Every snip of the scissors , as rose and peony and bluebell fell , seemed to chirp , `` Mrs. Morgan is coming today . '' Anne wondered how Mr. Harrison COULD go on placidly mowing hay in the field across the lane , just as if nothing were going to happen . The parlor at Green Gables was a rather severe and gloomy apartment , with rigid horsehair furniture , stiff lace curtains , and white antimacassars that were always laid at a perfectly correct angle , except at such times as they clung to unfortunate people 's buttons . Even Anne had never been able to infuse much grace into it , for Marilla would not permit any alterations . But it is wonderful what flowers can accomplish if you give them a fair chance ; when Anne and Diana finished with the room you would not have recognized it . A great blue bowlful of snowballs overflowed on the polished table . The shining black mantelpiece was heaped with roses and ferns . Every shelf of the what-not held a sheaf of bluebells ; the dark corners on either side of the grate were lighted up with jars full of glowing crimson peonies , and the grate itself was aflame with yellow poppies . All this splendor and color , mingled with the sunshine falling through the honeysuckle vines at the windows in a leafy riot of dancing shadows over walls and floor , made of the usually dismal little room the veritable `` bower '' of Anne 's imagination , and even extorted a tribute of admiration from Marilla , who came in to criticize and remained to praise . `` Now , we must set the table , '' said Anne , in the tone of a priestess about to perform some sacred rite in honor of a divinity . `` We 'll have a big vaseful of wild roses in the center and one single rose in front of everybody 's plate -- and a special bouquet of rosebuds only by Mrs. Morgan 's -- an allusion to ` The Rosebud Garden ' you know . '' The table was set in the sitting room , with Marilla 's finest linen and the best china , glass , and silver . You may be perfectly certain that every article placed on it was polished or scoured to the highest possible perfection of gloss and glitter . Then the girls tripped out to the kitchen , which was filled with appetizing odors emanating from the oven , where the chickens were already sizzling splendidly . Anne prepared the potatoes and Diana got the peas and beans ready . Then , while Diana shut herself into the pantry to compound the lettuce salad , Anne , whose cheeks were already beginning to glow crimson , as much with excitement as from the heat of the fire , prepared the bread sauce for the chickens , minced her onions for the soup , and finally whipped the cream for her lemon pies . And what about Davy all this time ? Was he redeeming his promise to be good ? He was , indeed . To be sure , he insisted on remaining in the kitchen , for his curiosity wanted to see all that went on .
But as he sat quietly in a corner , busily engaged in untying the knots in a piece of herring net he had brought home from his last trip to the shore , nobody objected XXXXX this .
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