Especially with copper toes ? We are going to decorate the hall with creeping spruce and fir mottoes with pink tissue-paper roses in them . And we are all to march in two by two after the audience is seated , while Emma White plays a march on the organ . Oh , Marilla , I know you are not so enthusiastic about it as I am , but do n't you hope your little Anne will distinguish herself ? '' `` All I hope is that you 'll behave yourself . I 'll be heartily glad when all this fuss is over and you 'll be able to settle down . You are simply good for nothing just now with your head stuffed full of dialogues and groans and tableaus . As for your tongue , it 's a marvel it 's not clean worn out . '' Anne sighed and betook herself to the back yard , over which a young new moon was shining through the leafless poplar boughs from an apple-green western sky , and where Matthew was splitting wood . Anne perched herself on a block and talked the concert over with him , sure of an appreciative and sympathetic listener in this instance at least . `` Well now , I reckon it 's going to be a pretty good concert . And I expect you 'll do your part fine , '' he said , smiling down into her eager , vivacious little face . Anne smiled back at him . Those two were the best of friends and Matthew thanked his stars many a time and oft that he had nothing to do with bringing her up . That was Marilla 's exclusive duty ; if it had been his he would have been worried over frequent conflicts between inclination and said duty . As it was , he was free to , `` spoil Anne '' -- Marilla 's phrasing -- as much as he liked . But it was not such a bad arrangement after all ; a little `` appreciation '' sometimes does quite as much good as all the conscientious `` bringing up '' in the world . CHAPTER XXV . Matthew Insists on Puffed Sleeves Matthew was having a bad ten minutes of it . He had come into the kitchen , in the twilight of a cold , gray December evening , and had sat down in the woodbox corner to take off his heavy boots , unconscious of the fact that Anne and a bevy of her schoolmates were having a practice of `` The Fairy Queen '' in the sitting room .
Presently they came trooping XXXXX the hall and out into the kitchen , laughing and chattering gaily .
As from in into of on over that through to