At this especial meeting they intended to draw up a petition to the school trustees , humbly praying that a fence be put around the school grounds ; and a plan was also to be discussed for planting a few ornamental trees by the church , if the funds of the society would permit of it ... for , as Anne said , there was no use in starting another subscription as long as the hall remained blue . The members were assembled in the Andrews ' parlor and Jane was already on her feet to move the appointment of a committee which should find out and report on the price of said trees , when Gertie Pye swept in , pompadoured and frilled within an inch of her life . Gertie had a habit of being late ... `` to make her entrance more effective , '' spiteful people said . Gertie 's entrance in this instance was certainly effective , for she paused dramatically on the middle of the floor , threw up her hands , rolled her eyes , and exclaimed , `` I 've just heard something perfectly awful . What DO you think ? Mr. Judson Parker IS GOING TO RENT ALL THE ROAD FENCE OF HIS FARM TO A PATENT MEDICINE COMPANY TO PAINT ADVERTISEMENTS ON . '' For once in her life Gertie Pye made all the sensation she desired . If she had thrown a bomb among the complacent Improvers she could hardly have made more . `` It CA N'T be true , '' said Anne blankly . `` That 's just what I said when I heard it first , do n't you know , '' said Gertie , who was enjoying herself hugely . '' I said it could n't be true ... that Judson Parker would n't have the HEART to do it , do n't you know . But father met him this afternoon and asked him about it and he said it WAS true . Just fancy ! His farm is side-on to the Newbridge road and how perfectly awful it will look to see advertisements of pills and plasters all along it , do n't you know ? '' The Improvers DID know , all too well . Even the least imaginative among them could picture the grotesque effect of half a mile of board fence adorned with such advertisements . All thought of church and school grounds vanished before this new danger . Parliamentary rules and regulations were forgotten , and Anne , in despair , gave up trying to keep minutes at all . Everybody talked at once and fearful was the hubbub . `` Oh , let us keep calm , '' implored Anne , who was the most excited of them all , `` and try to think of some way of preventing him . ''
`` I do n't know how you 're going XXXXX prevent him , '' exclaimed Jane bitterly .
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