Chapter 25
The last day of school was over and Anne closed her desk drawer with a sigh. Carefully, she laid the chalk on the shelf and moved the chair to the right place. Affectionately, she looked around the empty classroom. Every day, she had stood here in front of the class and tried to teach her students something. She taught them reading, writing and arithmetic.
But she tried to teach them to take pleasure in their lives, too. To believe in yourself and to dream. Now, she would leave the children and not come back after the holidays. Another teacher would take her job.
Miss Frasier was a nice young lady with a friendly face. But she had devoted herself to other ideals from Anne. She saw things more practically and she wouldn't read fairy tales to the kids. Basically, Miss Brook was glad to have such a realistic teacher now. Often she had told Anne not to dream too much.
Anne stroked the desk the last time, stood up, and closed the door. A new time would come, now. Gilbert and she would marry and after their honeymoon they would live in a small house in Halifax. While Gilbert was working in the hospital, Anne would support the household and write her stories. Sometimes she published her short stories in the newspaper. But her dream was to publish a book.
Absent-mindedly thinking these thoughts, she walked downstairs. As she reached the hall, she saw all the children standing there. They all wanted to say good-bye to their beloved teacher. The little thick Vera stepped forward, holding a big bunch of flowers in her hands.
"We want to say good-bye, Miss Shirley. You must know we all will miss you terribly." Tears rolled down Vera's cheeks and with trembling hands she handed Anne the flowers.
"That is really nice of you all," Anne stammered and fought back tears, too. Finally she hugged every child and kissed them.
"Miss Shirley?" Peter said suddenly, in a low voice. "Will you visit us someday?"
"Of course I will visit you, as often as I can." Anne promised.
This all happened in the afternoon, now Anne sat in her room and stared at the suitcase on her bed. She had finished packing and any moment Gilbert would be coming. In the evening, they would take the ferry to PEI. In only two weeks they would marry. Actually, Anne was very happy; she couldn't wait to be Gilbert's wife. But there was a little bit of sorrow in her heart, too. It hurt to leave the children and Hopetown. She had taken Mrs. Powell to her heart and Rusty felt at home here, too.
"Rusty." she suddenly thought again. The big tomcat lay snugly on her bed, sleeping. Anne and Gilbert had planned to pick him up after their honeymoon. He would live with them together in Halifax. But Anne suddenly had doubts that Rusty would like it there. Rusty loved his tours of Hopetown. Would he like to live somewhere else? Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a car stopping in front of the house. She looked outside the window and smiled. With fast steps, she heard Gilbert coming upstairs.
The last day of school was over and Anne closed her desk drawer with a sigh. Carefully, she laid the chalk on the shelf and moved the chair to the right place. Affectionately, she looked around the empty classroom. Every day, she had stood here in front of the class and tried to teach her students something. She taught them reading, writing and arithmetic.
But she tried to teach them to take pleasure in their lives, too. To believe in yourself and to dream. Now, she would leave the children and not come back after the holidays. Another teacher would take her job.
Miss Frasier was a nice young lady with a friendly face. But she had devoted herself to other ideals from Anne. She saw things more practically and she wouldn't read fairy tales to the kids. Basically, Miss Brook was glad to have such a realistic teacher now. Often she had told Anne not to dream too much.
Anne stroked the desk the last time, stood up, and closed the door. A new time would come, now. Gilbert and she would marry and after their honeymoon they would live in a small house in Halifax. While Gilbert was working in the hospital, Anne would support the household and write her stories. Sometimes she published her short stories in the newspaper. But her dream was to publish a book.
Absent-mindedly thinking these thoughts, she walked downstairs. As she reached the hall, she saw all the children standing there. They all wanted to say good-bye to their beloved teacher. The little thick Vera stepped forward, holding a big bunch of flowers in her hands.
"We want to say good-bye, Miss Shirley. You must know we all will miss you terribly." Tears rolled down Vera's cheeks and with trembling hands she handed Anne the flowers.
"That is really nice of you all," Anne stammered and fought back tears, too. Finally she hugged every child and kissed them.
"Miss Shirley?" Peter said suddenly, in a low voice. "Will you visit us someday?"
"Of course I will visit you, as often as I can." Anne promised.
This all happened in the afternoon, now Anne sat in her room and stared at the suitcase on her bed. She had finished packing and any moment Gilbert would be coming. In the evening, they would take the ferry to PEI. In only two weeks they would marry. Actually, Anne was very happy; she couldn't wait to be Gilbert's wife. But there was a little bit of sorrow in her heart, too. It hurt to leave the children and Hopetown. She had taken Mrs. Powell to her heart and Rusty felt at home here, too.
"Rusty." she suddenly thought again. The big tomcat lay snugly on her bed, sleeping. Anne and Gilbert had planned to pick him up after their honeymoon. He would live with them together in Halifax. But Anne suddenly had doubts that Rusty would like it there. Rusty loved his tours of Hopetown. Would he like to live somewhere else? Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a car stopping in front of the house. She looked outside the window and smiled. With fast steps, she heard Gilbert coming upstairs.
