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 4 The First Bride of Green Gables Anne wakened on the morning of her wedding day to find the sunshine winking in at the window of the little porch gable and a September breeze frolicking with her curtains.
I'm so glad the sun will shine on me,
She thought happily.
She recalled the first morning she'd wakened in that little porch room when the sunshine had crept in on her through the blossom drift of the old snow queen.
But since then the little room had been endeared and consecrated by years of happy childhood dreams and maiden visions.
To it,
She had come back joyfully after all her absences.
At its window she had knelt through that night of bitter agony when she believed Gilbert dying.
And by it she had sat in speechless happiness the night of her betrothal.
Many vigils of joy and some of sorrow had been kept there.
And today she must leave it forever.
Henceforth it would be hers no more.
15-year-old Dora was to inherit it when she had gone.
Nor did Anne wish it otherwise.
The little room was sacred to youth and girlhood,
To the past that was to close today before the chapter of wifehood opened.
Green Gables was a busy and joyous house that forenoon.
Diana arrived early with little Fred and small Anne Cordelia to lend a hand.
Davy and Dora,
The Green Gables' twins,
Whisk the babies off to the garden.
Don't let smaller Ann Cordelia spoil her clothes,
Awed Diana anxiously.
You needn't be afraid to trust her with Dora,
" said Marilla.
That child is more sensible and careful than most of the mothers I've known.
She's really a wonder in some ways.
Not much like that other hare and scarum I brought up.
Marilla smiled across her chicken salad at Anne.
It might even be suspected she liked the harem's scare and best after all.
Those twins are real nice children,
" said Mrs Rachel when she was sure they were out of earshot.
Dora is so womanly and helpful and Davy is developing into a very smart boy.
He isn't the holy terror of a mischief he used to be.
I never was so distracted in my life as I was the first six months he was here.
Acknowledged Marina After that,
I suppose I got used to him.
He's taken a great notion to farming lately and wants me to let him try running the farm next year.
I may,
For Mr Barry doesn't think he'll want to rent it much longer,
And some new arrangement will have to be made.
Well,
You certainly have a lovely day for your wedding,
Anne,
" said Diana,
As she slipped an apron over her silken array.
You couldn't have had a finer one if you'd ordered it from Eaton's.
Indeed,
There's too much money going out of this island to that same Eatons,
" said Mrs.
Linde indignantly.
She had strong views on the subject of octopus-like department stores and never lost an opportunity of airing them.
And as for those catalogues of theirs,
They're the Avonlea's girls' bible.
Now that's what!
They'll pore over them on Sundays instead of studying the holy scriptures.
Well,
They're splendid to amuse children with,
" said Diana.
Fred and Small Anne look at the pictures by the hour.
I amuse ten children without the aid of Eaton's catalogue.
Said Mrs Rachel severely.
Come you two,
Don't quarrel over Eton's catalogue,
" said Anne Gailey.
This is my day of days,
You know.
I'm so happy,
I want everyone else to be happy too.
I'm sure your happiness will last,
Child,
" sighed Mrs Rachel.
She did hope it truly and believed it,
But she was afraid it was in the nature of a challenge to Providence to flaunt your happiness too openly.
And for her own good must be toned down a trifle.
But it was a happy and beautiful bride who came down the old,
Homespun carpeted stairs that September noon.
The first bride of Green Gables.
Slender and shining-eyed in the midst of her maiden veil,
With her arms full of roses.
Gilbert waiting for her in the hall below.
Looked up at her with adoring eyes.
She was his at last,
This evasive long-sought Anne,
One after years of patient waiting.
It was to him she was coming in the sweet surrender of the bride.
Was he worthy of her?
Could he make her as happy as he hoped?
If he failed her,
If he could not measure up to her standard of manhood.
Then as she held out her hand their eyes met and all doubt was swept away.
In a glad certainty.
They belong to each other,
And no matter what life might hold for them,
It could never alter that.
Their happiness was in each other's keeping,
And both were unafraid.
They were married in the sunshine of the old orchard,
Circled by the loving and kindly faces of long familiar friends.
Mr.
Allen married them and the Reverend Joe made what Mrs.
Rachel Lind afterwards pronounced to be the most beautiful wedding prayer she had ever heard.
Birds do not often sing in September,
But one sang sweetly from some hidden bough.
Whilst Gilbert and Anne repeated their deathless vows.
Anne heard it and thrilled to it.
Gilbert heard it and wondered only that all the birds in the world had not burst into jubilant song.
Paul heard it and later wrote a lyric about it which was one of the most admired in his first volume and verse.
Charlotte IV heard it and was blissfully sure it meant good luck,
For her adored Miss Shirley.
The birds sang until the ceremony was ended and then it wound up with one mad little glad little trill.
Never had the old grey-green house among its enfolding orchards known of blither,
Merrier afternoons.
All the old jests and quips that must have done duty at weddings since Eden was served up,
And seemed as new and brilliant and mirth-provoking as if they had never been uttered before.
Laughter and joy had their way,
And when Anne and Gilbert left to catch the carpet-y train with Paula's driver,
The twins were ready with rice and old shoes,
In the throwing of which Charlotte IV and Mr Harrison bore a valiant part.
Marilla stood at the gate and watched the carriage out of sight down the long lane with its banks of goldenrod.
Anne turned at its end to wave her last goodbye.
She was gone.
Green Gables was her home no more.
Marilla's face looked very grey and old as she turned to the house which Anne had filled for 14 years.
And even in her absence with light and life.
But Diana and her small fry.
The Echo Lodge People and the Allens.
Had stayed to help the two old ladies over the loneliness of the first evening.
And they contrive to have a quietly pleasant little supper time.
Sitting long around the table and chatting over all the details of the day.
