She thought sadly of HER `` little mother , '' the mother who had thought her so `` perfectly beautiful '' and who had died so long ago and was buried beside her boyish husband in that unvisited grave far away . Anne could not remember her mother and for this reason she almost envied Paul . `` My birthday is next week , '' said Paul , as they walked up the long red hill , basking in the June sunshine , `` and father wrote me that he is sending me something that he thinks I 'll like better than anything else he could send . I believe it has come already , for Grandma is keeping the bookcase drawer locked and that is something new . And when I asked her why , she just looked mysterious and said little boys must n't be too curious . It 's very exciting to have a birthday , is n't it ? I 'll be eleven . You 'd never think it to look at me , would you ? Grandma says I 'm very small for my age and that it 's all because I do n't eat enough porridge . I do my very best , but Grandma gives such generous platefuls ... there 's nothing mean about Grandma , I can tell you . Ever since you and I had that talk about praying going home from Sunday School that day , teacher ... when you said we ought to pray about all our difficulties ... I 've prayed every night that God would give me enough grace to enable me to eat every bit of my porridge in the mornings . But I 've never been able to do it yet , and whether it 's because I have too little grace or too much porridge I really ca n't decide . Grandma says father was brought up on porridge , and it certainly did work well in his case , for you ought to see the shoulders he has . But sometimes , '' concluded Paul with a sigh and a meditative air `` I really think porridge will be the death of me . '' Anne permitted herself a smile , since Paul was not looking at her . All Avonlea knew that old Mrs. Irving was bringing her grandson up in accordance with the good , old-fashioned methods of diet and morals . `` Let us hope not , dear , '' she said cheerfully . `` How are your rock people coming on ? Does the oldest Twin still continue to behave himself ? '' `` He HAS to , '' said Paul emphatically .
`` He knows I wo n't associate XXXXX him if he does n't .
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