19 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. She 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 receives an unexpected gift.

Transcript

Anne of the Island by L.

M.

Montgomery Read by Stephanie Poppins Chapter 18 Continued The kitchen was deserted and Anne sat down by the window in the fast-falling wintry twilight.

The sun had set and the wind had died down.

A pale,

Chilly moon looked out behind a bank of purple clouds in the west.

The sky faded out,

But the strip of yellow along the western horizon grew brighter and fiercer as if all the stray gleams of light were concentrating in one spot.

The distant hills rimmed with priest-like firs stood out in dark distinctness against it.

Anne looked out across the still white fields,

Cold and lifeless in the harsh light of that grim sunset.

She sighed.

She was sad at heart,

Very lonely,

For she was wondering if she would be able to return to Redmond next year.

It did not now seem likely.

The only scholarship possible in the sophomore year was a very small affair and she would not take Morilly's money.

There seemed little prospect of being able to earn enough in the summer vacation.

I suppose I'll just have to drop out next year,

She thought drearily,

And teach a district school again until I earn enough to finish my course.

By that time all my old class will have graduated and Patty's place will be out of the question.

But there,

I'm not going to be a coward.

I'm thankful I can earn my way through if necessary.

Mr Harrison's wading up the lane,

Announced Davy as he ran out.

I hope he's brought the mail.

It's three days since we got it.

I want to see what them pesky grits are doing.

I'm a conservative Anne and I tell you,

You have to keep your eyes on them grits.

Mr Harrison brought the mail and merry letters from Stella and Priscilla and Phil soon dissipated Anne's blues.

Aunt Jamesina too had written,

Saying she was keeping the half-fire alight and that the cats were all doing well and the house plants fine.

The weather has been real cold,

She wrote,

So I let the cat sleep in the house.

Rusty and Joseph on the sofa in the living room and the Sarah cat on the foot of my bed.

It's real company to hear her purring when I wake in the night and think of my poor daughter in the foreign field.

If it was anywhere but in India I wouldn't worry but they say the snakes out there are terrible.

It takes all the Sarah cat's purring to drive away the thought of those snakes.

I have enough faith for everything but the snakes.

I can't think why Providence ever made them.

Sometimes I don't think he did.

I'm inclined to believe the old Harry had a hand in making them.

Anne left a thin typewritten communication till the last,

Thinking it unimportant.

But when she read it she sat very still with tears in her eyes.

What's the matter,

Anne?

Asked Marilla.

Miss Josephine Barry is dead,

Said Anne in a low tone.

So she's gone at last,

Said Marilla.

Well,

She's been sick for over a year and the Barrys have been expecting to hear of her death any time.

It's as well she's at rest for she's suffered dreadfully,

Anne.

And she was always kind to you.

She's been kind to the last,

Marilla.

This letter is from her lawyer.

She's left me a thousand pounds in her will.

Gracious,

Ain't that an awful lot of money,

Exclaimed Davy.

She's that woman you and Diana lit on when you jumped into the spare room bed,

Ain't she?

Diana told me that story.

Is that why she left you so much?

Hush,

Davy,

Said Anne gently.

And she slipped away to the porch gable with a full heart,

Leaving Marilla and Mrs Linde to talk over the news to their heart's content.

Do you suppose Anne will ever get married now?

Speculated Davy anxiously.

When Dorcas Sloane got married last summer,

She said if she'd had enough money to live on,

She'd never been bothered with a man.

But even a widower with eight children was better than living with a sister-in-law.

Davy Keith,

Do hold your tongue,

Said Mrs Rachel severely.

The way you talk is scandalous for a small boy.

That's what.

Chapter 19 An Interlude To think that this is my twentieth birthday and I've left my teens behind me forever,

Said Anne,

Who was curled up on the hearthrug with Rusty in her lap,

To Aunt Jamesina who was reading in her pet chair.

They were alone in the living room.

Stella and Priscilla had gone to a committee meeting.

And Phil was upstairs adorning herself for a party.

I suppose you feel kind of sorry,

Said Aunt Jamesina.

The teens are such a nice part of life.

I'm glad I never got out of them myself.

Anne laughed.

You never will,

Auntie.

You'll be eighteen when you should be a hundred.

Yes,

I'm sorry and a little dissatisfied as well.

Miss Stacy told me long ago,

By the time I was twenty my character would be formed for good or evil.

I don't feel that it's what it should be.

It's full of flaws.

So's everybody's,

Said Aunt Jamesina cheerfully.

Mine's cracked in a hundred places.

Your Miss Stacy likely meant when you're twenty your character would have got its permanent bent in one direction or the other and would go on developing in that line.

Don't worry over it,

Anne.

Do your duty by God and your neighbour and yourself and have a good time.

That's my philosophy and it's always worked pretty well.

Where's Phil off to tonight?

She's going to a dance and she's got the sweetest dress for it.

Creamy yellow silk and cobwebby lace.

It just suits those brown tints of hers.

There's magic in the words silk and lace,

Isn't there?

Said Aunt Jamesina.

The very sound of them makes me feel like skipping off to a dance.

And yellow silk makes one think of a dress of sunshine.

I always wanted a yellow silk dress but first my mother and then my husband wouldn't hear of it.

The very first thing I'm going to do when I get to heaven is to get a yellow silk dress.

Amid Anne's peal of laughter,

Phil came downstairs trailing clouds of glory and surveyed herself in the long oval mirror on the wall.

A flattering looking glass is a promoter of amiability,

She said.

The one in my room certainly does make me look green.

Do I look pretty nice,

Anne?

Do you really know how pretty you are,

Phil?

Asked Anne in honest admiration.

Of course I do.

What are looking glasses are meant for?

That wasn't what I meant.

Are all my ends tucked in?

Is my skirt straight?

Would this rose look better lower down?

I'm afraid it's too high.

It'll make me look lopsided.

But I hate things tickling my ears.

Everything is just right,

Said Anne.

And that southwest dimple of yours is lovely.

Anne,

There's one thing in particular I like about you.

You're so ungrudging.

There isn't a particle of envy in you.

Why should she be envious?

Demanded Aunt Jamesina.

She's not quite as good looking as you may be,

But she's got a far handsomer nose.

I know it,

Conceded Phil.

My nose always has been a great comfort to me,

Confessed Anne.

And I love the way your hair grows on your forehead,

Anne.

And that one weak curl,

Always looking as if it was going to drop but never dropping,

Is delicious.

But for noses,

Mine is a dreadful worry to me.

I know by the time I'm 40 it'll be barony.

What do you think I'll look like when I'm 40,

Anne?

Like an old matronly married woman,

Teased Anne.

No,

I won't,

Said Phil,

Sitting down comfortably to wait for her escort.

Joseph,

You calico beastie,

Don't you dare jump on my lap.

I won't go to a dance all over cat hairs.

No,

Anne,

I won't look matronly.

But no doubt,

I will be married.

To Alec or Alonzo?

To one of them,

I suppose.

If ever I can decide which.

It shouldn't be hard to decide,

Scolded Aunt Jamesina.

I was born a seesaw auntie and nothing could ever prevent me from teetering,

Said Phil.

You ought to be more level-headed,

Philippa.

Hmm,

It is best to be level-headed,

I suppose.

But you miss lots of fun that way.

And as for Alec and Alonzo,

If you knew them,

You'd understand why it's difficult.

They're equally nice.

Then take somebody who's nicer,

Suggested Aunt Jamesina.

There's that senior who's so devoted to you,

Will Leslie.

He has such a nice,

Large,

Mild pair of eyes.

They're a bit too large and too mild,

Like a cow's,

Said Phil,

Cruelly.

What do you say about George Parker?

There's nothing to say about him,

Except he always looks as if he'd just been starched and ironed.

No,

He would do if he wasn't poor.

But I must marry a rich man,

Aunt Jamesina.

That and good looks is an indispensable qualification.

I'd marry Gilbert Blythe if he were rich.

Oh,

Would you?

Said Anne,

Rather viciously.

We don't like that idea a little bit,

Although we don't want Gilbert ourselves,

Oh no,

Mocked Phil.

But don't let's talk of disagreeable subjects.

I'll have to marry sometime,

I suppose.

But I shall put off the evil day as long as I can.

You mustn't marry anybody you don't love,

Phil,

When all's said and done,

Said Aunt Jamesina.

Oh,

Hearts that have loved in the good old-fashioned way have been out of the fashion this many a day,

Trilled Phil mockingly.

Oh,

There's the carriage.

I must fly.

Bye-bye,

You two old-fashioned darlings.

When Phil had gone,

Aunt Jamesina looked solemnly at Anne.

That girl is pretty and sweet and good-hearted.

But do you think she's quite right in her mind by spells,

Anne?

I don't think there's anything the matter with Phil's mind,

Said Anne,

Hiding a smile.

It's just her way of talking.

Aunt Jamesina shook her head.

Well,

I hope so.

I do hope so,

Because I love her.

But I can't understand her.

She beats me.

She isn't like any of the girls I ever knew or any of the girls I was myself.

How many girls were you,

Aunt Jimsy?

About half a dozen,

My dear.