Murray kissed the grey letter and put it tenderly away in his pocket . Then he took his letter to his uncle and tore it into tiny fragments . Finally he looked at his watch . `` If I hurry , I can catch the afternoon train to town , '' he said . Aunt Susanna 's Birthday Celebration Good afternoon , Nora May . I 'm real glad to see you . I 've been watching you coming down the hill and I hoping you 'd turn in at our gate . Going to visit with me this afternoon ? That 's good . I 'm feeling so happy and delighted and I 've been hankering for someone to tell it all to . Tell you about it ? Well , I guess I might as well . It ai n't any breach of confidence . You did n't know Anne Douglas ? She taught school here three years ago , afore your folks moved over from Talcott . She belonged up Montrose way and she was only eighteen when she came here to teach . She boarded with us and her and me were the greatest chums . She was just a sweet girl . She was the prettiest teacher we ever had , and that 's saying a good deal , for Springdale has always been noted for getting good-looking schoolmarms , just as Miller 's Road is noted for its humly ones . Anne had yards of brown wavy hair and big , dark blue eyes .
Her face was kind o ' pale , but when she smiled you would have XXXXX smile too , if you 'd been chief mourner at your own funeral .
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