Chapter Twelve
"Got everything? We've got to hurry. Father wants to make it back to Avonlea today," Sara grabbed Anne's last trunk and set it in the back of the buggy. It was early morning in September and they were getting ready to leave for Charlottetown and Queens. The summer had flown past quite quickly with preparations and extra studying and packing. And now the important day was here. That long-awaited day that Sara dreamed of many a sunny morning. Anne climbed up next to Sara after saying tearful good-byes to Marilla and Matthew. Sara had done hers earlier before the break of dawn, kissing the foreheads of all her sleeping siblings and a warm hug from her mother. They started off through the mist and glow of sunrise.
"I've often dreamed of this moment," Sara reflected, looking longingly behind them as they crossed over the Island's red cliffs, "It seemed so wonderful then, but now that it's here, I can't bear the thought of leaving."
"I suppose since you've lived here longer than I have, I can't exactly feel the way you do. But I shall miss just as much." Anne agreed, following Sara's gaze towards the fiery horizon.
"It's lucky that we're able to board together, Jane and Ruby are boarding with relatives, but Josie is still trying to find board."
"Well, I hope she doesn't find our boarding house to be a comfortable one, I don't know whether someone as disagreeable as her could be livable."
"You can't really tell if a person's livable or not unless you've summered and wintered with them, I guess."
"Well, Sara, I guess we'll find out, won't we? I mean, you are livable, aren't you?"
"As aforesaid, you haven't summered and wintered with me yet."
Looking back, that ride had seemed incredibly fast. But the anticipation during it made it seem much slower at the time. Once at Charlottetown, the girls said their farewells to Mr. Holbrook and set up the stairs to their house that they'd be boarding in for the one year. Miss Josephine Holbrook had specifically requested that boarding house for the two eager, young girls.
"The lady has kept many, many students there and she's never lost one of them yet," Aunt Jo had told her niece.
"Then maybe we'll be the first," Sara swallowed and looked up at the old- fashioned building. When they went inside, the mistress showed them upstairs to their rooms. Sara's room was small and pretty with flowered wallpaper and muslin curtains. The bed, she found, was amazingly comfortable for a boarding room. Next to the bed was a tiny desk and a washstand with pitcher and cloth included. And underneath the window, Sara trembled with joy, was a window seat with plushy cushions. Sara dropped her things and leapt over to the seat and flung herself upon it. It was even more comfortable than the one she had at home. The window looked out over the street and beyond was a lovely park with benches and a pond in the middle. Over the little stream, there was a rustic bridge. Oh, this was pure Providence! Either that or she had remarkable stroke of luck.
On the first day of classes, Sara and Anne took a carriage to the grounds and examined their schedules.
"My first class is English with Professor Ashing." Sara looked up from her schedule.
"And me as well," Anne exclaimed. Sara grinned.
"Oh, good, I was afraid I wouldn't know anyone because Josie, Jane and Ruby haven't got that class."
As she was finishing her sentence, the three girls appeared in person from behind. The group exchanged greetings and began in one large procession towards the school.
"I really wish you two had taken the two year course. The one year is supposedly much harder," Jane addressed Anne and Sara. Miss Stacey had suggested that Anne Shirley, Sara Holbrook, Gilbert Blythe, and Charlie Sloane take the teacher's course in one year instead of two. The first three had excepted, but the latter had not been able.
"I was afraid I mightn't been able to do two years," Sara said and Anne nodded in agreement.
"I don't care if I don't pass, my father can afford to send me back," Josie replied. There was a pregnant pause.
Quickly changing the subject, Ruby said, "Have you seen my French professor? He is simply a dream. He has the cutest moustache."
The girls made their way up the steps and departed in the front hall, Sara and Anne trooping off to the farthest corridor. They entered the large classroom, filling slowly with students and sat down in two seats in the back. Sara noticed Gilbert sitting up towards the front, chatting with a boy she'd never seen before. She gazed around at the other students filing into the rows of desks. There was one girl over by the window, with her chin in her hand and mind, no doubt, was not in the classroom. She had long brown curls and rosy cheeks. Her livid brown eyes were big and dreamy as she gazed out the window.
"Anne. Do you see that girl over there? With the brown hair and the look of a star-struck dreamer."
"Yes, I noticed her yesterday at orientation. She's got to be the prettiest girl I've seen yet. Do you think she's a kindred spirit?"
"Anyone with eyes like that must be a kindred spirit."
"I was also looking at the girl behind the boy with the red hair. Near the professor's desk. With the dark brown hair. She looks as if she just stepped out of fairyland, with those lovely pointed ears and big green eyes."
"Oh, I see her now, I quite agree. She must be a member of some distant elfland."
After the speculating of peers, the class began. That first day was full of excitement and new experiences. Sara found herself almost walking into the boy's dressing room, then realized she was completely lost after coming out of an algebra class. Anne and Sara later found out that the girl with brown hair and rosy cheeks was Priscilla Grant and the "elf-eared" girl was Stella Maynard. They found Priscilla to be a wonderful friend, full of zest, spirit, mischief and fun. Stella had the air of one full of wistful little dreams waiting to blossom. With both of these girls, Sara and Anne became very intimate. Autumn passed in rough east winds of rain and cloud. Winter passed drearily, filled with the strain of studying as well as social venues.
But both Anne and Sara found the time to visit home on the weekends. On February break, Priscilla and Stella came home with them, Priscilla to Green Gables and Stella to Holbrook farm. They had a merry two weeks of snowy twilight romps, laughter, and stories.
And Sara kept up her writing. When March came around and both the girls were fifteen, Sara had been considering sending some of her poems in for publication. Anne welcomed the idea excitedly.
"Just think, Sara. If this comes through, I'll be the best friend of a famous author," Anne had said when Sara confessed her author thoughts. Though she did have struggles along the way. The first poem she sent out, to The Woman's Weekly, was sent back so quickly, she almost gave up right then. Anne encouraged her saying she should probably send things to smaller magazines at first, then work up from there. Sara tried several local papers, all coming back with a big fat envelope, which meant that there was a rejection slip in it. Sara could tell when it was sent back because the envelopes were always fat. She began to dread the coming of another envelope, it meant failure once again. She couldn't tell why she kept on sending them, but every week she'd take a walk across the park and slip a thin envelope into the mailbox.
Then, on a bright April morning, coming into her little room after the last class of the day, Sara saw a thin white envelope on the tiny desk. Her hands went cold and she rushed over to the spindly chair and sat down rather clumsily. With trembling fingers, she slit open the package and pulled the paper inside.
Dear Miss Holbrook, (she read),
We are pleased to inform you that your charming poem, "Owl's Laughter," has been chosen for publication in this week's "Plant World." Thank you for your contribution. We look forward to seeing more of your work.
Sincerely yours,
Editor of "Plant World"
And a list of editors followed. Sara had to control herself from screaming out loud. "We look forward to seeing more of your work." Oh, isn't this a huge step on her Alpine Path. Sara ran into Anne's room, clutching the letter in her hands. Following Sara's reaction, though more thorough, Anne yelled out joyfully. "Oh, Sara this is splendid! I can't wait to tell the others, they'll be so proud of you! I'm proud of you. Sara, you did it. You're just one less step away to becoming a real author. It's so wonderful." On that note of praise, Sara went to bed, dreaming sweet, hopeful dreams.
Everyone, of course, was certainly proud of Sara. She got many congratulations during the following day. Even Gilbert and Charlie didn't hesitate to send happy praise. Gilbert had looked rather weary, Sara noticed, when he shook her hand. Anne had kept up her rivalry with him, but she had not mentioned her ignorance to him in months. Sara wondered and asked Anne about it that evening.
"Oh, I don't know. Something's just gone out of it, I suppose. Do you remember when we played the lily maid last summer with Ruby and Jane and I was Elaine, who floated down to "Camelot" on your father's dory? And the dory sprung a leak and it sank and I was clinging on to the bridge and Gilbert came and rescued me? Well, when we pulled to shore, I of course, was holding my head high and didn't let him take my hand as I stepped out. When we were on the grass, he asked for my friendship because the silly grudge had gone on for long enough. I was kind of uneasy; I wasn't sure how I felt towards him anymore. But of course, that little droplet of anger left in me got the better of me and I told him I'd never forgive him. And he stormed off saying he'd never ask me to be friends again. That's all, I guess. I've just been up with this rivalry to satisfy myself. But I'm not sure if I could ever go up to him and admit I was wrong."
Sara nodded and left the room, shaking her head all the way down the hall, sorry she had asked.
Spring flowered beautifully in the little park outside Sara's window, and it flowered all over the grounds of Queens, it blossomed out at Aunt Josephine's front lawn, but it flowered the most in Sara's little room. Her pen burst of phrases and rhyme, words and romance. "Plant World" was glad to take her sketches into their pages, as well as "Canada, Our Modern World," as well as "Quilting and Craft", but the best, by far, was "Charlottetown Daily News." Every day, this newspaper was sent to every citizen of the town and Sara's poems were nearly always on the "Writer's Corner" page. Anne was ecstatic of Sara's achievements. The Alpine Path certainly looked like an easy climb now. Occasionally, of course, she'd get those fat envelopes, but they no longer bothered her because her head was in the clouds.
Graduation loomed nearer like a big cloud of fog. Anne was to read her essay from English class and Gilbert was to receive the Gold Medal. Sara had won the Avery Scholarship. The Avery Scholarship was a free admission for three years at Redmond College. Anne had been a close second, but had decided to go to Redmond College anyway. So had Gilbert, Charlie and Moody. For graduation, Sara had bought a filmy blue material to make up during the weekend at home. Anne had gotten something similar, but a pale green. When the day finally came, Sara stood nervously in front of her mirror with Anne behind her tying her sash.
"I'm so afraid I'll make a fool of myself. I'll probably trip on the way to the platform and rip up the hem of this dress."
"I'm going to do your hair in the new pompadour style, it looks so becoming on you," Anne said taking a brush from the bedside table.
"Anne, aren't you the least bit nervous for this?" Sara asked, anxious.
"Oh, that would be the normal reaction to any of these things. But really, it's like our next step to becoming full-fledged women. And besides, in three years we'll go to Redmond and become BA's. Won't that exciting? This graduation ceremony is going to be wonderful and thrilling, whether you fall on your face or not."
Sara sighed and looked back at her reflection. The face had not changed much, the blond locks still fell softly about her face and her eyes were still blue-gray, but there was something different. There was no longer a child staring back at her, but a tall girl of fifteen, a much wiser one for that matter and Sara realized that Anne was right.
The night passed in a splendor of thrills. The entire Holbrook family sat proudly beside Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Sara gracefully accepted her award and didn't tread on her dress. Anne looked beautiful, standing up at the podium, reading her essay. Sara looked over at Gilbert, who was looking up at the bright face with the big starry eyes and now rather auburn hair and Sara smiled.
"Got everything? We've got to hurry. Father wants to make it back to Avonlea today," Sara grabbed Anne's last trunk and set it in the back of the buggy. It was early morning in September and they were getting ready to leave for Charlottetown and Queens. The summer had flown past quite quickly with preparations and extra studying and packing. And now the important day was here. That long-awaited day that Sara dreamed of many a sunny morning. Anne climbed up next to Sara after saying tearful good-byes to Marilla and Matthew. Sara had done hers earlier before the break of dawn, kissing the foreheads of all her sleeping siblings and a warm hug from her mother. They started off through the mist and glow of sunrise.
"I've often dreamed of this moment," Sara reflected, looking longingly behind them as they crossed over the Island's red cliffs, "It seemed so wonderful then, but now that it's here, I can't bear the thought of leaving."
"I suppose since you've lived here longer than I have, I can't exactly feel the way you do. But I shall miss just as much." Anne agreed, following Sara's gaze towards the fiery horizon.
"It's lucky that we're able to board together, Jane and Ruby are boarding with relatives, but Josie is still trying to find board."
"Well, I hope she doesn't find our boarding house to be a comfortable one, I don't know whether someone as disagreeable as her could be livable."
"You can't really tell if a person's livable or not unless you've summered and wintered with them, I guess."
"Well, Sara, I guess we'll find out, won't we? I mean, you are livable, aren't you?"
"As aforesaid, you haven't summered and wintered with me yet."
Looking back, that ride had seemed incredibly fast. But the anticipation during it made it seem much slower at the time. Once at Charlottetown, the girls said their farewells to Mr. Holbrook and set up the stairs to their house that they'd be boarding in for the one year. Miss Josephine Holbrook had specifically requested that boarding house for the two eager, young girls.
"The lady has kept many, many students there and she's never lost one of them yet," Aunt Jo had told her niece.
"Then maybe we'll be the first," Sara swallowed and looked up at the old- fashioned building. When they went inside, the mistress showed them upstairs to their rooms. Sara's room was small and pretty with flowered wallpaper and muslin curtains. The bed, she found, was amazingly comfortable for a boarding room. Next to the bed was a tiny desk and a washstand with pitcher and cloth included. And underneath the window, Sara trembled with joy, was a window seat with plushy cushions. Sara dropped her things and leapt over to the seat and flung herself upon it. It was even more comfortable than the one she had at home. The window looked out over the street and beyond was a lovely park with benches and a pond in the middle. Over the little stream, there was a rustic bridge. Oh, this was pure Providence! Either that or she had remarkable stroke of luck.
On the first day of classes, Sara and Anne took a carriage to the grounds and examined their schedules.
"My first class is English with Professor Ashing." Sara looked up from her schedule.
"And me as well," Anne exclaimed. Sara grinned.
"Oh, good, I was afraid I wouldn't know anyone because Josie, Jane and Ruby haven't got that class."
As she was finishing her sentence, the three girls appeared in person from behind. The group exchanged greetings and began in one large procession towards the school.
"I really wish you two had taken the two year course. The one year is supposedly much harder," Jane addressed Anne and Sara. Miss Stacey had suggested that Anne Shirley, Sara Holbrook, Gilbert Blythe, and Charlie Sloane take the teacher's course in one year instead of two. The first three had excepted, but the latter had not been able.
"I was afraid I mightn't been able to do two years," Sara said and Anne nodded in agreement.
"I don't care if I don't pass, my father can afford to send me back," Josie replied. There was a pregnant pause.
Quickly changing the subject, Ruby said, "Have you seen my French professor? He is simply a dream. He has the cutest moustache."
The girls made their way up the steps and departed in the front hall, Sara and Anne trooping off to the farthest corridor. They entered the large classroom, filling slowly with students and sat down in two seats in the back. Sara noticed Gilbert sitting up towards the front, chatting with a boy she'd never seen before. She gazed around at the other students filing into the rows of desks. There was one girl over by the window, with her chin in her hand and mind, no doubt, was not in the classroom. She had long brown curls and rosy cheeks. Her livid brown eyes were big and dreamy as she gazed out the window.
"Anne. Do you see that girl over there? With the brown hair and the look of a star-struck dreamer."
"Yes, I noticed her yesterday at orientation. She's got to be the prettiest girl I've seen yet. Do you think she's a kindred spirit?"
"Anyone with eyes like that must be a kindred spirit."
"I was also looking at the girl behind the boy with the red hair. Near the professor's desk. With the dark brown hair. She looks as if she just stepped out of fairyland, with those lovely pointed ears and big green eyes."
"Oh, I see her now, I quite agree. She must be a member of some distant elfland."
After the speculating of peers, the class began. That first day was full of excitement and new experiences. Sara found herself almost walking into the boy's dressing room, then realized she was completely lost after coming out of an algebra class. Anne and Sara later found out that the girl with brown hair and rosy cheeks was Priscilla Grant and the "elf-eared" girl was Stella Maynard. They found Priscilla to be a wonderful friend, full of zest, spirit, mischief and fun. Stella had the air of one full of wistful little dreams waiting to blossom. With both of these girls, Sara and Anne became very intimate. Autumn passed in rough east winds of rain and cloud. Winter passed drearily, filled with the strain of studying as well as social venues.
But both Anne and Sara found the time to visit home on the weekends. On February break, Priscilla and Stella came home with them, Priscilla to Green Gables and Stella to Holbrook farm. They had a merry two weeks of snowy twilight romps, laughter, and stories.
And Sara kept up her writing. When March came around and both the girls were fifteen, Sara had been considering sending some of her poems in for publication. Anne welcomed the idea excitedly.
"Just think, Sara. If this comes through, I'll be the best friend of a famous author," Anne had said when Sara confessed her author thoughts. Though she did have struggles along the way. The first poem she sent out, to The Woman's Weekly, was sent back so quickly, she almost gave up right then. Anne encouraged her saying she should probably send things to smaller magazines at first, then work up from there. Sara tried several local papers, all coming back with a big fat envelope, which meant that there was a rejection slip in it. Sara could tell when it was sent back because the envelopes were always fat. She began to dread the coming of another envelope, it meant failure once again. She couldn't tell why she kept on sending them, but every week she'd take a walk across the park and slip a thin envelope into the mailbox.
Then, on a bright April morning, coming into her little room after the last class of the day, Sara saw a thin white envelope on the tiny desk. Her hands went cold and she rushed over to the spindly chair and sat down rather clumsily. With trembling fingers, she slit open the package and pulled the paper inside.
Dear Miss Holbrook, (she read),
We are pleased to inform you that your charming poem, "Owl's Laughter," has been chosen for publication in this week's "Plant World." Thank you for your contribution. We look forward to seeing more of your work.
Sincerely yours,
Editor of "Plant World"
And a list of editors followed. Sara had to control herself from screaming out loud. "We look forward to seeing more of your work." Oh, isn't this a huge step on her Alpine Path. Sara ran into Anne's room, clutching the letter in her hands. Following Sara's reaction, though more thorough, Anne yelled out joyfully. "Oh, Sara this is splendid! I can't wait to tell the others, they'll be so proud of you! I'm proud of you. Sara, you did it. You're just one less step away to becoming a real author. It's so wonderful." On that note of praise, Sara went to bed, dreaming sweet, hopeful dreams.
Everyone, of course, was certainly proud of Sara. She got many congratulations during the following day. Even Gilbert and Charlie didn't hesitate to send happy praise. Gilbert had looked rather weary, Sara noticed, when he shook her hand. Anne had kept up her rivalry with him, but she had not mentioned her ignorance to him in months. Sara wondered and asked Anne about it that evening.
"Oh, I don't know. Something's just gone out of it, I suppose. Do you remember when we played the lily maid last summer with Ruby and Jane and I was Elaine, who floated down to "Camelot" on your father's dory? And the dory sprung a leak and it sank and I was clinging on to the bridge and Gilbert came and rescued me? Well, when we pulled to shore, I of course, was holding my head high and didn't let him take my hand as I stepped out. When we were on the grass, he asked for my friendship because the silly grudge had gone on for long enough. I was kind of uneasy; I wasn't sure how I felt towards him anymore. But of course, that little droplet of anger left in me got the better of me and I told him I'd never forgive him. And he stormed off saying he'd never ask me to be friends again. That's all, I guess. I've just been up with this rivalry to satisfy myself. But I'm not sure if I could ever go up to him and admit I was wrong."
Sara nodded and left the room, shaking her head all the way down the hall, sorry she had asked.
Spring flowered beautifully in the little park outside Sara's window, and it flowered all over the grounds of Queens, it blossomed out at Aunt Josephine's front lawn, but it flowered the most in Sara's little room. Her pen burst of phrases and rhyme, words and romance. "Plant World" was glad to take her sketches into their pages, as well as "Canada, Our Modern World," as well as "Quilting and Craft", but the best, by far, was "Charlottetown Daily News." Every day, this newspaper was sent to every citizen of the town and Sara's poems were nearly always on the "Writer's Corner" page. Anne was ecstatic of Sara's achievements. The Alpine Path certainly looked like an easy climb now. Occasionally, of course, she'd get those fat envelopes, but they no longer bothered her because her head was in the clouds.
Graduation loomed nearer like a big cloud of fog. Anne was to read her essay from English class and Gilbert was to receive the Gold Medal. Sara had won the Avery Scholarship. The Avery Scholarship was a free admission for three years at Redmond College. Anne had been a close second, but had decided to go to Redmond College anyway. So had Gilbert, Charlie and Moody. For graduation, Sara had bought a filmy blue material to make up during the weekend at home. Anne had gotten something similar, but a pale green. When the day finally came, Sara stood nervously in front of her mirror with Anne behind her tying her sash.
"I'm so afraid I'll make a fool of myself. I'll probably trip on the way to the platform and rip up the hem of this dress."
"I'm going to do your hair in the new pompadour style, it looks so becoming on you," Anne said taking a brush from the bedside table.
"Anne, aren't you the least bit nervous for this?" Sara asked, anxious.
"Oh, that would be the normal reaction to any of these things. But really, it's like our next step to becoming full-fledged women. And besides, in three years we'll go to Redmond and become BA's. Won't that exciting? This graduation ceremony is going to be wonderful and thrilling, whether you fall on your face or not."
Sara sighed and looked back at her reflection. The face had not changed much, the blond locks still fell softly about her face and her eyes were still blue-gray, but there was something different. There was no longer a child staring back at her, but a tall girl of fifteen, a much wiser one for that matter and Sara realized that Anne was right.
The night passed in a splendor of thrills. The entire Holbrook family sat proudly beside Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Sara gracefully accepted her award and didn't tread on her dress. Anne looked beautiful, standing up at the podium, reading her essay. Sara looked over at Gilbert, who was looking up at the bright face with the big starry eyes and now rather auburn hair and Sara smiled.
