10 Anne Of Avonlea: Read By Stephanie Poppins

Hello.

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

Your go-to romantic podcast that guarantees you a calm and entertaining transition into a great night's sleep.

Come with me as we immerse ourselves in a romantic journey to a time long since forgotten.

But before we begin,

Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.

That's it.

Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.

Happy listening.

Anne of Avonlea This is the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series.

I am delighted to present to you Anne as she has now grown up into an elegant teenager.

Come with me as we hear all the trials and tribulations as she continues on her journey to womanhood.

Chapter 10,

Davy in search of a sensation.

Davy in search of a sensation.

Anne walking home from school through the Birch Path one November afternoon felt convinced afresh that life was a very wonderful thing.

The day had been a good day.

All had gone well in her little kingdom.

St.

Clair Dong had not fought any of the other boys over the question of his name.

Prilly Rogerson's face had been so puffed up from the effects of toothache she did not once try to coquette with the little boys in her vicinity.

Barbara Shaw had met with only one accident,

Spilling a dipper of water over the floor and Anthony Pye had not been in school at all.

What a nice month this November has been,

Said Anne,

Who had never quite got over her childish habit of talking to herself.

November is usually such a disagreeable month,

As if the year had suddenly found out she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it.

This year is growing old gracefully,

Just like a stately old lady who knows she can be charming,

Even with grey hair and wrinkles.

We've had lovely days and delicious twilights.

This last fortnight has been so peaceful and even Davey's been almost well behaved.

I really think he's improving a great deal.

How quiet the woods are today,

Not a murmur except that soft wind purring in the treetops.

It sounds like surf on a faraway shore.

How dear the woods are,

You beautiful trees.

I love every one of you as a friend.

Anne paused to throw her arm about a slim young birch and kiss its cream white trunk.

Diana,

Rounding a curve in the path,

Saw her and laughed.

Anne Shirley,

You're only pretending to be grown up.

I believe when you're alone you're as much a little girl as ever you were.

Well,

One can't get over the habit of being a little girl all at once,

Said Anne gaily.

You see,

I was little for 14 years and I've only been grown up for scarcely three.

I'm sure I should always feel like a child in the woods.

These walks home from school are almost the only time I have for dreaming,

Except the half hour or so before I go to sleep.

I'm so busy with teaching and studying and helping Marilla with the twins,

I haven't another moment for imagining things.

You don't know what splendid adventures I have for a little while after I go to bed in the East Gable.

I always imagine I'm something very brilliant and triumphant and splendid,

A great prima donna or a Red Cross nurse or a queen.

Last night I was a queen.

It's really splendid to imagine you're a queen.

You have all the fun of it without any of the inconvenience and you can stop being a queen whenever you want,

Which you couldn't in real life.

But here in the woods I like best to imagine quite different things.

I'm a dry head living in an old pine or a little brown wood elf hiding under a crinkled leaf.

That white birch you caught me kissing is a sister of mine.

The only difference is she's a tree and I'm a girl,

But that's no real difference.

Where are you going,

Diana?

Down to the Dixons.

I promised to help Alberta cut out her new dress.

Can't you walk down in the evening,

Anne,

And come home with me?

I might,

Since Fred writes away in town,

Said Anne with a rather too innocent face.

Diana blushed,

Tossed her head and walked on.

She did not look offended,

However.

Anne fully intended to go down to the Dixons that evening,

But she did not.

When she arrived at Green Gables,

She found a state of affairs which banished every other thought from her mind.

Marilla met her in the yard.

A wide-eyed Marilla.

Anne,

Dora is lost.

Dora?

Lost?

Anne looked at Davy,

Who was swinging on the yard gate,

And detected merriment in his eyes.

Davy,

Do you know where she is?

No,

I don't,

Said Davy stoutly.

I haven't seen her since dinner time,

Cross my heart.

I've been away ever since one o'clock,

Said Marilla.

Thomas Lynn took sick all of a sudden,

And Rachel sent up for me to go at once.

When I left here,

Dora was playing with her doll in the kitchen,

And Davy was making mud pies behind the bar.

I only got home half an hour ago,

And no Dora to be seen.

Davy declares he never saw her since I left.

Neither I did,

Avowed Davy solemnly.

She must be somewhere around,

Said Anne.

She'd never wander far away alone.

You know how timid she is.

Perhaps she's fallen asleep in one of the rooms.

Marilla shook her head.

I've hunted the whole house through,

But she may be in some other buildings.

A thorough search followed.

Every corner of house,

Yard and outbuildings was ransacked by those two distracted people.

Anne roved the orchards and the haunted wood,

Calling Dora's name.

Marilla took a candle and explored the cellar.

Davy accompanied each of them in turn,

And was fertile in thinking of places where Dora could possibly be.

Finally they met again in the yard.

It's a most mysterious thing,

Groaned Marilla.

Where can she be?

Said Anne miserably.

Maybe she's tumbled into the well,

Suggested Davy cheerfully.

Anne and Marilla looked fearfully into each other's eyes.

The thought had been with them both through their entire search,

But neither had dared to put it into words.

She might have,

Whispered Marilla.

Anne,

Feeling faint and sick,

Went to the wellbox and peered over.

The bucket sat on the shelf inside.

Far down below was a tiny glimmer of still water.

The cuff but well was the deepest in Avonlea.

If Dora,

But Anne could not face the idea,

She shuddered and turned away.

Run across for Mr Harrison,

Said Marilla,

Wringing her hands.

Mr Harrison and John Henry are both away,

Replied Anne.

They went to town today.

I'll go for Mr Barry.

She came back with Mr Barry,

Carrying a coil of rope to which was attached a claw-like instrument that had been the business end of a grubbing fork.

Marilla and Anne stood by,

Cold and shaken with horror and dread,

While Mr Barry dragged the well,

And Davy,

Astride the gate,

Watched the group with a face indicative of huge enjoyment.

Finally,

Mr Barry shook his head,

With a relieved air.

She can't be down there.

It's a mighty curious thing where she could have got to,

Though.

Look here,

Young man,

Are you sure you've no idea where your sister is?

I've told you a dozen times I haven't,

Said Davy,

With an injured air.

Maybe a tramp come and stole her.

Nonsense,

Said Marilla,

Sharply,

Relieved from her horrible fear of the well.

Anne,

Do you suppose she could have strayed over to Mr Harrison's?

She's always been talking about his parrot ever since the time you took her over.

I can't believe Dora would venture so far alone.

But I'll go over and see,

Said Anne.

Nobody was looking at Davy just then,

Or it would have been seen that a very decided change came over his face.

He quietly slipped off the gate and ran as fast as his fat legs could carry him to the barn.

Anne hastened across the fields to the Harrison establishment,

In no very hopeful frame of mind.

The house was locked,

The window shades were down,

And there was no sign of anything living about the place.

She stood on the veranda and called Dora loudly.

Ginger,

In the kitchen behind her,

Shrieked and swore with sudden fierceness,

But between his outbursts Anne heard a plaintive cry from the little building in the yard which served Mr Harrison as a tall house.

Anne flew to the door,

Unhasped it,

And caught up a small mortal with a tear-stained face who was sitting forlornly on an upturned nail keg.

Oh Dora,

The fright you've given us!

How came you to be here?

Davy and I came over to see Ginger,

Sobbed Dora,

But we couldn't see him after all,

Only Davy made him swear by kicking the door,

And then Davy brought me here and ran out and shut the door and I couldn't get out.

I cried and cried,

I was frightened,

I'm so hungry and told and thought you'd never come Anne.

Davy?

But Anne could say no more,

She carried Dora home with a heavy heart.

Her joy at finding the child safe and sound was drowned out in the pain caused by Davy's behaviour.

The freak of shutting Dora up might easily have been pardoned,

But Davy had told falsehoods,

Downright cold-blooded falsehoods about it.

That was the ugly fact and Anne could not shut her eyes to it.

She could have sat down and cried with sheer disappointment.

She'd grown to love Davy dearly,

How dearly she'd not known until now,

And it hurt her unbearably to discover he was guilty of deliberate falsehood.

Marilla listened to Anne's tale in a silence that boded no good Davy would.

Mr Barry laughed and advised that Davy be dealt with.

When he had gone home,

Anne soothed and warmed the sobbing,

Shivering Dora,

Got her supper and put her to bed.

Then she would turn to the kitchen,

Just as Marilla came grimly in,

Leading,

Or rather pulling,

The rest of the family to bed.

Reluctant cobwebby Davy,

Whom she had found hidden away in the darkest corner of the stable.

She jerked him to the mat on the middle of the floor and went and sat down by the east window.

Anne was sitting limply by the west window.

Between them stood the culprit.

His back was toward Marilla and it was a meek,

Subdued,

Frightened back.

But his face was toward Anne and although it was a little shamefaced,

There was a gleam of comradeship in Davy's eyes,

As if he knew he had done wrong and was going to be punished,

But could count on a laugh over it all with Anne later on.

But no half-hidden smile answered him in Anne's grey eyes,

As they might have done had it been only a question of mischief.

This was something ugly and repulsive.

How could you behave so,

Davy?

She asked sorrowfully.

Davy squirmed uncomfortably.

I just did it for fun.

Things have been so awful quiet here for so long,

I thought it'd be fun to give you folks a big scare,

And it was too.

In spite of fear and a little remorse,

Davy grinned over the recollection.

But you told a falsehood about it,

Davy,

Said Anne,

More sorrowfully than ever.

Davy looked puzzled.

What's a falsehood?

Do you mean a whopper?

I mean a story that was not true.

Of course I did,

Said Davy frankly.

If I hadn't,

You wouldn't have been scared.

I had to tell it.

Anne was feeling the reaction from her fright and exertions.

Davy's impenitent attitude gave the finishing touch.

Two big tears beamed up in her eyes.

Oh Davy,

How could you?

She said with a quiver in her voice.

Don't you know how wrong it was?

Davy was aghast.

Anne crying?

He had made Anne cry.

A flood of real remorse rolled like a wave over his warm little heart and engulfed it.

He rushed to Anne,

Hurled himself into her lap,

Flung his arms around her neck and burst into tears.

I didn't know it was wrong to tell whoppers,

He sobbed.

How did you expect me to know it was wrong?

All Mr.

Sprott's children told them regular every day and crossed their hearts too.

I suppose Paul Irving never tells whoppers and I've been trying awful hard to be as good as him but now I suppose you'll never love me again.

But I think you might have told me it was wrong.

I'm awful sorry I made you cry Anne and I'll never tell a whopper again.

Davy buried his face in Anne's shoulder and cried stormily.

Anne in a sudden glad flash of understanding held him tight and looked over his curly thatch at Marilla.

He didn't know it was wrong to tell falsehoods Marilla.

I think we must forgive him for that part of it this time if he'll promise never to say what isn't true again.

I never will now I know it's bad said Davy between sobs.

If you ever catch me telling a whopper again you can.

.

.

Davy groped mentally for a suitable penance.

You can skin me alive Anne.

Don't say whopper Davy say falsehood said the school mum.

Why queried Davy settling comfortably down and looking up with a tear-stained investigating face.

Why ain't whopper as good as falsehood I want to know it's just as big a word.

It's slang and it's wrong for little boys to use slang.

There's an awful lot of things it's wrong to do said Davy with a sigh.

I never supposed there were so many.

I'm sorry it's wrong to tell what falsehoods because it's awful handy but since it is I'm never going to tell anymore.

What are you going to do with me now for telling them this time I want to know?

Anne looked beseechingly at Marilla.

I don't want to be too hard on the child said Marilla.

I dare say nobody ever did tell him it was wrong to tell lies and those sprock children were no fit companions for him.

Poor Mary was too sick to train him properly and I presume you couldn't expect a six-year-old child to know things like that by instinct.

I suppose we'll just have to assume he doesn't know anything right and begin at the beginning but he'll have to be punished for shutting door up and I can't door up and I can't think of any way except to send him to bed without his supper and we've done that so often.

Can't you suggest something else Anne?

I think you ought to be able to with that imagination you're always talking of.

But punishments are so horrid and I like to imagine only pleasant things said Anne cuddling Davy.

There are so many unpleasant things in the world already there's no use in imagining any more.

In the end Davy was sent to bed as usual there to remain until noon next day.

He evidently did some thinking for when Anne went to her room a little later she heard him calling her name softly.

Going in she found him sitting up in bed with his elbows on his knees and his chin propped on his hands.

Anne,

He said solemnly,

Is it wrong for everybody to tell what falsehoods I want to know?

Yes indeed.

Is it wrong for a grown-up person?

Yes.

Then,

Said Davy decidedly,

Marilla is bad for she tells them and she's worse than me I didn't know it was wrong but she does.

Davy Keith,

Marilla never told a story in her life said Anne indignantly.

She did so she told me last Tuesday something dreadful would happen if I didn't say my prayers every night and I haven't said them for a week just to see what would happen and nothing has concluded Davy in an aggrieved tone.

Anne choked back a mad desire to laugh with a conviction that it would be fatal and then earnestly set about saving Marilla's reputation.

Why Davy Keith,

She said solemnly,

Something dreadful has happened to you this very day Davy looked sceptical.

I suppose you mean being sent to bed without any supper he said scornfully but that isn't dreadful of course I don't like it but I've been sent to bed so much since I came here I'm getting used to it and you don't save anything by making me go without supper either for I always eat twice as much for breakfast.

I don't mean you're being sent to bed I mean the fact you told a falsehood today said Anne and Davy she leaned over the footboard of the bed and shook her finger impressively at the culprit for a boy to tell what isn't true is almost the worst thing that could happen to him almost the very worst so you see Marilla told you the truth but I thought that something bad would be exciting protested Davy in an injured tone.

Marilla isn't to blame for what you thought protested Anne bad things aren't always exciting they're very often just nasty and stupid it was awful funny to see Marilla and you looking down the well though said Davy hugging his knees.

Anne kept a sober face until she got downstairs then she collapsed on the sitting room lounge and laughed till her sides ached I wish you'd tell me the joke said Marilla a little grimly I haven't seen much to laugh about today you'll laugh when you hear this assured Anne and Marilla did laugh which showed just how much her education had advanced since the adoption of Anne but she sighed immediately afterwards I suppose I shouldn't have told him that although I heard a minister say it to a child once but he did aggravate me so it was that night you were at the Carmody concert and I was putting him to bed he said he didn't see the good of praying until he got big enough to be of some importance to God.

Anne I do not know what we're going to do with that child I never saw his beat I'm feeling clean discouraged oh don't say that Marilla remember how bad I was when I came here Anne you never were bad never I see that now when I've learned what real badness is you were always getting into terrible scrapes I'll admit that but your motive was always good Davey is just bad from sheer love of it oh no I don't think it's real badness with him either pleaded Anne it's just mischief and it is rather quiet for him here you know he has no other boys to play with and his mind has to have something to occupy it Dore is so prim and proper she's no good for a boy's playmate I really think it would be better to let them go to school Marilla no said Marilla resolutely my father always said no child should be cooped up in the four walls of a school until it was seven years old and Mr Allen says the same thing the twins can have a few lessons at home but go to school they shan't until they're seven well we must try to reform Davey at home then said Anne cheerfully with all his thoughts he really is a dear little chap I can't help loving him Marilla it may be a dreadful thing to say but honestly I like Davey better than Dora for all she's so good I don't know that I do myself confess Marilla and it isn't fair for Dora isn't a bit of trouble there couldn't be a better child and you'd hardly know she was in the house Dora is too good said Anne she behaved just as well if there wasn't a soul to tell her what to do she was born already brought up so she doesn't need us and I think concluded Anne hitting on a very vital truth that we always love best the people who need us Davey needs us badly he certainly needs something agreed Marilla Rachel Lynde would say it was a good spanking