Mr. James Spencer sent them word that he wished they would kindly shovel down the church hill . Eben Wright told Anne that he wished the Improvers could induce old Josiah Sloane to keep his whiskers trimmed . Mr. Lawrence Bell said he would whitewash his barns if nothing else would please them but he would NOT hang lace curtains in the cowstable windows . Mr. Major Spencer asked Clifton Sloane , an Improver who drove the milk to the Carmody cheese factory , if it was true that everybody would have to have his milk-stand hand-painted next summer and keep an embroidered centerpiece on it . In spite of ... or perhaps , human nature being what it is , because of ... this , the Society went gamely to work at the only improvement they could hope to bring about that fall . At the second meeting , in the Barry parlor , Oliver Sloane moved that they start a subscription to re-shingle and paint the hall ; Julia Bell seconded it , with an uneasy feeling that she was doing something not exactly ladylike . Gilbert put the motion , it was carried unanimously , and Anne gravely recorded it in her minutes . The next thing was to appoint a committee , and Gertie Pye , determined not to let Julia Bell carry off all the laurels , boldly moved that Miss Jane Andrews be chairman of said committee . This motion being also duly seconded and carried , Jane returned the compliment by appointing Gertie on the committee , along with Gilbert , Anne , Diana , and Fred Wright . The committee chose their routes in private conclave . Anne and Diana were told off for the Newbridge road , Gilbert and Fred for the White Sands road , and Jane and Gertie for the Carmody road . `` Because , '' explained Gilbert to Anne , as they walked home together through the Haunted Wood , `` the Pyes all live along that road and they wo n't give a cent unless one of themselves canvasses them . '' The next Saturday Anne and Diana started out . They drove to the end of the road and canvassed homeward , calling first on the `` Andrew girls . '' `` If Catherine is alone we may get something , '' said Diana , `` but if Eliza is there we wo n't . '' Eliza was there ... very much so ... and looked even grimmer than usual . Miss Eliza was one of those people who give you the impression that life is indeed a vale of tears , and that a smile , never to speak of a laugh , is a waste of nervous energy truly reprehensible . The Andrew girls had been `` girls '' for fifty odd years and seemed likely to remain girls to the end of their earthly pilgrimage . Catherine , it was said , had not entirely given up hope , but Eliza , who was born a pessimist , had never had any . They lived in a little brown house built in a sunny corner scooped out of Mark Andrew 's beech woods .
Eliza complained that it was terrible hot in summer , but Catherine was wont XXXXX say it was lovely and warm in winter .
Because if of on so than that to unless with