4 Cont. Anne Of The Island - Read By Stephanie Poppins

New adventures lie ahead as Anne Shirley packs her bags, waves goodbye to childhood, and heads for Redmond College. With her old friend Prissy Grant waiting in the bustling city of Kingsport and her frivolous new friend Philippa Gordon at her side, Anne tucks her memories of rural Avonlea away and discovers life on her terms, filled with surprises.

Handsome Gilbert Blythe is waiting in the wings, too. And Anne must decide whether or not she's ready for love.

In this episode: Anne and Priscilla meet a new girl: Phillipa Gordon, who entertains them in the graveyard

Transcript

Anne of the Island by L.

M.

Montgomery Read by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 4 continued Oh,

I want to know who you two girls are,

Said the other excitedly.

I've been dying to know.

I saw you at Redmond this morning.

Say,

Wasn't it awful there?

For the time I wish I'd stayed home and got married.

Anne and Priscilla both broke into unconstrained laughter at this unexpected conclusion,

And the brown girl laughed back.

I really did.

I could have,

You know.

Come,

Let's all sit down on this gravestone and get acquainted.

It won't be hard.

I know we're going to adore each other.

I knew it as soon as I saw you at Redmond this morning.

I wanted so much to go right over and hug you both.

Why didn't you?

Asked Priscilla.

Because I simply couldn't make up my mind to do it.

I never can make up my mind about anything myself.

I'm always afflicted with indecision.

Just as soon as I decide to do something,

I feel it in my bones another course would be the correct one.

It's a dreadful misfortune,

But I was born this way and there's no use blaming me for it as some people do.

So I couldn't make up my mind to go and speak to you as much as I wanted to.

We thought you were too shy,

Said Anne.

No,

No,

Dear.

Shyness isn't among the many failings or virtues of Philippa Gordon.

Phil for short.

Do call me Phil right off.

Now,

What are your handles?

She's Priscilla Grant,

Said Anne,

Pointing.

And she's Anne Shirley,

Said Priscilla,

Pointing in turn.

And we're from the island,

Said both together.

I hail from Bolingbroke,

Nova Scotia,

Said Philippa.

Bolingbroke,

Exclaimed Anne.

Why,

That's where I was born.

Do you really mean it?

That makes you a blue nose after all.

No,

It doesn't,

Daughter,

Dan.

Wasn't it Dan O'Connell who said that if a man was born in a stable,

It didn't make him a horse.

I am island to the core.

Well,

I'm glad you were born in Bolingbroke anyway.

It kind of makes us neighbors,

Doesn't it?

And I like that because when I tell you secrets,

It won't be as if I were telling them to a stranger.

I have to tell them I can't keep secrets,

Said Phil.

It's no use to try.

That's my worst failing.

That,

An indecision,

As a foal said.

Would you believe it,

It took me half an hour to decide which hat to wear when I was coming here.

Here,

To a graveyard.

At first,

I inclined to my brown one with a feather.

But as soon as I put it on,

I thought this pink one with a floppy brim would be more becoming.

When I got it pinned in place,

I liked the brown one better.

At last,

I put them both together on the bed,

Shut my eyes,

And jabbed with a hat pin.

The pin speared the pink one,

So I put it on.

It is becoming,

Though,

Isn't it?

Tell me,

What do you think of my looks?

At this naive demand,

Made in a perfectly serious tone,

Priscilla laughed again.

But Anne said,

Impulsively squeezing Phil's hand.

We thought this morning you were the prettiest girl we saw at Redmond.

Philippa's crooked mouth flashed into a bewitching crooked smile over very white little teeth.

I thought that myself,

Was her next astounding statement.

But I wanted someone else's opinion to bolster me up.

I can't decide,

Even on my own appearance.

Just as soon as I've decided I'm pretty,

I begin to feel miserably that I'm not.

Besides,

I have an horrible old great aunt who's always saying to me with a mournful sigh,

You were such a pretty baby.

It's strange how children change when they grow up.

I adore aunts,

But I detest great aunts.

Please tell me quite often I'm pretty if you don't mind.

I feel so much more comfortable when I can believe I'm pretty.

And I'll be just as obliging to you if you want me to.

I can be,

With a clear conscience.

Thanks,

Laughed Anne.

But Priscilla and I are so firmly convinced of our own good looks,

We don't need any assurance about them,

So you needn't trouble.

Oh,

You're laughing at me.

I know you think I'm abominably vain.

But I'm not,

Said Phil.

There really isn't one spark of vanity in me,

And I'm never a bit grudging about paying compliments to other girls when they deserve them.

I'm so glad I know you folks.

I came up on Saturday,

And I've nearly died of homesickness ever since.

It's a horrible feeling,

Isn't it?

In Bolingbroke,

I'm an important personage.

In Kingsport,

I'm just nobody.

There were times when I could feel my soul turning a delicate blue.

Where do you hang out?

38 St John Street,

Said Anne.

Better and better.

Why,

I'm just round the corner on Wallis Street.

I don't like my boarding house,

Though.

It's bleak and lonesome,

And my room looks out on such an unholy backyard.

It's the ugliest place in the world.

As for cats,

Well,

Surely all the Kingsport cats can't congregate there at night.

But half of them must.

I adore cats on hearth rugs,

Snoozing before nice,

Friendly fires.

But cats in backyards at midnight are totally different animals.

The first night I was here,

I cried all night.

And so did the cats.

You should have seen my nose in the morning.

How I wish I'd never left home.

I don't know how you managed to make up your mind to come to Redmond at all.

If you're really such an undecided person,

Said a muse,

Priscilla.

Bless your heart,

Honey,

I didn't.

It was my father who wanted me to come here.

His heart was all set on it.

Why,

I don't know.

It seems perfectly ridiculous to think of me studying for a BA degree,

Doesn't it?

Not much,

But what I can do all right.

I've heaps of brains.

Oh,

Said Priscilla,

Vaguely.

Yeah,

But it's such hard work to use them.

And BAs are such learned,

Dignified,

Wise,

Solemn creatures.

They must be.

No,

I didn't want to come to Redmond,

Continued Phil.

I did it just to oblige father.

He is such a duck.

Besides,

I knew if I stayed home,

I'd have to get married.

Mother wanted that.

She wanted it decidedly.

Mother has plenty of decision.

But I really hated the thought of being married for a few years yet.

I want to have heaps of fun before I settle down.

And ridiculous as the idea of my being a BA is,

The idea of my being an old married woman is still more absurd,

Isn't it?

I'm only 18.

No,

I concluded I would rather come to Redmond than be married.

Besides,

How could I ever have made up my mind which man to marry?

Were there so many?

Laughed Anne.

Heaps.

The boys like me awfully,

They really do.

But there were only two that mattered.

The rest were all too young and too poor.

I must marry a rich man,

You know.

Why must you?

Honey,

You couldn't imagine me being a poor man's wife.

Could you?

I can't do a single useful thing and I'm very extravagant.

Oh no,

My husband must have heaps of money.

So that narrowed them down to two.

But I couldn't decide between two any easier than between 200.

I knew perfectly well whichever one I chose,

I'd regret all my life I hadn't married the other.

Didn't you love either of them?

Asked Anne a little hesitatingly.

It was not easy for her to speak to a stranger of the great mystery and transformation of life.

Goodness no,

Said Phil.

I couldn't love anybody,

It isn't in me.

Besides,

I wouldn't want to.

Being in love makes you a perfect slave,

I think.

And it would give a man such power to hurt you.

I'd be afraid.

No,

No,

Alec and Alonzo are two dear boys and I like them so much.

I really don't know which I like the better.

And that's the trouble.

Alec is the best looking of course and I simply couldn't marry a man who wasn't handsome.

He's good tempered too and has lovely curly black hair.

He's rather too perfect though.

I don't believe I'd like a perfect husband.

Somebody I could never find fault with.

Then why not marry Alonzo?

Asked Priscilla gravely.

Think of marrying a name like Alonzo,

Said Phil dolefully.

I don't believe I could endure it.

But he does have a classic nose.

And it would be a comfort to have a nose in the family that could be depended upon.

I can't depend upon mine.

So far it takes after the Gordon pattern.

I'm so afraid it'll develop,

Burn,

Tendencies as I grow older.

I examine it every day anxiously to make sure it's still Gordon.

Mother was a burn and she has the burn nose in the burnest degree.

Just wait till you see it.

I adore nice noses.

Your nose is awfully nice Anne Shirley.

Alonzo's nose nearly turned the balance in his favour but Alonzo.

I can't decide.

If I could have done as I did with the hats.

Stood them both together,

Shut my eyes and jabbed with a hat pin.

It would have been quite easy.

What did Alec and Alonzo feel like when you came away?

Queried Priscilla.

Oh,

They still have hope.

I told them they'd have to wait till I could make up my mind.

They're quite willing to wait.

They both worship me,

You know.

Meanwhile,

I intend to have a good time.

I expect I shall have heaps of Beau at Redmond.

I can't be happy unless I have you know.

But don't you think the freshmen are fearfully homely?

I saw only one really handsome fellow among them.

He went away before you came.

I heard his chum called him Gilbert.

His chum had eyes that stuck out that far.

But you're not going yet girls.

No,

Don't go yet.

I think we must,

Said Anne rather coldly.

It's getting late and I've got some work to do.

But you'll both come to see me,

Won't you?

Asked Phil,

Getting up and putting her arm around each.

And let me come to see you.

I want to be chummy with you.

I've taken such a fancy to you both and I haven't quite disgusted you yet with my frivolity,

Have I?

Not quite,

Laughed Anne,

Responding to Phil's squeeze with a return of cordiality.

Because I'm not half so silly as I seem on the surface,

You know.

You just accept Philippa Gordon as the Lord made her with all her thoughts and I believe you'll come to like her.

Isn't this graveyard a sweet place?

I'd love to be buried here.

Here's a grave I didn't see before.

This one in the island railing.

Oh,

Look girls.

The stone says it's the grave of a middie who was killed in the fight between the Shannon and the Chesapeake.

Just fancy.

Anne paused by the railing and looked at the worn stone.

Her pulse is thrilling with sudden excitement.

The old graveyard with its overarching trees and long aisles of shadows faded from her sight.

Come back,

Shirley,

Come back,

Laughed Philippa,

Pulling her arm.

You're a hundred years away from us,

Come back.

And Anne came back with a sigh,

Her eyes shining softly.

I've always loved that old story,

She said,

And although the English won that victory,

I think it was because of the brave defeated commander.

This grave seems to bring it so near and make it so real.

Before she turned away,

Anne unpinned the little cluster of purple pants she wore and dropped it softly on the grave of the boy who'd perished in the great sea duel.

Well,

What do you think of our new friend?

Asked Priscilla when Phil had left them.

I like her,

Said Anne.

There's something very lovable about her in spite of all her nonsense.

I believe,

As she says herself,

She isn't half as silly as she sounds.

I like her too,

Said Priscilla.

She talks as much about boys as Ruby Gillis does,

But it always enrages or sickens me to hear Ruby,

Whereas with Phil,

I just wanted to laugh.

There is a difference,

Said Anne meditatively.

I think it's because Ruby's really so conscious of boys.

She plays at love and lovemaking.

Now when Phil talks of her beau,

It sounds as if she was just speaking of chums.

She really looks upon boys as good comrades and she's pleased when she has dozens of them tagging around.

Simply because she likes to be popular.

I believe I've put forth a tiny soul root into Kingsport soil this afternoon.

I do hope so.

I hate to feel transplanted.

Reviews

Oh my, what o complex and delightful first friend, so good!
Thanks, love!❤️🙏🏼