Chapter 25 Summary

Matthew shyly watches Anne among her friends as they put on caps and jackets. Unsure of how but being sure of it just the same, Matthew notices that Anne is unlike her friends in some respect. After much reflection and two hours of smoking his pipe, Matthew hits on it: Anne was dressed differently than other girls due to Marilla keeping "her so plainly and soberly gowned." Matthew resolves to give Anne a dress for Christmas. Flustered in his attempt to shop for a dress, coming home with twenty pounds of brown sugar and a garden rake in its stead, Matthew petitions Mrs. Lynde to make a dress "in the new way." Mrs. Lynde is pleased to make the dress, having noticed the plain style of dress that Marilla makes for Anne. The woman is touched that Matthew would be the one to...