Anne of Green Gables

Story 2

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Anne of Green Gables

by Lucy Maud Montgomery (adapted)

Glossary

buggy (n.) a horsedrawn carriage. curious (adj.) eager to learn or know. This story begins one afternoon in Avonlea. Mrs. Rachel Lynde looked out her kitchen window. She saw a man with a horse and a buggy going up the road. The man was her neighbor, Matthew Cuthberth.

“Where is Matthew going?” thought Mrs. Lynde, “Why is he going there?”

Mrs. Lynde knew that Matthew had a lot of work to do on his farm and he didn’t have anyone to help him. Matthew lived with his sister Marilla in Green Gables, a large old house not far from Mrs. Lynde’s home.

Mrs. Lynde tried not to feel curious, but she couldn’t. She went to Green Gables to find out where Matthew went.

Mrs. Lynde found Marilla Cuthbert in her kitchen. Marilla was a tall, thin woman with gray hair. She wasn’t pretty, but she was very kind.

“Good afternoon, Marilla,” said Mrs. Lynde. “I saw Matthew leave. Where is he going?”

“Hello,” answered Marilla, “he is going to Bright River Station. He’s picking up a little boy from a orphanage in Nova Scotia. He is arriving on the train this afternoon.”

“A boy?” asked Mrs. Lynde surprised, “Why do you want an orphan boy?”

“Matthew needs help on the farm; he is already sixty years old,” Marilla said. “We heard that Mrs. Spencer is getting a little girl from the orphanage, so we asked her to bring us a boy. Matthew will pick him up at the train station.” Glossary

orphanage: (n.) an institution for the housing and care of orphans.

Bright River Station was very far from Avonlea.

Matthew went slowly with his buggy and his horse.

When he got to the station, it was very late. He didn’t see a train. Matthew went into the station and there he saw a little girl, about eleven years Glossary old, sitting on a bench. She was very thin with big gray eyes and long red bench: (n.) a long seat for several people. hair. She wore an ugly dress and carried an old bag.

When the girl saw Matthew, she waved. Then, she went to him and said, “I’m the girl from the orphanage, Mrs. Spencer brought me here. Are you

Mr. Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables?”

Matthew took the girls hands and thought, “This is a mistake. This is a girl, not a boy!”

“I know it is a long way to your house, Mrs. Spencer told me,” said the girl, “when I saw that you weren’t at the station, I thought about where I could sleep until you got here tomorrow morning. I am happy that you are here. I love driving and that I’m going to have a home with you.”

“I’m sorry I’m late,” said Matthew. He took the girl’s bag and they walked to the buggy. “I can’t leave her here alone,” he thought. “We will return to Green Gables so Marilla can tell her that there was a mistake.”

Matthew drove back to Green Gables. The girl talked and talked. Matthew just listened. He didn’t like to talk, but he enjoyed listening to the girl’s conversation.

Glossary mistake: (n.) an error in action or judgment.

When Marilla saw the buggy getting close to the house, she went out to greet Matthew.

“Where is the boy?” Marilla asked surprised.

“There was only her at the station,” Matthew said.

“What?” said Marilla. “We clearly asked for a boy.”

“I guess we did,” Matthew said.

“What is wrong with a girl?” the girl asked.

“We needed a boy to help with the farm,” Marilla said.

“A girl can give alfalfa to the cows. She can also help you around the house,” Matthew said. Glossary “A boy can milk and carry heavy knit (v.) to make things,” said Marilla. “A girl can only (fabric, clothes, etc.) knit, sit, wash and sew.” by joining loops of yarn by hand with The girl started crying knitting needles. and said, “You don’t sew (v.) to join or attach one or more want me because things by stitches. I am a girl.”

“Don’t cry,” said Marilla, “we can solve this problem. What’s your name?”

“My name is Anne Shirley. Anne with an ‘e’,” the girl said.

“Anne is a very nice name,” Marilla said. “Come eat something and then you can rest.”

Anne, Marilla and Matthew sat down at the table and ate their dinner. Then, Marilla asked Anne to follow her upstairs to show Anne her room. Marilla went back down stairs and washed the dishes. Matthew sat in his chair. He didn’t say anything.

“She needs to go,” said Marilla. “I can take her to Mrs. Spencer’s house tomorrow and tell her about the mistake.” “She is a very nice girl,” said Matthew. “I think she is very interesting, and she likes to talk. I am sure she can learn how to do many things. She wants to stay with us. We should let her.” “We don’t need an orphan girl,” said Marilla, “I’m going to send her back.”

“I’m going to bed now,” said Matthew. He stood up and left. Marilla took the plates one by one and use a piece of cloth to dry them. Then, she did the same with the spoons, forks and knives. Then, she put them away. She went to bed too.

The next morning, Marilla prepared breakfast. They all sat down to eat it. After breakfast, Anne washed the plates and cups. Marilla watched as she worked, but Anne did it very well. Anne took the plates and cups one by one and rinsed them. Then, she used the sponge and some soapy water to wash each plate and cup. Finally, after all the plates and cups had soap, she rinsed the soap and put them on the drying rack. Later, Marilla took the dry plates and cups and put them away. Glossary

rinsed: (v.) in the past, to pour water over when washing. soapy: (adj.) that contains soap.

“We are going to White Sands,” said Marilla. “Anne will come with me and we’ll talk to Mrs. Spencer.”

Matthew looked very sad, but he didn’t say anything. He got the horse and buggy ready for Marilla. She drove, and Anne sat next to her.

“It is a long way to White Sands,” Marilla said. “I know you like to talk. I want you to tell me who taught you how to wash the dishes.”

“Oh, Mrs. Thomas did. She is the woman that took me in after my parents died,” Anne said. “She had four children. I helped take care of them. She taught me how to do many things to help around the house, wash the dishes, wash the clothes, sweep, mop and I even know how to knit and sew.”

“Why were you at the orphanage?” asked Marilla.

“One day, Mr. Thomas died in an accident. Mrs. Thomas and the children went to Mr. Thomas’ parents, they didn’t have space for me,” Anne explained. “Then, Mrs. Hammond, Mrs. Thomas’ friend, took me into her house. She had eight children. I did many different things there every day, sometimes I even brushed their teeth! When Mrs. Hammond moved away, I had to go to the orphanage.”

“Did you go to school?” Marilla asked.

“Not very often. I didn’t have the time to go to school. There were so many children,” said Anne. “I really like reading.”

Marilla felt bad for Anne. She was very young, and her life wasn’t very nice.

When Mrs. Spencer heard about the mistake, she felt sorry. Marilla and Anne were sitting in her living room.

“I have an idea,” Mrs. Spencer said. “My neighbor Mrs. Blewett just had a baby. Maybe Anne can stay with her.”

Marilla didn’t like the idea. She didn’t want Anne to stay with a person that wasn’t going to be nice to her.

“I have to discuss things with my brother first,” Marilla said. “He really wants Anne to stay with us.”

“Can I stay with you at Green Gables then?” asked Anne.

“Maybe,” said Marilla. “You still need to show me everything you know how to do. For now, sit down and be quiet.”

Later that day, Marilla and Anne returned to Green Gables. When Matthew saw Anne return with Marilla he felt very happy. Marilla told Matthew about Mrs. Blewett.

“Oh no, Mrs. Blewett is not nice,” said Matthew.

“I know,” Marilla said. “I don’t like her. I decided Anne can stay here with us. She knows how to do many things. She can go to school too. I hope she can be happy here.”

Matthew was very happy. “I am sure Anne can be very happy here. We just have to be good to her,” he said.

The years passed and Anne grew smarter and stronger. Marilla and Matthew really loved her. They wanted the best for her. They let her go to school and she helped at home whenever she could.

One day, Matthew fell on the kitchen floor and didn’t wake up. His heart was too sick and tired. Anne was very sad. Marilla was sad too.

“Oh Anne,” Marilla said, “I am sorry. I have to sell Green Gables. I don’t have any money.”

“Don’t worry Marilla. I am a woman now. I can be a teacher here in Avonlea and bring money, so we don’t have to sell Green Gables,” said Anne.

So Anne became a teacher and lived in Green Gables, the place she learned to call home.

Glossary

heart: (n.) an organ in humans and many animals that receives blood from the veins and pumps it through the arteries to other parts of the body.