easure to
Philippa Gordon. Philippa was the daughter of a rich and well-known man,
and belonged to an old and exclusive "Bluenose" family. This, combined
with her beauty and charm--a charm acknowledged by all who met
her--promptly opened the gates of all cliques, clubs and classes in
Redmond to her; and where she went Anne and Priscilla went, too. Phil
"adored" Anne and Priscilla, especially Anne. She was a loyal little
soul, crystal-free from any form of snobbishness. "Love me, love my
friends" seemed to be her unconscious motto. Without effort, she took
them with her into her ever widening circle of acquaintanceship, and the
two Avonlea girls found their social pathway at Redmond made very
easy and pleasant for them, to the envy and wonderment of the other
freshettes, who, lacking Philippa's sponsorship, were doomed to remain
rather on the fringe of things during their first college year.

To Anne and Priscilla, with their more serious views of life, Phil
remained the amusing, lovable baby she had seemed on their first
meeting. Yet, as she said herself, she had "heaps" of brains. When or
where she found time to study was a mystery, for she seemed always in
demand for some kind of "fun," and her home evenings were crowded
with callers. She had all the "beaux" that heart could desire, for
nine-tenths of the Freshmen and a big fraction of all the other classes
were rivals for her smiles. She was naively delighted over this, and
gleefully recounted each new conquest to Anne and Priscilla, with
comments that might have made the unlucky lover's ears burn fiercely.

"Alec and Alonzo don't seem to have any serious rival yet," remarked
Anne, teasingly.

"Not one," agreed Philippa. "I write them both every week and tell
them all about my young men here. I'm sure it must amuse them. But, of
course, the one I like best I can't get. Gilbert Blythe won't take any
notice of me, except to look at me as if I were a nice little kitten
he'd like to pat. Too well I know the reason. I owe you a grudge, Queen
Anne. I really ought to hate you and instead I love you madly, and I'm
miserable if I don't see you every day. You're different from any girl
I ever knew before. When you look at me in a certain way I feel what an
insignificant, frivolous little beast I am, and I long to be better
and wiser and stronger. And then I make good resolutions; but the first
nice-looking mannie who comes my way knocks them all out of my head.
Isn't colleg