Welcome to sleep stories with Steph your go-to podcast.
That offers you a calm and relaxing transition.
Into a great night's sleep.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now.
And know where you need to go.
Close your eyes.
And feel yourself sink into the support beneath you.
And let all the worries of the day go.
Drift away.
This is your time.
And your space.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And let it out with a long sigh.
That's it!
There is nothing you need to be doing now.
And know where you need to go.
Happy listening.
Chapter 3 The land of dreams among.
Have you made up your mind who you're going to have to the wedding end?
Asked Mrs Rachel Lynde as she hemstitched table napkins industriously.
It's time your invitations were sent.
Even if they are only to be informal ones.
I don't mean to have very many.
See you then.
We just want those we love best to see us married.
Gilbert's people and Mr.
And Mrs.
Allen and Mr.
And Mrs.
Harrison.
There was a time when you'd hardly have numbered Mr Harrison among your dearest friends,
" said Marilla dryly.
Well,
I wasn't very strongly attracted to him at our first meeting,
Acknowledged Anne with a laugh over the recollection.
But Mr Harrison has improved on acquaintance and Mrs Harrison is really a dear.
Then of course there are Miss Lavender and Paul.
Have they decided to come to the island this summer?
I thought they were going to Europe.
They changed their minds when I wrote to them I was going to be married.
I had a letter from Paul today.
He said he must come to my wedding no matter what happens in Europe.
That child always idolised you,
" remarked Mrs Rachel.
Child is a young man of 19 now,
Mrs.
Lynde.
How time does fly.
Was Mrs Lynn's brilliant and original response.
Charlotte IV may come with them.
She sent word by Paul she'd come if her husband would let her.
I wonder if she still wears those enormous blue bows,
And whether her husband calls her Charlotte or Leonora.
I should love to have Charlotte at my wedding.
Charlotte and I wish a wedding long sign.
They expect to be in Echo Lodge next week.
Then there were Phil and the Reverend Joe.
It sounds awful to hear of you speaking of a minister like that,
Anne.
Said Mrs Rachel severely.
His wife calls him that.
She should have more respect for his holy office then.
I've heard you criticize ministers pretty sharply yourself.
And teased.
Yes,
But I do it reverently.
You never heard me nickname a minister,
" protested Mrs.
Lynde.
And smothered a smile.
Well,
There were Diana and Fred,
And little Fred,
And small Ann Cordelia,
And Jane Andrews.
.
.
I wish I could have Miss Stacy and Aunt Jamesina and Priscilla and Stella.
But Stella's in Vancouver,
And Pris is in Japan,
And Miss Stacy is married in California.
And Aunt Jamesina has gone to India to explore her daughter's mission field,
In spite of her horror of snakes.
It's really dreadful the way people get scattered over the globe.
The Lord never intended it,
That's what,
" said Mrs Rachel authoritatively.
In my young days,
People grew up and married and settled down where they were born or pretty near it.
Thank goodness you've stuck to the island,
Anne.
I was afraid Gilbert would insist on rushing off to the ends of the earth when he got through college and dragging you along with him.
If everybody stayed where he was born,
Places would soon be filled up,
Mrs Lind.
I'm not going to argue with you,
Anne.
I am not a BA.
Now what time of the day is the ceremony to be?
We've decided on noon.
High noon,
As the society reporters say.
That will give us time to catch the evening train to Glen St Mary.
And you'll be married in the parlour.
No,
Not unless it rains.
We mean to be married in the orchard with a blue sky over us and the sunshine around us.
Do you know when and where I'd like to be married if I could?
I would be married at dawn,
In a June dawn,
With a glorious sunrise,
And roses blooming in the gardens,
And I would slip down and meet Gilbert,
And we would go together to the heart of the beech woods,
And there,
Under the green arches,
That would be like a splendid cathedral,
We would be married.
Marilla sniffed scornfully and Mrs Lind looked shocked.
But that would be terrible queer,
Anne.
Why,
It wouldn't really seem legal.
And what would Mrs Harmon Andrews say?
Oh,
There's the rub.
Sigh then.
There are so many things in life we cannot do because of the fear of what Mrs Harmon Andrews would say.
Tis true,
Tis pity,
And pity tis,
Tis true.
What delightful things we might do were it not for Mrs.
Harmon Andrews.
Bye times,
Anne.
I really don't feel quite sure I understand you altogether.
Mrs.
Lynn complained.
Anne was always romantic,
You know,
Said Marilla apologetically.
Well,
Married life will most likely cure her of that,
" Mrs Rachel responded comfortingly.
Anne laughed and slipped away to Lover's Lane where Gilbert found her.
And neither of them seemed to entertain much fear or hope that their married life would cure them of romance.
The Echo Lodge people came over the next week.
And green gables buzzed with the delight of them.
Miss Lavender had changed so little that the three years since her last island visit might have been a watch in the night.
But Anne gasped with amazement over Paul.
Could this splendid six feet of manhood be the little pool of Avonlea school days?
You really make me feel old,
Paul,
" said Anne.
Why,
I have to look up to you now.
You will never grow old,
Teacher.
Said Paul.
You are one of the fortunate mortals who have found and drunk from the fountain of youth.
You and Mother Lavender.
See here,
When you're married,
I won't call you Mrs Blythe.
To me,
You'll always be teacher.
The teacher of the best lessons I ever learned.
I want to show you something.
The something was a pocket full of poems.
Paul had put some of his beautiful fancies into verse,
And magazine editors had not been as unappreciative as they are sometimes supposed to be.
And read Paul's poems with real delight.
They were full of charm and promise.
You'll be famous yet,
Paul.
I've always dreamed of having one famous pupil.
He was to be a college president.
But a great poet would be even better.
Someday I'll be able to boast I whipped the distinguished Paul Irving.
But then I never really did whip you,
Did I,
Paul?
What an opportunity lost!
I think I kept you in at recess,
However.
You may be famous yourself,
Teacher.
I've seen a good deal of your work these last three years.
No,
I know what I can do.
I can write pretty fanciful little sketches that children love and editors send welcome checks for.
But I can do nothing being.
My only chance for earthly immortality is a corner in your memoirs.
Charlotte IV had discarded the blue bows.
But her freckles were not noticeably less.
I never did think I'd come down to marrying a Yankee,
Miss Shirley Ma'am,
" she said.
But you never know what's before you and it isn't his fault he was born that way.
You're a yankie yourself,
Charlotte,
Since you've married one,
Said Anne.
Me surely ma'am,
I'm not.
And I wouldn't be if I was to marry a dozen Yankees.
Tom's kinda nice.
And besides,
I thought I'd better not be too hard to please or I mightn't get another chance.
Tom don't drink and he don't growl because he has to work between meals.
And when all's said and done,
I'm satisfied,
Miss Shirley-ma'am.
Does he call you Leonora?
I'll stand.
Goodness,
No man!
I wouldn't know who he meant if he did.
Of course,
When we got married,
He had to say,
I'll take thee,
Leonora.
And I declare to you,
Miss Shirley Ma'am,
I've had the most dreadful feeling ever since.
It wasn't me he was talking to,
And I haven't been quite rightly married at all.
So you're going to be married yourself,
Miss Shirley-ma'am?
I always thought I'd like to marry a doctor.
It would be so handy when the children had measles and croup.
Tommy's only a break layer,
But he's a real good-tempered man.
When I say to him,
Says I,
Tom,
Can I go to Miss Shirley's wedding?
I mean to go anyhow,
But I'd like to have your consent.
" He says,
Suit yourself,
Charlotte,
And you'll suit me.
That's a real pleasant kind of husband to have,
Miss Shirley,
Ma'am.
Philippa and her Reverend Joe arrived at Green Gables the day before the wedding.
Anne and Phil had a rapturous meeting which presently simmered down to a cosy confidential chat over all that had been and all that was about to be.
Queen Anne,
You're as queenly as ever.
I've got fearfully thin since the babies came.
They're not half so good looking.
But I think Joe likes it.
There's not such a contrast between this,
You see,
And it's perfectly magnificent you're going to marry Gilbert.
Roy Gardner wouldn't have done at all,
At all.
I can see that now.
I was horribly disappointed at the time.
You know Anne,
You did treat Roy very badly.
He has recovered,
I understand.
Smile,
Dan.
Oh yes,
He's married and his wife is a sweet little thing and they're perfectly happy.
Everything works together for good.
Joe in the Bible say that and they're pretty good authorities you know.
Are Alec and Alonso married yet?
I like it,
It's better long though,
Isn't it?
How those dear old days at Patty's place come back when I'm talking to you.
What fun we had!
Have you been to Patty's place lately?
Yes,
I go often.
Miss Patty and Miss Maria sit by the fireplace and knit still.
And that reminds me,
We bought you a wedding gift from the man.
Guess what it is?
I never could.
How did they know I was going to be married?
Oh,
I told them.
I was there last week and they were so interested.
Two days ago,
Miss Patty wrote me a note asking me to call.
Then she asked if I would take a gift to you.
What would you wish most from Patti's place,
Anne?
You can't mean Miss Patty sent me her china dogs!
Go up there,
They're in my trunk this very moment,
And I have a letter for you.
Just wait till I get it.
Dear Miss Shirley,
Miss Patty had written.
Maria and I were very much interested in hearing of your approaching nuptials.
We send you our best wishes.
Maria and I have never been married,
But we have no objection to other people doing so.
We are sending you the China dogs.
I intended to leave them to you in my will because you seem to have such sincere affection for them.
But Maria and I expect to live a good while,
Yes.
So I've decided to give you the dogs while you're young.
You will not have forgotten that Gog looks to the right and Magog to the left.
Just fancy those old lovely dogs sitting by the fireplace in my house of dreams,
" said Anne rapturously.
I never expected anything so delightful.
That evening,
Green Gables hummed with preparations for the following day.
But in the twilight Anne slipped away.
She had a little pilgrimage to make on this last day of her girlhood,
And she must make it alone.
She went to Matthew's grave in the little poplar shaded Avonlea graveyard.
And there kept a silent tryst with old memories and immortal loves.
How glad Matthew would be tomorrow if he were here.
She whispered.
But I believe he does know and is glad of it somewhere else.
I read somewhere how dead are never dead until we've forgotten them.
Matthew will never be dead to me.
For I can never forget him.
Anne left on his grave the flowers she'd brought and walked slowly down the long hill.
It was a gracious evening full of delectable lights and shadows.
In the west was a sky of mackerel clouds,
Crimson and amber tinted,
With long strips of apple green sky between them.
Beyond was the glimmering radiance of a sunset sea,
And the ceaseless voice of many waters came up from the tawny shore.
All around her,
Lying in the fine,
Beautiful country silence,
Were the hills and fields and woods she had known and loved so long.
History repeats itself,
Said Gilbert,
Joining her as she passed the Blithe Gate.
Do you remember our first walk down this hill,
Anne?
Our first walk together,
Anyway,
For that matter.
I was coming home in the twilight from Matthew's grave and you came out of the gate and I swallowed the pride of years and spoke to you.
And all heaven open before me,
Supplemented Gilbert.
From that moment I look forward to tomorrow.
When I left you at your gate that night and walked home,
I was the happiest boy in the world.
Anne had forgiven me.
I think you had the most to forgive.
I was an ungrateful little wretch and after you'd really saved my life that day on the pond too.
How I loathe that load of obligation at first.
I don't deserve the happiness that has come to me.
Gilbert laughed and clasped tight to the girlish hand that wore his ring.
Anne's engagement ring was a circlet of pearls.
She had refused to wear a diamond.
I never really liked diamonds since I found out they weren't the lovely purple I'd dreamed.
They would always suggest my old disappointment.
But pearls are for tea,
As the old legend said.
Gilbert had objected.
I'm not afraid of that.
Tears can be happy as well as sad.
My very happiest moments have been when I had tears in my eyes.
When Marilla told me I might stay at Green Gables.
When Matthew gave me the first pretty dress I ever had.
When I heard that you were going to recover from the fever.
So give me pearls for our troth ring,
Gilbert,
And I'll willingly accept the sorrow of life with its joy.
But tonight our love is thought only of joy and never of sorrow.
For the morrow was their wedding day.
And their house of dreams awaited them on the misty,
Purple shore.
Of Four Winds Harbour.
