Dear , dear , was Irene at feud with everybody ? As for Una Meredith being hateful to anybody , the idea was so farcical that Rilla had much ado to keep from laughing in Irene 's very face . `` Miss Oliver is a beautiful pianist and can play any accompaniment at sight , '' said Rilla desperately . `` She will play for you and you could run over your songs easily tomorrow evening at Ingleside before the concert . '' `` But I have n't anything to wear . My new evening-dress is n't home from Charlottetown yet , and I simply can not wear my old one at such a big affair . It is too shabby and old-fashioned . '' `` Our concert , '' said Rilla slowly , `` is in aid of Belgian children who are starving to death . Do n't you think you could wear a shabby dress once for their sake , Irene ? '' `` Oh , do n't you think those accounts we get of the conditions of the Belgians are very much exaggerated ? '' said Irene . `` I 'm sure they ca n't be actually starving you know , in the twentieth century . The newspapers always colour things so highly . '' Rilla concluded that she had humiliated herself enough . There was such a thing as self-respect . No more coaxing , concert or no concert . She got up , boot and all . `` I am sorry you ca n't help us , Irene , but since you can not we must do the best we can . '' Now this did not suit Irene at all . She desired exceedingly to sing at that concert , and all her hesitations were merely by way of enhancing the boon of her final consent .
Besides , she really wanted XXXXX be friends with Rilla again .
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