde says his delivery was so poor , but I think his worst fault was just like Mr. Bentley 's -- he had no imagination . And Mr. Terry had too much ; he let it run away with him just as I did mine in the matter of the Haunted Wood . Besides , Mrs. Lynde says his theology was n't sound . Mr. Gresham was a very good man and a very religious man , but he told too many funny stories and made the people laugh in church ; he was undignified , and you must have some dignity about a minister , must n't you , Matthew ? I thought Mr. Marshall was decidedly attractive ; but Mrs. Lynde says he is n't married , or even engaged , because she made special inquiries about him , and she says it would never do to have a young unmarried minister in Avonlea , because he might marry in the congregation and that would make trouble .
Mrs. Lynde is a very farseeing woman , is n't she , XXXXX ?
Bentley Gresham Israel Matthew borrowers dissipation muslin night pew years