I may marry somebody when I grow up but I 'm far too young to be thinking of it yet , do n't you think , teacher ? '' `` Rather young , '' agreed teacher . `` Speaking of marrying , reminds me of another thing that has been troubling me of late , '' continued Paul . `` Mrs. Lynde was down here one day last week having tea with Grandma , and Grandma made me show her my little mother 's picture ... the one father sent me for my birthday present . I did n't exactly want to show it to Mrs. Lynde . Mrs. Lynde is a good , kind woman , but she is n't the sort of person you want to show your mother 's picture to . YOU know , teacher . But of course I obeyed Grandma . Mrs. Lynde said she was very pretty but kind of actressy looking , and must have been an awful lot younger than father . Then she said , ` Some of these days your pa will be marrying again likely . How will you like to have a new ma , Master Paul ? ' Well , the idea almost took my breath away , teacher , but I was n't going to let Mrs. Lynde see THAT . I just looked her straight in the face ... like this ... and I said , ` Mrs. Lynde , father made a pretty good job of picking out my first mother and I could trust him to pick out just as good a one the second time . ' And I CAN trust him , teacher . But still , I hope , if he ever does give me a new mother , he 'll ask my opinion about her before it 's too late . There 's Mary Joe coming to call us to tea . I 'll go and consult with her about the shortbread . '' As a result of the `` consultation , '' Mary Joe cut the shortbread and added a dish of preserves to the bill of fare . Anne poured the tea and she and Paul had a very merry meal in the dim old sitting room whose windows were open to the gulf breezes , and they talked so much `` nonsense '' that Mary Joe was quite scandalized and told Veronica the next evening that `` de school mees '' was as queer as Paul . After tea Paul took Anne up to his room to show her his mother 's picture , which had been the mysterious birthday present kept by Mrs. Irving in the bookcase .
Paul 's little low-ceilinged room was a soft whirl of ruddy light from the sun that was setting over the sea and swinging shadows from the fir trees that grew close XXXXX the square , deep-set window .
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