No fear of my forgetting to put the tea to draw when I have company . Oh , Marilla , can I use the rosebud spray tea set ? '' `` No , indeed ! The rosebud tea set ! Well , what next ? You know I never use that except for the minister or the Aids . You 'll put down the old brown tea set . But you can open the little yellow crock of cherry preserves . It 's time it was being used anyhow -- I believe it 's beginning to work . And you can cut some fruit cake and have some of the cookies and snaps . '' `` I can just imagine myself sitting down at the head of the table and pouring out the tea , '' said Anne , shutting her eyes ecstatically . `` And asking Diana if she takes sugar ! I know she does n't but of course I 'll ask her just as if I did n't know . And then pressing her to take another piece of fruit cake and another helping of preserves . Oh , Marilla , it 's a wonderful sensation just to think of it . Can I take her into the spare room to lay off her hat when she comes ? And then into the parlor to sit ? '' `` No . The sitting room will do for you and your company . But there 's a bottle half full of raspberry cordial that was left over from the church social the other night .
It 's on the second shelf of the sitting-room closet and you and Diana can have it XXXXX you like , and a cooky to eat with it along in the afternoon , for I daresay Matthew 'll be late coming in to tea since he 's hauling potatoes to the vessel . ''
Anne Diana at for from if into next of to