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 One An Irate Neighbor A tall,
Slim girl,
Half past sixteen,
With serious grey eyes and hair,
Which her friends called Auburn,
Had sat down on the broad red sandstone doorstep of a Prince Edward Island farmhouse one ripe afternoon in August,
Firmly resolved to construe so many lines of Virgil.
But an August afternoon,
With blue hazes scarfing the harvest slopes,
Little winds whispering elfishly in the poplars,
And a dancing splendour of red poppies outflaming against the dark coppice of young firs in a corner of the cherry orchard,
Was fitter for dreams than dead language.
The Virgil soon slipped unheeded to the ground,
And Anne,
Her chin propped on her clasped hands,
And her eyes on the splendid mass of fluffy clouds that were heaping up,
Just over Mr.
J.
Harrison's house,
Like a great white mountain,
Was far away in a delicious world where a certain schoolteacher was doing a wonderful work,
Shaping the destinies of future statesmen,
And inspiring youthful minds and hearts with high and lofty ambitions.
To be sure,
If you came down to harsh facts,
Which it must be confessed Anne seldom did until she had to,
It did not seem likely there was much promising material for celebrities in Avonlea's school,
But you could never tell what might happen if a teacher used her influence for good.
Anne had a certain rose-tinted ideal of what a teacher might accomplish if only she went the right way about it,
And she was in the midst of a delightful scene,
Forty years hence,
With a famous personage.
Just exactly what he was to be famous for was left in convenient haziness,
But Anne thought it would be rather nice to have him a college president or Canadian premier.
Bowing low over her wrinkled hand and assuring her it was she who had first kindled his ambition,
And that all his success in life was due to the lessons she had instilled in him so long ago in Avonlea's school.
This pleasant vision was shattered by a most unpleasant interruption.
A demure little Jersey cow came scuttling down the lane and five seconds later Mr Harrison arrived,
If arrived being not too mild a term to describe the manner of his eruption into the yard.
He bounced over the fence without waiting to open the gate and angrily confronted astonished Anne who had risen to her feet and stood looking at him in some bewilderment.
Mr Harrison was their new right-hand neighbour and she'd never met him before,
Although she'd seen him once or twice.
In early April before Anne had come home from Queens,
Mr Robert Bell,
Whose farm adjoined the Cuthbert place on the west,
Had sold out and moved to Charlottetown.
His farm had been bought by a certain Mr J A Harrison,
Whose name and the fact he was a New Brunswick man were all that was known about him.
But before he had been a month in Avonlea he'd won the reputation of being an odd person.
A crank Mrs Rachel Linde said.
Mrs Linde was an outspoken lady as those of you who may have already made her acquaintance will remember.
Mr Harrison was certainly different from other people and that is the essential characteristic of a crank as everybody knows.
In the first place he kept house for himself and had publicly stated he wanted no fools of women around his diggings.
Feminine Avonlea took its revenge by the gruesome tales it related about his housekeeping and cooking.
He had hired little Johnny Henry Carter of White Sands and John Henry started the stories.
For one thing there was never any stated time for meals in the Harrison establishment.
Mr Harrison got a bite when he felt hungry and if John Henry were around at the time he came in for a share but if he were not he had to wait until Mr Harrison's next hungry spell.
John Henry mournfully averred he wouldn't have starved to death if it wasn't that he got home on Sundays and got a good filling up and that his mother always gave him a basket of grub to take back with him on Monday mornings.
As for washing dishes Mr Harrison never made any pretense of doing it unless a rainy Sunday came.
Then he went to work and washed them all at once in the rainwater hog's head and left them to drain dry.
Again Mr Harrison was close when he was asked to subscribe to the Reverend Mr Allen's salary he said he'd wait and see how many dollars worth of good he got out of his preaching first.
He didn't believe in buying a pig in a poke and when Mrs Lind went to ask for contribution to missions and incidentally to see the inside of the house he told her there were more heathens among the old woman gossips in Avonlea than anywhere else he knew of and he'd cheerfully contribute to a mission for Christianizing them if she'd undertake it.
Mrs Rachel got herself away and said it was a mercy poor Mrs Robert Bell was safe in her grave for it would have broken her heart to see the state of her house in which she used to take so much pride.
Why she scrubbed the kitchen floor every second day Mrs Lind told Marilla Cuthbert indignantly and if you could see it now I had to hold up my skirts as I walked across it.
Finally Mr Harrison kept a parrot called Ginger.
Nobody in Avonlea had ever kept a parrot before consequently that proceeding was considered barely respectable and such a parrot if you took John Henry Carter's word for it never was such an unholy bird.
It swore terribly.
Mrs Carter would have taken John Henry away at once if she'd been sure she could get another place for him besides Ginger had bitten a piece right out of the back of John Henry's neck one day when he'd stooped down too near the cage.
Mrs Carter showed everybody the mark when the luckless John Henry went home on Sundays.
All these things flashed through Anne's mind as Mr Harrison stood quite speechless with wrath apparently before her.
In his most amiable mood Mr Harrison could not have been considered a handsome man.
He was short and fat and bald and now with his round face purple with rage and his prominent blue eyes almost sticking out of his head Anne thought he was really the ugliest person she had ever seen.
All at once Mr Harrison found his voice.
I'm not going to put up with this he spluttered.
Not a day longer do you hear miss bless my soul this is the third time miss the third time.
Patience ceased to be a virtue miss I warned your aunt the last time not to let it occur again and she's let it she's done it what does she mean by that that's what I want to know that's what I'm here about miss.
Will you explain what the trouble is asked Anne in her most dignified manner.
She had been practicing it considerably of late to have it in good working order when school began but it had no apparent effect on the irate J.
A Harrison.
Trouble it is bless my soul trouble enough I should think.
The trouble is miss I found that jersey cow of your aunt's in my oats again again not half an hour ago the third time mark you I found her in last Tuesday and I found her in yesterday I came here and told your aunt not to let it occur again and she has let it occur again where's your aunt miss I want to see her for a minute and give her a piece of my mind a piece of J.
A Harrison's mind miss.
If you mean miss Marilla Cuthbert she is not my aunt and she has gone down to East Grafton to see a distant relative of hers who's very ill said Anne with due increase of dignity at every word I'm very sorry my cow should have broken into your oats she is my cow and not miss Cuthbert's Matthew gave her to me three years ago when she was a little calf and he bought her for Mr Bell.
Sorry miss sorry isn't going to help matters any you'd better go and have a look at the havoc that animal has made in my oats trampled them from centre to circumference miss I am very sorry repeated Anne firmly but perhaps if you kept your fences in better repair Dolly might not have broken in it is your part of the line fence that separates your oat field from our pasture and I noticed the other day it was not in very good condition my fence is all right snapped Mr Harrison angrier than ever at this carrying of the war into the enemy's country the jail fence couldn't keep a demon of a cow like that out and I tell you you redheaded snippet if the cow is yours as you say you better be employed in watching her out of other people's grain than in sitting around reading yellow covered novels with a scathing glance at the innocent tan-coloured Virgil by Anne's feet something at that moment was red beside Anne's hair which had always been a tender point with her I'd rather have red hair than none at all except a little fringe around my ears she flashed the shot told but Mr Harrison was really very sensitive about his bald head his anger choked him up again and he could only glare speechlessly at Anne who recovered her temper and followed up her advantage I can make allowance for you Mr Harrison because I have an imagination I can easily imagine how very trying it must be to find a cow in your oats and I shall not cherish any hard feelings against you for the things you've said I promise you Dolly shall never break into your oats again I give you my word of honour on that point well mind you she doesn't muttered Mr Harrison in a somewhat subdued tone but he stamped off angrily enough and Anne heard him growling to himself until he was out of earshot grievously disturbed in mind Anne marched across the yard and shut the naughty jersey up the milking pen she can't possibly get out of that unless she tears the fence down she reflected she looks pretty quiet now I dare say she sickened herself on those oats I wish I'd have sold her to Mr Shearer when he wanted her last week but I thought it was just as well to wait until we had the auction of the stock and let them all go together I believe it is true about Mr Harrison being a crank certainly there's nothing of the kindred spirit about him Anne had always a weather eye open for kindred spirits Marina Cuthbert was driving into the yard as Anne returned from the house and the latter flew to get tea ready they discussed the matter at the tea table I'll be glad when the auction's over said Marilla it's too much responsibility having so much stock about the place and nobody but that unreliable Martin to look after them he's never come back yet and he promised he would certainly be back last night if I'd give him the day off to go to his aunt's funeral I don't know how many aunts he's got I'm sure that's the fourth that's died since he hired here a year ago I'll be more than thankful when the crop is in and Mr Barry takes over the farm we'll have to keep Dolly shut up in the pen till Martin comes for she must be put in the back pasture and the fences there have to be fixed I declare it's a world of trouble as Rachel says is poor Mary Keith dying and what is to become of those two children of hers is more than I know she has a brother in British Columbia and has written to him about them but she hasn't heard from him yet what are the children like how old are they said Anne six past they're twins oh I've always been especially interested in twins ever since mrs Hammond had so many said Anne eagerly are they pretty goodness you couldn't tell they were too dirty Davy had been out making mud pies and Dora went out to call him in Davy pushed her head first into the biggest pie and then because she cried he got in it himself and wallowed in it to show her it was nothing to cry about Mary said Dora was really a very good child but Davy was full of mischief he's never had any bringing up you might say his father died when he was a baby and Mary's been sick almost ever since I'm always sorry for children that have no bringing up said Anne soberly you know I hadn't any until you took me in I hope their uncle will look after them just what relation is mrs Keith to you Mary none in the world it was her husband he was our third cousin there's mrs Lynn coming through the yard I thought she'd be up to hear about Mary don't tell her about mr Harrison and the cow implored Anne Marilla promised but the promise was quite unnecessary for mrs Lynd was no sooner fairly seated than she said I saw mr Harrison chasing your jersey out of his oats today when I was coming home from Carmody I thought he looked pretty mad did he make much of a rumpus Anne and Marilla furtively exchanged amused smiles few things in Avonlea ever escaped mrs Lynd it was only that morning Anne had said if you went to your own room at midnight locked the door pulled down the blind and sneezed mrs Lynd would ask you the next day how your cold was I believe he did admitted Marilla I was away he gave Anne a piece of his mind I think he's a very disagreeable man said Anne with a resentful toss of her ruddy head you never said a truer word said mrs Rachel solemnly I knew there'd be trouble when Robert Bell sold his place to a new Brunswick man that's what I don't know what Avonlea's coming to with so many strange people rushing into it it'll soon not be safe to go to sleep in our beds why what other strangers are coming in asked Marilla haven't you heard there's a family of Donald's for one thing they've rented Peter Sloan's old house Peter's hired the man to run his mill they belong down east and nobody knows anything about them then there's that shiftless Timothy Cotton family going to move up from White Sands there'll simply be a burden on the public he's in consumption when he isn't stealing and his wife's a slack twisted creature that can't turn her head to a thing she washes her dishes sitting down mrs George Pye has taken her husband's orphan nephew Anthony Pye he's going to be going to school to you Anne so you may expect trouble that's what and you'll have another strange pupil too Paul Irving's coming from the States to live with his grandmother you remember his father Marilla Stephen Irving him that jilted Lavender Lewis over at Grafton I don't think he jilted her there was a quarrel I suppose there was blame on both sides said Marilla well anyway he didn't marry her and she's been as queer as possible ever since say living all by herself in that little stone house she calls Echo Lodge Stephen went off to the States and went into business with his uncle and married a Yankee he's never been home since though his mother's been up to seeing once or twice his wife died two years ago and he's sending the boy home to his mother for a spell he's 10 years old and I don't know if he'll be a very desirable pupil Anne you can never tell about those Yankees mrs Lind looked upon all people who had the misfortune to be born or brought up elsewhere than in Prince Edward Island with a decided can any good thing come out of Nazareth air they might be good people of course but she were on the safe side of doubting it she had a special prejudice against Yankees her husband had been cheated out of ten dollars by an employer for whom he had once worked in Boston and neither angels nor principalities nor powers could have convinced mrs Rachel the whole United States was not responsible for it heavenly school won't be the worst for a little new blood said Marilla dryly and if this boy is anything like his father he'll be all right Steve Irving was the nicest boy that was ever raised in these parts though some people did call him proud I should think mrs Irving would be very glad to have the child she's been very lonesome since her husband died oh the boy might be well enough but he'll be different from Avonlea children said mrs Rachel as if that clinched the matter mrs Rachel's opinions concerning any person place or thing were always warranted to wear what's this I hear about you're going to start up a village improvement society Anne I was just talking it over with some of the girls and boys at the last debating club said Anne flushing they thought it would be rather nice and so do mr and mrs Allen lots of villages have them now well you'll get into no end of hot water if you do better leave it alone Anne that's what people don't like being improved we're not going to try to improve the people it's Avonlea itself there are lots of things which might be done to make it prettier for instance if we could coax mr Levi Bolter to pull down that dreadful old house on his upper farm wouldn't that be an improvement it certainly would admitted mrs Rachel that old ruins been an eyesore to the settlement for years but if you improvers can coax Levi Bolter to do anything for the public he ain't gonna be bid for doing may I be there to see the process that's what I don't want to discourage you Anne for there might be something in your idea no I suppose you did get it out of some rubbishy yankee magazine but you'll have your hands full with your school and I advise you as a friend not to bother with your improvements that's what but there I know you'll go ahead with it if you set your mind on it you always were one to carry a thing through somehow something about the firm outlines of Anne's lives told that mrs Rachel was not far astray in this estimate Anne's heart was bent on forming the Improvement Society Gilbert Blythe who was to teach in White Sand but would always be home from Friday night to Monday morning was enthusiastic about it and most of the other folks were willing to go in for anything that meant occasional meetings and consequently some fun as for what the improvements were nobody had any very clear idea except Anne and Gilbert they had talked them over and planned them out until an ideal avenue existed in their minds if nowhere else mrs Rachel had still another item of news they've given the comedy school to Priscilla Grant didn't you go to Queens with a girl of that name Anne yes indeed Priscilla to teach a comedy how perfectly lovely exclaimed Anne her gray eyes lighting up until they looked like evening stars causing mrs Lynn to wonder anew if she would ever get it settled to her satisfaction whether Anne Shirley were really a pretty girl or not
