The summer weather was delightful , and the sea air was certainly splendid . Aunt Philippa 's little farm ran right down to the shore , and I spent much of my time there . There were also several families of cousins to be visited in the farmhouses that dotted the pretty , seaward-sloping valley , and they came back to see me at `` Philippa 's Farm . '' I picked spruce gum and berries and ferns , and Aunt Philippa taught me to make butter . It was all very idyllic -- or would have been if Mark had written . But Mark did not write . I supposed he must be very angry because I had run off to Prince Edward Island without so much as a note of goodbye . But I had been so sure he would understand ! Aunt Philippa never made any further reference to the reason Father had sent me to her , but she allowed no day to pass without holding up to me some horrible example of matrimonial infelicity . The number of unhappy wives who walked or drove past `` Philippa 's Farm '' every afternoon , as we sat on the verandah , was truly pitiable . We always sat on the verandah in the afternoon , when we were not visiting or being visited . I made a pretence of fancy work , and Aunt Philippa spun diligently on a little old-fashioned spinning-wheel that had been her grandmother 's . She always sat before the wood stand which held her flowers , and the gorgeous blots of geranium blossom and big green leaves furnished a pretty background . She always wore her shapeless but clean print wrappers , and her iron-grey hair was always combed neatly down over her ears . Joseph sat between us , sleeping or purring . She spun so expertly that she could keep a close watch on the road as well , and I got the biography of every individual who went by . As for the poor young Methodist minister , who liked to read or walk on the verandah of our neighbour 's house , Aunt Philippa never had a good word for him . I had met him once or twice socially and had liked him . I wanted to ask him to call but dared not -- Aunt Philippa had vowed he should never enter her house . `` If I was dead and he came to my funeral I 'd rise up and order him out , '' she said .
`` I thought he XXXXX a very nice prayer at Mrs. Seaman 's funeral the other day , '' I said .
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