Matthew was sitting in the kitchen when Anne and her schoolmates burst into the room.
They were laughing happily and did not see Matthew.
He watched them shyly and became aware there was something different about Anne compared to the other girls.
What was it? He could not ask Marilla.
She would say the only difference between Anne and the other girls was that they were sometimes quiet while Anne never was.
Finally Matthew knew the answer. Anne was not dressed like the other girls!
The more he thought, the more he was convinced that Anne had never been dressed like the other girls.
Marilla gave her plain, dark dresses, all in the same, unvarying style.
All the other girls wore red and blue and pink and yellow, and Anne's sleeves did not look at all like the other girls' sleeves.
"It must be all right," he thought.
Marilla knew best and Marilla was bringing her up.
But surely it would do no harm to let the child have one pretty dress—something like what Diana Barry wore.
Matthew decided that he would get one for Anne.
Christmas was only two weeks away, and a nice new dress would be the perfect present.
The next evening Matthew went to Carmody to buy the dress.
Matthew decided to go to Samuel Lawson's store instead of William Blair's store.
The Cuthberts had always gone to William Blair's store,
but William Blair's two daughters served customers there, and Matthew felt very shy around them.
He would go to Lawson's, where Samuel would serve him.
Alas! Matthew did not know that Samuel had a new female shop assistant.
Miss Harris, the new shop assistant at Lawson's store, was dressed very smartly and wore bracelets that glittered and tinkled.
Matthew was confused to see her, and all those bracelets made him even more nervous.
"How can I help you, Mr. Cuthbert?" she asked.
"Have you any . . . uh . . . garden rakes?" stammered Matthew.
Miss Harris looked surprised. It was the middle of winter and there were no leaves to be raked!
"I think we have one or two rakes left," she said, "but they're upstairs. I'll check."
Miss Harris returned with a rake and asked, "Anything else, Mr. Cuthbert?"
Matthew tried again. "Well, since you're asking, I might, um . . . buy some . . . pumpkin seeds."
Miss Harris had heard that Matthew Cuthbert was odd.
She now concluded that he was crazy.
"We only keep seeds in spring," she explained.
"Oh yes," stammered the unhappy Matthew. He paid for the rake.
While Miss Harris was counting his change, he made one last desperate attempt.
"Well now, if it isn't too much trouble . . . I might get some . . . I'd like to look at . . . some sugar."
"White or brown?" Miss Harris asked.
"Oh . . . brown," said Matthew, with beads of perspiration on his forehead.
When Matthew got home, he hid the rake in the toolshed, but he carried the sugar in to Marilla.
"Brown sugar? Why did you get that?" Marilla asked.
"You know I never use it except for the porridge or fruitcake! It's not good sugar either.
William Blair doesn't usually keep sugar like that."
"I . . . I thought it might come in handy sometime," said Matthew.
Matthew finally decided that a woman's help was needed.
Marilla was out of the question because she would surely object to the idea of a pretty dress for Anne. This left Mrs. Lynde.
Mrs. Lynde said, "You want me to pick out a dress for Anne?
Of course I will. I'm going to Carmody tomorrow.
Do you have anything in mind? No? Well, I'll use my own judgment then."
"Thank you, Rachel," mumbled Matthew. He continued.
"I'm not sure, but I'd like the sleeves to be in the new fashion."
"Puffs? Of course. I'll choose the very latest fashion."
When Matthew had gone, Mrs. Lynde said to herself, "Thank goodness that poor girl will get to wear something decent.
The way Marilla dresses her is ridiculous. But Matthew noticed it!
That man is waking up after being asleep for sixty years."
Marilla knew that something was up, but she didn't guess what it was until Mrs. Lynde brought the dress over on Christmas Eve.
"So this is why Matthew looked so mysterious." Marilla shook her head.
"Anne has three good warm dresses, and anything more is just extravagant.
There's enough material in those sleeves for another dress!
The puffs have been getting bigger and bigger; they're as big as balloons now!"
Christmas morning came. Just enough snow fell to cover everything in white. Anne ran downstairs, singing.
"Merry Christmas, Marilla! Merry Christmas, Matthew! I'm so glad it's a white Christmas.
Any other kind of Christmas doesn't seem real, does it?
Oh, Matthew, is that for me? Oh, Matthew!"
Matthew had sheepishly unfolded the dress and held it out.
Anne looked at the dress in reverent silence.
How pretty it was, with dainty frills and soft lace at the neck. But the sleeves! They were magnificent!
"It's a Christmas present for you, Anne," said Matthew shyly. "Why, why Anne, don't you like it?"
For Anne's eyes had suddenly filled with tears.
"Like it? Oh Matthew! It's exquisite. Look at those sleeves! I can never thank you enough."
"Well, let's have breakfast," interrupted Marilla. "I must say, Anne, I don't think you needed the dress.
Since Matthew has gotten it for you, make sure you take care of it."
After breakfast Diana came to the house. "I've got something for you," said Diana.
"Here, in this box. Aunt Josephine sent us a big box with many things, and this is for you."
Anne opened the box and peeked in.
There was a card with "To dear Anne, Merry Christmas" written on it, and a dainty pair of shoes.
"You won't have to borrow Ruby's shoes now.
And that's good because they're two sizes too big for you," said Diana.
"Oh, Diana," Anne exclaimed.
"This is too much—a white Christmas at Green Gables and new shoes and a new dress with puffed sleeves. What a happy day this is!"