17 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'm 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 17 A Chapter of Accidents Anne woke three times in the night and made pilgrimage to her window to make sure that Uncle Abe's prediction was not coming true.

Finally the morning dawned pearly and lustrous in a sky full of silver sheen and radiance and the wonderful day had arrived.

Diana appeared soon after breakfast with a basket of flowers over one arm and her muslin dress over the other for it would not do to don it until the dinner preparations were complete.

Meanwhile she wore her afternoon pink print and a lawn apron fearfully and wonderfully ruffled and frilled and very neat and pretty and rosy she was.

You look simply sweet said Anne admiringly.

Diana sighed but I've had to let out every one of my dresses again.

I wear four pounds more than I did in July and where will this end?

Mrs Morgan's heroines are all tall and slender.

Well let's forget our troubles and think about mercies said Anne gaily.

Mrs Allen says whenever we think of anything that's a trial to us we should also think of something nice we can set over against it.

If you are slightly too plump you've got the dearest dimples and if I have a freckled nose the shape of it's all right.

Do you think the lemon juice did any good?

Yes I really think it did said Diana critically and much elated Anne led the way to the garden which was full of airy shadows and wavering golden lights.

We'll decorate the parlour first with plenty of time for Priscilla said they'd be here about 12 or half past at the latest so we'll have dinner at one.

They may have been two happier and more excited girls somewhere in Canada or the United States at that moment but I doubt it.

Every snip of the scissors as Rose and Peony and Boo Bell fell seemed to chirp Mrs Morgan's coming today.

Anne wondered how Mr Harrison could go on placidly mowing hay in the field just as if nothing were going to happen.

The parlour at Green Gables was a rather severe and gloomy apartment with rigid horsehair furniture,

Stiff lace curtains and white antimacassars that were always laid at a perfectly correct angle except at such times as they clung to unfortunate people's buttons.

Even Anne had never been able to infuse much grace into it for Marilla would not permit any alterations but its wonderful what flowers can accomplish if you give them a fair chance.

When Anne and Diana finished with the room you would not have recognised it.

A great blue bowl full of snow bells overflowed on the polished table.

The shining black mantelpiece was heaped with roses and ferns.

Every shelf of the what not held a sheaf of bluebells.

The dark corners on either side of the grate were lit up with jars full of glowing crimson peonies and the grate itself was aflame with yellow poppies.

All this splendour and colour mingled with the sunshine falling through the honeysuckle vines at the windows in a leafy riot of dancing shadows over walls and floor made of the unusually dismal little room the veritable bower of Anne's imagination and even extorted a tribute of admiration from Marilla who came in to criticise and remain to praise.

Now we must set the table said Anne in the tone of a priestess about to perform some sacred rite in honour of her divinity.

We'll have a big vase full of wild roses in the centre and one single rose in front of everyone's plate and a special bouquet of rosebuds only by Mrs Morgan's,

An allusion to the rosebud garden you know.

The table was set in the sitting room with Marilla's finest linen and the best china,

Glass and silver.

You may be perfectly certain that every article placed on it was polished or scoured to the highest possible perfection of gloss and glitter.

Then the girls tripped out to the kitchen which was filled with appetising odours emanating from the oven where the chickens were already sizzling splendidly.

Anne prepared the potatoes and Diana got the peas and beans ready.

Then while Diana shut herself into the pantry to compound the lettuce salad,

Anne whose cheeks were already beginning to glow crimson as much with excitement as from the heat of the fire,

Prepared the bread sauce for the chickens,

Minced her onions for the soup and finally whipped the cream for her lemon pies.

And what about Davy all this time?

Was he redeeming his promise to be good?

He was indeed.

To be sure he insisted on remaining in the kitchen for his curiosity wanted to see all that went on.

But as he sat quietly in a corner busily engaged in untying the knots in a piece of herring net he'd brought home from his last trip to the shore,

Nobody objected to this.

At half past eleven the lettuce salad was made.

The golden circles of the pies were heaped with whipped cream and everything was sizzling and bubbling that ought to sizzle and bubble.

We'd better go and dress now said Anne for they may be here by twelve.

We must have dinner at sharp one for the soup must be served as soon as it's done.

Serious indeed were the toilet rites presently performed in the East Gable.

Anne peered anxiously at her nose and rejoiced to see its freckles were not at all prominent thanks either to the lemon juice or to the unusual flush on her cheeks.

When they were ready they looked quite as sweet and trim and girlish as ever did any of Mrs Morgan's heroines.

I do hope I'll be able to say something once in a while and not sit like a mute said Diana anxiously.

All Mrs Morgan's heroines converse so beautifully but I'm afraid I'll be tongue tired and stupid and I'll be sure to say I seen.

I haven't often said it since Miss Stacy talked here but in moments of excitement it's sure to pop out.

Anne if I were to say I seen before Mrs Morgan I'd die of mortification and it would be almost as bad to have nothing to say.

I'm nervous about a good many things said Anne but I don't think there's much fear that I won't be able to talk and to do Anne justice there wasn't.

She shrouded her muslin glories in a big apron and went down to concoct her soup.

Marilla had dressed herself and the twins and looked more excited than she had ever been known to look before.

At half past 12 the Allens and Miss Stacy came.

Everything was going well but Anne was beginning to feel nervous.

It was surely time for Priscilla and Mrs Morgan to arrive.

She made frequent trips to the gate and looked as anxiously down the lane as ever her namesake in the bluebeard's story peered from the tower casement.

Suppose they don't come at all she said piteously.

Don't suppose it would be too mean said Diana who however was beginning to have uncomfortable misgivings on the subject.

Anne said Marilla coming out from the parlour Miss Stacy wants to see Miss Barry's will-o-wear platter.

Anne hastened to the sitting room closet to get the platter.

She had in accordance with her promise to Mrs Linde written to Miss Barry of Charlottetown asking for the loan of it.

Miss Barry was an old friend of Anne's and she promptly sent the platter out with a letter exhorting Anne to be very careful of it for she had paid twenty dollars.

The platter had served its purpose at the aid bazaar and then had been returned to the Green Gables closet for Anne would not trust anybody but herself to take it back to town.

She carried it carefully to the front door where her guests were enjoying the cool breeze that blew up from the brook.

It was examined and admired and then just as Anne had taken it back into her own hands a terrific crash and clatter sounded from the kitchen pantry.

Marilla Diana and Anne fled out the latter pausing only long enough to set the precious platter hastily down on the second step of the stairs.

When they reached the pantry a truly harrowing spectacle met their eyes.

A guilty looking small boy scrambling down from the table with his clean print blouse liberally plastered with yellow filling and on the table the shattered remnants of what had been two brave becreamed lemon pies.

Davy had finished raveling out his herring net and had wound the twine into a ball.

Then he had gone into the pantry to put it up on the shelf above the table where he already kept a score of similar balls which so far as could be discovered served no useful purpose save to yield the joy of possession.

Davy had to climb onto the table and reach over onto the shelf at a dangerous angle something he had been forbidden by Marilla to do as he had come to grief once before in the experiment.

The result in this instance was disastrous.

He'd slipped and come sprawling squarely down on the lemon pies.

His clean blouse was ruined for that time and the pies for all time.

It is however an ill wind that blows nobody good and the pig was eventually the gainer by Davy's mischance.

Davy Keith said Marilla shaking him by the shoulder.

Didn't I forbid you to climb up onto that table again?

Didn't I?

I forgot.

Whimpered Davy.

You've told me not to do such an awful lot of things.

I can't remember them all.

Well you march upstairs and stay there till after dinner.

Perhaps you'll get them sorted out in your memory by that time.

No and never you mind interceding for him.

I'm not punishing him because he spoiled your pies.

That was an accident.

I'm punishing him for his disobedience.

Go Davy I say.

Ain't I to have any dinner?

Wailed Davy.

You can come down after dinner's over and have yours in the kitchen.

Oh all right said Davy somewhat comforted.

I know Anne will save me some nice bones won't you Anne?

Because you know I didn't mean to fall on the pies.

Say Anne since they are spoiled can't I take some of the pieces upstairs with me?

No lemon pie for you Master Davy said Marilla pushing him towards the hall.

What shall we do for dessert?

Asked Anne looking regretfully at the wreck and ruin.

Get out a crock of strawberry preserves said Marilla consolingly.

There's plenty of whipped cream left in the bowl for it.

One o'clock came but no Priscilla or Mrs Morgan.

Anne was in agony.

Everything was done to a turn and the soup was just what soup should be but couldn't be depended on to remain so for any length of time.

I don't believe they're coming after all said Marilla crossly.

Anne and Diana sought comfort in each other's eyes.

At half past one Marilla again emerged from the parlour.

Girls we must have dinner.

Everybody's hungry and it's no use waiting any longer.

Priscilla and Mrs Morgan are not coming that's plain and nothing's been improved by waiting.

Anne and Diana set about lifting the dinner with all the zest gone out of the performance.

I don't believe I'll be able to eat a mouthful said Diana dolefully.

Nor I but I hope everything will be nice for Miss Stacy's and Mr and Mrs Allen's sakes said Anne listlessly.

When Diana dished the peas she tasted them and a very peculiar expression crossed her face.

Anne did you put sugar in these peas?

Yes said Anne mashing the potatoes with the air of one expected to do her duty.

I put a spoonful of sugar in it we always do don't you like it?

But I put a spoonful in too when I set them on the stove said Diana.

Anne dropped her masher and tasted the peas also and she made a grimace.

I never dreamed you'd put sugar in because I know your mother never does.

I happen to think of it for a wonder I'm always forgetting it so I popped a spoonful in.

It's a case of too many cooks I guess said Marilla who'd listened to the dialogue with a rather guilty expression.

I didn't think you'd remember about the sugar Anne for I'm perfectly certain you never did before so I put in a spoonful.

The guests in the parlor heard peel after peel of laughter from the kitchen but they never knew what the fun was about.

There were no green peas on the dinner table that day.

Well said Anne sobering down again with a sigh of recollection we had the salad anyhow and I don't think anything's happened to the beans let's carry the things in and get it over.

It cannot be said that the dinner was a notable success socially.

The Allens and Miss Stacy exerted themselves to save the situation and Marilla's customary placidity was not noticeably ruffled but Anne and Diana between their disappointment and the reaction from their excitement of the forenoon could neither talk nor eat.

Anne tried heroically to bear her part in the conversation for the sake of her guests but all the sparkle had been quenched in her for the time being and in spite of her love for the Allens and Miss Stacy she couldn't help thinking how nice it would be when everybody had gone home and she could bury her weariness and disappointment in the pillows of the East Gable.

There is an old proverb that really seems at times to be inspired.

It never rains but it pours.

The measure of that day's tribulations was not yet full.

Just as Mr Allen had finished returning thanks there arose a strange ominous sound on the stairs as of some hard heavy object bounding from step to step finishing up with a grand smash at the bottom.

Everybody ran out into the hall and Anne gave a shriek of dismay.

At the bottom of the stairs lay a big pink conch shell amid the fragments of what had been Miss Barry's willow ware platter and at the bottom of the stairs knelt a terrified Davy gazing down with wide open eyes at the havoc.

Davy,

Said Marilla ominously,

Did you throw that conch down on purpose?

No I never did,

Whimpered Davy.

I was just kneeling here quiet as quiet to watch you folks through the banisters and my foot struck that old thing and pushed it off and I'm awful hungry and I do wish you'd lick a fellow and have done with it instead of always sending him upstairs to miss all the fun.

Don't blame Davy,

Said Anne gathering up the fragments with trembling fingers.

It was my fault I set that platter there and forgot all about it.

I am properly punished for my carelessness but oh no what will Miss Barry say?

Well you know she only brought it so it isn't the same as if it was an heirloom,

Said Diana trying to console her.

The guests went away soon after feeling it was the most tactful thing to do and Anne and Diana washed the dishes talking less than they'd ever been known to before.

Then Diana went home with a headache and Anne went to the East Gate Hall with another where she stayed until Marilla came home from the post office at sunset with a letter from Priscilla written the day before.

Mrs Morgan had sprained her ankle so severely she could not leave her room.

And oh Anne dear,

Wrote Priscilla,

I'm so sorry but I'm afraid we won't get up to Green Gables at all now for by the time auntie's ankles well she'll have to go back to Toronto.

She has to be there by a certain date.

Well sighed Anne laying the letter down on the red sandstone step of the back porch where she was sitting while the twilight rained down out of a dappled sky.

I always thought it was too good to be true Mrs Morgan should really come but there that speech sounds as pessimistic as Miss Eliza Andrews and I'm ashamed of making it.

After all it was not too good to be true.

Things just as good and far better are coming true for me all the time and I suppose the events of the day have a funny side.

Perhaps when Diana and I are old and grey we should be able to laugh over them but I feel I can't expect to do it before then for it's truly been a bitter disappointment.

You'll probably have a good many more and worse disappointments than that before you get through life said Marilla who honestly thought she was making a comforting speech.

It seems to me Anne you're never going to outgrow your fashion of setting your heart on things then crashing down into despair because you don't get them.

I know I'm too much inclined that way agreed Anne ruefully when I think something nice is going to happen I seem to fly right up onto the wings of anticipation and then the first thing I realise I drop down to earth with a thud but really Marilla the flying part is glorious as long as it lasts it's like soaring through a sunset I think it almost pays for the thud.

Well maybe it does admitted Marilla I'd rather walk calmly along and do without both flying and thud but everybody has her own way of living.

I used to think there was only one right way but since I've had you and the twins to bring up I don't feel so sure of it now.

What are you going to do about Miss Barry's platter?

Pay her back the twenty dollars she paid for it I suppose.

I'm so thankful it wasn't a cherished heirloom because then no money could replace it.

Maybe you could find one like it somewhere and buy it for her.

I'm afraid not platters as old as that are very scarce.

Mrs Lynn couldn't find one anywhere for the supper I only wish I could of course Miss Barry would just as soon have one platter as another if both were equally old and genuine.

Marilla look at that big star over Mr Harrison's maple grove with all that holy hush of silver sky about it it gives me a feeling that's just like a prayer.

After all when one can see stars and skies like that little disappointments and accidents can't matter so much can they?

Where's Davy?

Said Marilla with an indifferent glance at the star.

In bed I've promised to take him and Dora to the shore for a picnic tomorrow of course the original agreement was that he must be good but he did try to be good and I had the heart to disappoint him.

You'll drown yourself all the twins rowing about the pond in the flat grumbled Marilla.

I've lived here for 60 years and I've never been on that pond yet.

Well it's never too late to mend said Anne roguishly suppose you come with us tomorrow we'll shut Green Gables up and spend the whole day at the shore daffing the world aside.

No thank you said Marilla with indignant emphasis it'd be a nice sight wouldn't it rowing down the pond in a flat I think I hear Rachel pronouncing on it.

There's Mr Harrison driving away somewhere do you suppose there's any truth in the gossip he's going to see Isabella Andrews?

No I'm sure there isn't said Anne he just caught there one evening on business with Mr Harmon Andrews and Mrs Lynn saw him and said she knew he was courting because he had a white collar on.

I don't believe Mr Harrison will ever marry he seems to have a prejudice against marriage.

Well you can never tell about those old bachelors said Marilla and if he had a white collar on I'd agree with Rachel it looks suspicious for I'm sure he never was seen with one before.

I think he only put it on because he wanted to conclude a business deal with Harmon Andrews said Anne.

I've heard him say that's the only time a man is to be particular about his appearance because if he looks prosperous the party of the second part won't be so likely to try to cheat him.

I really feel sorry for Mr Harrison I don't believe he feels satisfied with his life.

It must be very lonely to have no one to care about except a parrot don't you think?

But I notice Mr Harrison doesn't like to be pitied nobody does I imagine.

There's Gilbert coming up the lane said Marilla if he wants you to go for a row on the pond mind you put on your coat and rubbers there's a heavy dew tonight.