It might have helped her a great deal . It certainly helped me in the days when I did n't like ANNE . '' `` Josie Pye will be just like her when she grows up , '' said Diana . `` Josie 's mother and Aunt Atossa are cousins , you know . Oh , dear , I 'm glad that 's over . She 's so malicious -- she seems to put a bad flavor in everything . Father tells such a funny story about her . One time they had a minister in Spencervale who was a very good , spiritual man but very deaf . He could n't hear any ordinary conversation at all . Well , they used to have a prayer meeting on Sunday evenings , and all the church members present would get up and pray in turn , or say a few words on some Bible verse . But one evening Aunt Atossa bounced up . She did n't either pray or preach . Instead , she lit into everybody else in the church and gave them a fearful raking down , calling them right out by name and telling them how they all had behaved , and casting up all the quarrels and scandals of the past ten years . Finally she wound up by saying that she was disgusted with Spencervale church and she never meant to darken its door again , and she hoped a fearful judgment would come upon it . Then she sat down out of breath , and the minister , who had n't heard a word she said , immediately remarked , in a very devout voice , ` amen ! The Lord grant our dear sister 's prayer ! ' You ought to hear father tell the story . '' `` Speaking of stories , Diana , '' remarked Anne , in a significant , confidential tone , `` do you know that lately I have been wondering if I could write a short story -- a story that would be good enough to be published ? '' `` Why , of course you could , '' said Diana , after she had grasped the amazing suggestion . `` You used to write perfectly thrilling stories years ago in our old Story Club . ''
`` Well , I hardly meant one of that kind XXXXX stories , '' smiled Anne .
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