15 Anne Of Avonlea: Read By Stephanie Poppins

In this series, Anne discovers the delights and troubles of being a teacher, takes part in the raising of Davy and Dora, and organizes the A.V.I.S. (Avonlea Village Improvement Society) together with Gilbert, Diana, and Fred Wright, through their efforts to improve the town are not always successful.

In this episode, Anne takes stock, after a successful year at Avonlea school.

Transcript

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 15.

The Beginning of Vacation The Beginning of Vacation Anne locked the schoolhouse door on a still yellow evening when the winds were purring in the spruces around the playground and the shadows were long and lazy by the edge of the woods.

She dropped the key into her pocket with a sigh of satisfaction.

The school year was ended.

She had been re-engaged for the next with many expressions of satisfaction.

Only Mr.

Harmon Andrews told her she ought to use the strap oftener and two delightful months of well-earned vacation beckoned her invitingly.

Anne felt at peace with the world and herself as she walked down the hill with her basket of flowers in her hand.

Since the earliest Mayflowers,

Anne had never missed her weekly pilgrimage to Matthew's grave.

Everyone else in Avonlea except Marilla had already forgotten quiet,

Shy,

Unimportant Matthew Cuthbert but his memory was still green in Anne's heart and always would be.

She could never forget the kind old man who had been the first to give her the love and sympathy her starved childhood had craved.

At the front of the hill a boy was sitting on the fence in the shadow of the spruces.

A boy with big dreamy eyes and beautiful sensitive face.

He swung down and joined Anne smiling but there were traces of tears on his cheeks.

I thought I'd wait for you teacher because I knew you were going to the graveyard,

He said slipping his hand into hers.

I'm going there too.

I'm taking this bouquet of geraniums to put on Grandpa Irving's grave for Grandma and look teacher I'm going to put this bunch of white roses beside Grandpa's grave in memory of my little mother because I can't go to her grave to put it there but don't you think she'll know all about it just the same?

Yes I'm sure she will Paul.

You see teacher it's just three years today since my little mother died.

It's such a long,

Long time but it hurts just as much as ever and I miss her just as much as ever.

Sometimes it seems to me I can't bear it,

It hurts so much.

Paul's voice quivered and his lip trembled.

He looked down at his roses hoping that his teacher would not notice the tears in his eyes.

And yet,

Said Anne very softly,

You wouldn't want it to stop hurting,

You wouldn't want to forget your little mother even if you could.

No indeed I wouldn't,

That's just the way I feel.

You're so good at understanding teacher,

Nobody else understands so well not even Grandma although she's so good to me.

Father understood pretty well but still I couldn't talk much to him about mother because it made him feel so bad.

When he put his hand over his face I always knew it was time to stop.

Poor father he must be dreadfully lonesome without me but you see he's nobody but a housekeeper now and he thinks housekeepers are no good to bring up little boys especially when he has to be away from home so much on business.

Grandmothers are better next to mothers.

Someday when I'm brought up I'll go back to father and we're never going to be parted again.

Paul had talked so much to Anne about his mother and father that she felt as if she'd known them.

She thought his mother must have been very like what he was himself in temperament and disposition and she had an idea that Stephen Irving was a rather reserved man with a deep and tender nature which he kept hidden scrupulously from the world.

Father's not very easy to get acquainted with Paul had said once.

I never got really acquainted with him until after my little mother died but he's splendid when you do get to know him.

I love him the best in all the world and grandmother Irving next and then you teacher.

I'd love you next to father if it wasn't my duty to love grandma so much because she's doing so much for me.

You know teacher I wish she'd leave the lamp in my room till I go to sleep.

She takes it right out as soon as she tucks me up because she says I mustn't be a coward.

I'm not scared but I'd rather have the light.

My little mother used to always sit beside me and hold my hand till I went to sleep.

I expect she spoiled me.

Mothers do sometimes you know.

No Anne did not know this although she might imagine it.

She thought sadly of her little mother.

The mother who had thought her so perfectly beautiful and who had died so long ago and was buried beside her boyish husband in that unvisited grave far away.

Anne could not remember her mother and for this reason she almost envied Paul.

My birthday's next week said Paul as they walked up the long red hill basking in the June sunshine.

And father wrote me he's sending me something he thinks I'll like better than anything else he could send.

I believe it's come already but grandma's keeping the bookcase drawer locked and that's something new.

When I asked her why she looked mysterious and said little boys mustn't be too curious.

It's very exciting to have a birthday isn't it?

I'll be 11.

You'd never think of it to look at me would you?

Grandma says I'm very small for my age and that's because I don't eat enough porridge.

I do my very best but grandma gives such generous platefuls.

There's nothing mean about grandma I can tell you that.

Ever since you and I had that talk about praying going home from Sunday school that day when you said we ought to pray about all our difficulties.

I prayed every night that that God would give me enough grace to enable me to eat every bit of my porridge in the mornings but I've never been able to do it yet.

I really do think porridge will be the death of me.

Anne permitted herself a smile since Paul was not looking at her.

All Avonlea knew that old Mrs Irving was bringing her grandson up in accordance with the good old-fashioned methods of diet and morals.

Let us hope not dear she said cheerfully.

How are your rock people coming on?

Does the oldest twin still continue to behave himself?

He has to said Paul emphatically.

He knows I won't associate with him if he doesn't.

And has Nora found out about the golden lady yet?

No but I think she suspects.

I'm almost sure she watched me the last time I went to the cave.

I don't mind if she finds out.

It's only for her sake.

I don't want her to but if she's determined to have her feelings hurt it can't be helped.

If I were to go to the shore some night with you do you think I could see your rock people too?

Said Anne but Paul shook his head gravely.

No I don't think you could see my rock people.

I'm the only person who can see them.

The Avonlea graveyard was as yet the grass-grown solitude it had always been.

To be sure the improvers had an eye on it and Priscilla Grant had read a paper on cemeteries before the last meeting of the society.

Anne put on Matthew's grave the flowers she'd bought for it then went over to the little poplar shaded corner where Hester Gray slept.

Ever since the day of the spring picnic Anne had put flowers on her grave when she visited Matthew's.

She sat there for a while and was still sitting there when a shadow fell over the grass and she looked up to see Mrs Allen.

Mrs Allen's face was not the face of the girl bride whom the minister had brought to Avonlea five years before.

As they walked home together Anne saw it had lost some of its bloom and youthful curves and there were fine patient lines about her eyes and mouth.

A tiny grave in that very cemetery accounted for some of them and some new ones had come during the recent illness now happily over of her little son.

But Mrs Allen's dimples were as sweet and sudden as ever.

Her eyes as clear and bright and true and what her face lacked of girlish beauty of girlish beauty was now more than a tone four in an added tenderness and strength.

I suppose you're looking forward to your vacation Anne she said as they left the graveyard.

Anne nodded.

I think the summer's going to be lovely for one thing Mrs Morgan's coming to the island in July and Priscilla's going to bring her up.

I feel one of my old thrills at the mere thought of it.

I hope you have a good time Anne you've worked very hard this past year and you have succeeded.

Oh I don't know said Anne.

I've come so far short in so many things.

I haven't done what I meant to do when I began to teach last fall.

I haven't lived up to my ideals.

None of us ever do said Mrs Allen with a sigh.

But you know what Lowell says.

Not failure but low aim is the crime.

We must have ideals and try to live up to them even if we never quite succeed.

Hold on fast to your ideals Anne.

I shall try but I have to let go most of my theory said Anne said Anne laughing a little.

I had the most beautiful set of theories you ever knew when I started out but every one of them has failed me at some pinch or another.

Even the theory on corporal punishment teased Mrs Allen.

Anne flushed.

I shall never forgive myself for whipping Anthony.

Nonsense dear he deserved it and it agreed with him.

You've had no trouble with him since have you?

He may have deserved it but that's not the point.

If I'd calmly and deliberately decided to whip him because I thought it a just punishment I would not feel over it as I do.

But the truth is Mrs Allen I just flew into a temple and whipped him because of that.

I wasn't thinking whether it was right or just.

Even if he hadn't deserved it I would have done it just the same.

Well we all make mistakes dear so just put it behind you.

Do you think you'll ever get to college?

Oh I don't know.

Anne looked dreamlier far to the opal tinted horizon.

Marilla's eyes will never be much better than they are now although we're so thankful to think they will not get worse.

And then there's the twins.

Somehow I don't believe their uncle will ever send for them.

Perhaps college may be around the bend in the road but I haven't got to the bend yet.

Well I should like to see you go to college Anne but if you never do don't be discontented about it.

We make our own lives wherever we are after all.

College can only help us do it more easily.

And life is rich and full here everywhere if we can only learn how to open our whole hearts to its richness and its fullness.

I think I understand what you mean said Anne thoughtfully and I know I've so much to feel thankful for.

My work,

Paul Irving and the dear twins and all my friends.

Do you know Mrs Allen I'm so thankful for friendship.

It beautifies life so much.

True friendship is a very helpful thing indeed said Mrs Allen and we should have a very high ideal of it and never sully it by any failure in truth and sincerity.

I fear the name of friendship is often degraded to a kind of intimacy that has nothing of real friendship in it.

Yes like good friendship is a very intimate and go everywhere together but Gertie's always saying nasty things of Julie behind her back and everybody thinks she's jealous of her because she's always so pleased when anybody criticizes Julia.

If we have friends we should only look out for the best in them and give them the best that's in us don't you think?

Then friendship would be the most beautiful thing in the world.

Friendship is very beautiful smiled Mrs Allen but someday then she paused abruptly in the delicate white-browed face beside her with its candid eyes and mobile features there was still far more of the child than the woman.

Mrs Allen did not wish to brush the bloom from her sweet unconsciousness so she left her sentence for the future years to finish.

Reviews

Dear dear anne… and dear you for bringing her to us!❤️🙏🏽