The `` Improvers , '' as they were promptly christened , were to meet once a fortnight at the homes of the members . It was admitted that they could not expect to affect many improvements so late in the season ; but they meant to plan the next summer 's campaign , collect and discuss ideas , write and read papers , and , as Anne said , educate the public sentiment generally . There was some disapproval , of course , and ... which the Improvers felt much more keenly ... a good deal of ridicule . Mr. Elisha Wright was reported to have said that a more appropriate name for the organization would be Courting Club . Mrs. Hiram Sloane declared she had heard the Improvers meant to plough up all the roadsides and set them out with geraniums . Mr. Levi Boulter warned his neighbors that the Improvers would insist that everybody pull down his house and rebuild it after plans approved by the society . Mr. James Spencer sent them word that he wished they would kindly shovel down the church hill . Eben Wright told Anne that he wished the Improvers could induce old Josiah Sloane to keep his whiskers trimmed . Mr. Lawrence Bell said he would whitewash his barns if nothing else would please them but he would NOT hang lace curtains in the cowstable windows . Mr. Major Spencer asked Clifton Sloane , an Improver who drove the milk to the Carmody cheese factory , if it was true that everybody would have to have his milk-stand hand-painted next summer and keep an embroidered centerpiece on it . In spite of ... or perhaps , human nature being what it is , because of ... this , the Society went gamely to work at the only improvement they could hope to bring about that fall . At the second meeting , in the Barry parlor , Oliver Sloane moved that they start a subscription to re-shingle and paint the hall ; Julia Bell seconded it , with an uneasy feeling that she was doing something not exactly ladylike . Gilbert put the motion , it was carried unanimously , and Anne gravely recorded it in her minutes . The next thing was to appoint a committee , and Gertie Pye , determined not to let Julia Bell carry off all the laurels , boldly moved that Miss Jane Andrews be chairman of said committee . This motion being also duly seconded and carried , Jane returned the compliment by appointing Gertie on the committee , along with Gilbert , Anne , Diana , and Fred Wright . The committee chose their routes in private conclave . Anne and Diana were told off for the Newbridge road , Gilbert and Fred for the White Sands road , and Jane and Gertie for the Carmody road . `` Because , '' explained Gilbert to Anne , as they walked home together through the Haunted Wood , `` the Pyes all live along that road and they wo n't give a cent unless one of themselves canvasses them . '' The next Saturday Anne and Diana started out . They drove to the end of the road and canvassed homeward , calling first on the `` Andrew girls . ''
`` If Catherine is alone we may get XXXXX , '' said Diana , `` but if Eliza is there we wo n't . ''
Mrs. Saturday campaign conclave fall plans road season shovel something