On Saturday it rained and she worked herself up into such a frantic state lest it should keep on raining until and over Wednesday that Marilla made her sew an extra patchwork square by way of steadying her nerves . On Sunday Anne confided to Marilla on the way home from church that she grew actually cold all over with excitement when the minister announced the picnic from the pulpit . `` Such a thrill as went up and down my back , Marilla ! I do n't think I 'd ever really believed until then that there was honestly going to be a picnic . I could n't help fearing I 'd only imagined it . But when a minister says a thing in the pulpit you just have to believe it . '' `` You set your heart too much on things , Anne , '' said Marilla , with a sigh . `` I 'm afraid there 'll be a great many disappointments in store for you through life . '' `` Oh , Marilla , looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them , '' exclaimed Anne . `` You may n't get the things themselves ; but nothing can prevent you from having the fun of looking forward to them . Mrs. Lynde says , ` Blessed are they who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed . ' But I think it would be worse to expect nothing than to be disappointed . '' Marilla wore her amethyst brooch to church that day as usual . Marilla always wore her amethyst brooch to church . She would have thought it rather sacrilegious to leave it off -- as bad as forgetting her Bible or her collection dime . That amethyst brooch was Marilla 's most treasured possession . A seafaring uncle had given it to her mother who in turn had bequeathed it to Marilla . It was an old-fashioned oval , containing a braid of her mother 's hair , surrounded by a border of very fine amethysts . Marilla knew too little about precious stones to realize how fine the amethysts actually were ; but she thought them very beautiful and was always pleasantly conscious of their violet shimmer at her throat , above her good brown satin dress , even although she could not see it . Anne had been smitten with delighted admiration when she first saw that brooch .
`` Oh , XXXXX , it 's a perfectly elegant brooch .
Anne Blessed Lynde Marilla amethysts braid brooch day oval stones