`` Oh , Marilla , I wonder what he says about them . '' `` The best plan might be to open it and see , '' said Marilla curtly . A close observer might have thought that she was excited also , but she would rather have died than show it . Anne tore open the letter and glanced over the somewhat untidy and poorly written contents . `` He says he ca n't take the children this spring ... he 's been sick most of the winter and his wedding is put off . He wants to know if we can keep them till the fall and he 'll try and take them then . We will , of course , wo n't we Marilla ? '' `` I do n't see that there is anything else for us to do , '' said Marilla rather grimly , although she felt a secret relief . `` Anyhow they 're not so much trouble as they were ... or else we 've got used to them . Davy has improved a great deal . '' `` His MANNERS are certainly much better , '' said Anne cautiously , as if she were not prepared to say as much for his morals . Anne had come home from school the previous evening , to find Marilla away at an Aid meeting , Dora asleep on the kitchen sofa , and Davy in the sitting room closet , blissfully absorbing the contents of a jar of Marilla 's famous yellow plum preserves ... `` company jam , '' Davy called it ... which he had been forbidden to touch . He looked very guilty when Anne pounced on him and whisked him out of the closet . `` Davy Keith , do n't you know that it is very wrong of you to be eating that jam , when you were told never to meddle with anything in THAT closet ? '' `` Yes , I knew it was wrong , '' admitted Davy uncomfortably , `` but plum jam is awful nice , Anne . I just peeped in and it looked so good I thought I 'd take just a weeny taste . I stuck my finger in ... '' Anne groaned ... `` and licked it clean . And it was so much gooder than I 'd ever thought that I got a spoon and just SAILED IN . '' Anne gave him such a serious lecture on the sin of stealing plum jam that Davy became conscience stricken and promised with repentant kisses never to do it again . `` Anyhow , there 'll be plenty of jam in heaven , that 's one comfort , '' he said complacently .
Anne nipped a smile XXXXX the bud .
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