I&F - Expectations of Love Issue – April 2011

April 2011

How to be a Shieldtnaiden Anne of Green Gables & Little Women

The Lesser Known Works

Of L. M. Montgomery

Thank You

Expectations of Love

Ink and Fairydust

Premiering June 23rd - 26th,

2011 in St. Paul, MN! Check out www.theshadowofthebear .blogspot.com for more info about the release!

A stubborn and passionate young woman ventures through life aided by creativity, imagination and a love of writing.

Strangely enough, this description could describe Anne Shirley, Jo March, or myself. So is it any wonder that I love both of these heroines and their stories? Even more interesting is that all three of us have gone on to make life careers out of raising children; Anne by having six of her own, Jo by starting a school, and myself by taking on nannying large families.

Hmm, maybe I am a heroine in a classic novel after all.

Although I strongly suspect that if you're reading this article, you likely find yourself fitting most or all of this description as well.

Here at I&F we have an appreciation of imagination, dreams and passionate stubbornness that are the core of Anne and Jo's natures.

In fact, I think both of these heroines would be fantastic staff members. Can you imagine?

Me: So, we're doing an issue on fairy tales this month, and – Anne: Oh how perfectly splendid! I've always wanted to meet a fairy... do you think I could write a story about a girl who actually meets a fairy? I'd name her Cordelia and she'd have the most GORGEOUS violet eyes...

Me: I think that sounds quite interesting, Anne, now – Jo: I'm going to write about outlaws. Something with plenty of sword fights and daring escapes and damsels in distress! Aunt March has a collection of Grimm's Fairy Tales in her library, I wonder if I can sneak it out for research while she's asleep...?

While I wait for job applications from Ms. March and Ms. Shirley, I am quite happy to share with you our fantastic spread for this month! You'll get a chance to see a few of our first pieces from our new writers, as well as some fabulous articles from the rest of our dedicated staff. I even roped in my sister to share a few of her experiences playing mean girl Josie Pye in her recent production of “Anne of Green Gables.”

So, until next time I remain, Your affectionate editor, Elizabeth Hausladen P.s. Want to suggest an article? Have a question? Want to tell us something you loved about the magazine? We would LOVE to hear from you! Send us a message at inkandfairydust@yahoo.com

I

. ·. n every

ssue

From our Staff A Light Not Hidden pg. 3 Odds & Ends pg. 5

I&FAdvice Ask the Master pg. 8 Fashion from a Fairy pg. 9 Jots & Scribbles pg. 30

Flavor: The Art of Cooking pg. 14

I&F Book Revtews Following the King pg. 17

I&F Fiction

Past the Ends of the Earth pg. 26 Shea & Bergen pg. 31

April 2011

ontents

eaturec£ Expectations of Love pg. 6 "From the Home Front pg. 10 Thank You Queen Victoria pg. 16 The Dusty Part of the Shelf pg. 18 Adventures with the March Family pg. 20 Quotes pg. 23 The Shieldmaiden pg. 24 An lnterview with Josie Pye pg. 28 Good Wives pg. 29 II

BY THE 6RHPHICS TEHffl Happy spring, our lovely viewers!

This April's issue is on the wonderful season of spring, and the well-known, "Little Women", and "Anne of Green Gables". We hope you enjoy this month's issue, and it finds you well!

God Bless!

~ Alice Richards

Hi I&F readers! Welcome to the April issue of our magazine. As you might notice we're changing the look of our graphics a bit, the graphics team has been bard at work, we hope you like the result Have a wonderful April and a Happy Easter!

~ Neri Preslin

I'm always excited and a bit fearful when Neri, our amazing graphics editor sends me articles to work on. Excited, because I get to read the articles before the rest of the world, and fearful because I have to try to make graphics that match the quality of the articles! That feat be­ comes more difficult each month, because our writers continue to deliver works that top off the previous issue's! I hope you enjoy April's I&F as much as I enjoy working on it!! Don't forget to spread the word! ~ ShayIynn Rack ers

'WHICH llTJl.E WOMAN ARE

by Rose YOU? • Dominick 1, Ifyour life was a novel, what genre would it be?

A. Chick Lit. B. Literary C. Adventure D. Romance

2. \Vhat city would you pre fer to vi sit?

A. Rome, Italy B. Galaway, Ireland C. Sidney, Austrailia D ., London, England 3. What fashion era would you choose to live in?

A. Victorian - hoopskirts and ,elegant gown!

B. Edwardian - elegant, yet more simple.

C. The 60's - fun and daring outfits!

D. Medieval - elegant and lux:urious dresses.

4. When someone gets on your nerves you respond by: A iR.unning to Marmee and complaining B. Quietly try to ignore them C. Yell at them to leave you alone D .. Calmly ask them to go away 5. In your life you long for: A. Rooms full of riches and a dashing husband!

B. Nothing more than a quiet home with my family C. Thrills and adventure, to sec the world!

D.A husband who loves me and a home ofmy own.

Ifyou answered mostly If you answered mostly 1fyou answered mostly If you answered mostly

"A;;, you are Amy March.

"B", you are Beth March "C", you are Jo March "D", you are Meg March

photo from the I 994 film 'Little Women'

vVe all have our own ideas of what love

Theodore "Laurie" Laurence and Anne Shirley

Anne and Laurie thought they knew exactly what they wanted. For Laurie, all he wanted was to of person we will most likely fall for, what our experi­ ence of love will entail. Sometimes those expect,;1tions marry his best friend Jo and spend the rest of his life follow through, at least part of the way. At other times, traveling, raising a family and having fun together. His dreams and expectations of love are shattered when our romantic adventures lead us to a place we never Jo refuses his offer of marriage and shows no sign of expected to end up. For Gilbert Blythe, Anne Shirley, repenting of her refusal.

Theodore "Laurie" Laurence and Amy and Jo March, Eventually, Laurie comes to realize that his feel­ the expectations of love played out both ways, and in ings for Jo weren't as deep as he had thought them to many ways their stories may perhaps help us with ours. be and that in Europe the right woman for him is wait­ ing.

For Anne, the vision oflove entailed a handsome, Jo March dark and dashing young man with plenty of money...

Jo March wasn't particularly sure what she wanted in her love life. At least when she was younger, a vision that she ended up finding in romantic Roy Gardiner. She eagerly follows this fulfillment of her she knew very well that she wanted to be single and expectations, believing herself to be in love. Yet when independent, a life of adventure and freedom. A man Roy actually proposes to her, she realizes that she never would only have fit into that picture if he were as free, has and she never will love Roy Gardiner and that independent and daring as she was herself. Yet when there is someone else who is more perfect for her than gi,•en the offer of marriage by Laurie, a dear friend the ideal she had originally chosen. Both Laurie and who was adventurous and had the means to make her Anne come to realize that our expectations and hopes dreams of traveling around the world possible, she don't always turn out the way we want them to. turns him down. A marriage to someone you honestly couldn't get along with other than as a friend is not Amy March worth the happiness of fulfilling your dreams. When Ever since she was a little girl, Amy knew true love finally does come for Jo, in the quiet and exactly what she wanted as far as romance went. She rather un-worldly form of Professor Bhaer, Jo realizes that sometimes love is more important in the long run wanted riches, a handsome husband, a big house... and really, love w»sn't all that important if she could have than our other drca1ns and aspirations to greatness. all the other things. As she grew older, those expec-

will be like; who we will fall in love with, what type

tations stayed the same through trial and hardship, through better times and through a trip to Europe, they stayed the same. So when handsome, eligible and rich Fred Vaughn begins to court her she goes along willingly. But then Laurie arrives in Europe, lazy and unwilling to make anything of himself. Amy prods him into 'reforming' and while doing so, realizes that she loves him and that he loves her. In the end, Amy gets her dream of a rich, handsome husband by marry­ ing Laurie, but not until she makes the important dis­ covery that, to quote the film Ever After, 'it life without love is no life at all".

Gilbert Blythe

Of all the characters so far, Gilbert Blythe per­ haps has the most perfect love story of the lot. From the moment Anne Shirley broke her slate over his head he was in love with her, and if hc didn't realize it then, every encounter with her, every scrape she got herself into only made the fact more clear to him. Out of all the characters, only Gilbert's expectations of love were formed to match a person, rather than forming ex­ pectations and then trying to find a person to match them. It wasn't an easy journey for him however, even though he got exactly what he wanted in the end. He had to wait a long time before Anne realized that she loved him, he had to be hopeful during the time when it looked like Anne had fallen in love with and was about to marry someone else. He had to endure the

pain of the girl he loved telling him that she could never love or marry him. Through it all, however, he still had hope that someday love would meet his expec­ tations and he discovered that the wonderful thi11gs in life are worth waiting for.

There are so many lessons that can be learned from Little Women and the Anne of Green Gables se­ ries, so many lessons about life and out of all of them, lessons about romance arc just one. And within the category of romance there is even more that we can learn from the characters we love.

A simple way of summing up all of these les­ sons would be to say that, love almost never turns out the way we expect. Expectations have to be flexible, not the absolute rule, and while once in a blue moon our dreams play out perfectly, we have no way of k11owing that ours will be that moon. It is alright to have expectations, but like Anne, Laurie and Jo, we have to be willing to allow those expectations to change. Like Amy, we have to allow for additions to our expectations, for improvements upon the initial plan. Like Gilbert we have to be able and willing to wait patiently and hopefully for those expectations to become a reality. And like all of them, we must believe that whatever our expectations are now, what we end up with will probably be ever so much better and per­ fect for us than we could have imagined or planned.

)Jaster Xa,·icr, I ha,·e much need of �·our assistance. After :.1 freakish accidl·nt nhcrc I fell off m� · hetl and hit 111 � - head on the lloor. it seems I ha\'C dcu:loprd sonic sort of super abilities.

JI� sense of balance is more kl't:>11 tlrnn r,c1; and I find rnysrlf more ai:.:ilc tfrnn heforc. Just I.1st nfi"J.., m�· mother )"clled ;lt me for climbinj! on the 1·oof. She nas a hit UllSCt and said I was actinJ! immature and that m)· ahilitics were im,,�in,u-y. Thou�h between _you ,md me, I feel a new super ,1hility is ,around the corner: Oi�ht. Do �·ou Imm, of an,· wa,·s I can ada11t m�- abilities to hc,cominj! a hero?

Th,mk �--ou!

Captain Oln ious My Dear C.1ptain, Aspiring lo heroism is in no way a childish attitude. In foct. ii is a naturally inspired iuclinalion lo strive to be somelhing abo,·e our normal human capabilities. (X-Ray , ision and im isibility do tend to help in those circumstances.) Ho\\e,·er.

11c must aspire to be something greater, 1101 for the sake of self­ glory and the praise which heroism "i II gain us. but rather for 1he snke of those around us.

I ha,·e 10 say. your super abili1ics arc quitc ... imprcssh·e. (for lack of :1 helter lerm.) Howc,·er. being a hero is nol about abililics or the lhings "e can use lhcm for. il·s abcml your interior disposition. As I memioned abo,·e. ii ·s about being a hero for those around us. not ourseh cs.

T111e heroism is about scrYing others. Sacrificing your own comfor1 and wants for 1he s.1kc of anolhcrs hnppincss. In the case of being <l supcr•hero. don't 1ry so much 10 lind a bad guy 10 fight. look lo yourself: consider yourself your own worsl enemy.

A powerful reflection is to consider hon much we oursehes aIToct those around us. Our netions and words ha, c much more

power lhan we lmly imagine. They indeed ;ire our abilities. \Ve must use them in accordance to what is morally right. \Ve musl use them unselfishly. \Ve nmsl use them with considerntiou of others. \Ve ha,·e the power to make change somoone·s day. A small smile can work 10 cheer up someone who is feeling dO\rn. A harsh ,,ord can \\Ork as a poison within the soul. We must be clwritablc. proper. and aware at all limes.

Your 11101her is righl in scolding you for your ... monkey business. You should listen 10 her. Being a lrue hero is the essence of full maturily. II requires self control during difficult times. and ;1 cou11nitme11t to do good wJten others foil to do so. I kno,, of an almosl pcrfccl example. \Vhen }Our sister is ha,·ing a bad day because she can·t find a particular pair of shoes (C\'en though she has a thousand other pairs) and lakes it out on you. inslc-ad of badmou1hing her and losing your temper. be the hero. Be the cxnmplc. By holding your longue. by biling lhe bulle1, you can he lhc hero of lhc moment. Remember. 1101 for yourself. bul for the sake of others. Though she might 1101 appreciate ii tl1en at the moment as she digs through closet full of shoes. your kindness \\ill mean something to her. That is one aspect of heroism that is ah,<l}S better. True heroes oflen go unnoticed. their deeds unrewarded. and their kindness ne\·cr re-payed. Thal is the point of heroism. To be sctncss.

I hope I h;wc been of some help 10 you, Captain: nnd wish you luck in pulling your abili1ics 10 good nsc for 1 he sake oJ mankind. Though I personally don ·t ad,·ise putting your fligh1 ability to the test. :) Sincerely.

The l\lastcr

Hng is the seqson fa Prom/

butfinding decent pr""!om-=ear can be hard, with so many loud prints, short skirts and plunging necklines it can be chall­ enging, here are a few tips on finding great outfits for this year's prom. !!!'!"'

--"'.'

Girls; don't be afraid of the search! Enjoy it, go in­ to your local mall and start sifting through the sta­ cks of dresses, there are some good finds out there!

Long and pleated is in this year, so finding a dress with a modest skirt line is relatively simple. If you can get the correct skirt length fixing straps is a br­ eeze. However be careful, you might want to go with a wrap or shrug instead of adding extra fabric to the dress, dances can get awfully warm and the ability to take off sleeves comes in handy.

Guys; renting a tux for prom is hardly necessary, if you have a nice dress shirt, pants and shoes all you really need are some accessories. Try this, places like JCPenney have deals where you can get a vest, pocket square, bow tie and regular tie in many diffe­ rent colors for a decent price ($30-$50). If you've got a date find out which color her dress is and get a vest to match, or if you' re flying solo pick the co­ lor you like the best. Add a fedora if you like and you're ready to dance the night away!

jcpenney.com

kohls.com

) dillards.com left: kohls.com

<JZ

ilia ofIngleside is the last of L.M. Montgomery's Anne ofGreen Gables, an eight book series which chronicles

the life of Anne Shirley Blythe from her preteens - until all of her children are grown. The last two books of the series shift

the focus fiom Anne 10 her chilwen. Jem (Jaines), Walter,

Nan (Anne) and Di (Diana) the twins, Shirley, and Rilla (Bertha Marilla).

1

GOMERM S

The last book shifts most of the focus directly to Rilla, which is obvious from the title. The book opens on Prince Edward Island at the very start of WWI. The first chapter, "Glen Notes and Other Matters," begins with the Blythe's house­ keeper Susan Baker, sitting down to the local newspaper, wh­ ose headline announces the assassination ofArchduke Ferdin­ and. However, this is of little consequence to Susan and the Blythes, which highlights the introspective nature of most of the world before WWI. The first few chapters follow the usual form of a "Green Gables" plot, the everyday drama, the daydreams, the light romance - but Rilla's first party, a dance at the lighthouse, turns into a disaster when a young man from the village brings the news that England has declared war on Germany.

yl girfs faugfi ariftea upfrom tfie rocli.§

aruf tfien aiea away as iffriolitenea out ofqj.stence 6y tfie suaaen stiffness.

'P.ngfana tfecfarea war on (}ennany toaay, saitfJacli..,<£.{{i.ot sfow[y. '<fne news came 6y wirejust as I kft town. ' J

'(Joa fie{p us,' wfiisperea (}ertruae Ofi:ver...

'Is tfris}l.nnageaaon?'

'I'm afraidso,' fie saidgravc[y.'

Rilla' s perfect night is shattered; her childhood crush Kenneth Ford is no longer paying attention to her but is contemplating his fate in the war. Little does Rilla know just how much this war will affect her future; one by one her brothers and child­ hood mends leave to join the army. Many do not return. Every day is filled with headlines and radio reports, telegrams and letters.

The story becomes more historic than fictional. L.M. Mont­ gomery takes us through the long war through Rilla's teenage

eyes. She is forced to grow up very quickly during the war. out for England-which I say it's a pity as he ever left. It's She is the only child at home all the time, her parents are both my beliefshe was took for death when she heard the news.

That young un there was born a fortnight ago and since wrapped up in the news ofthe war, she must make decisions then she's just gone down and today she up and died, for herself, and when she adopts an orphaned child she must without a soul expecting it.' take care of him by herselfas well.

L. M. Montgomery manages to pack every war scenario into this novel.

Chapter Five - 'The Sounds ofGoing'

''Jem arufJerry went to Cliarfottetown that night and two days later they came back in khaki.

The Glen hummed with excitement over it. Life at Ingleside had suddenly become a tense, strained, thrilling thing. Mrs. Blythe and Nan were brave and smiling and wonderful. Already Mrs. Blythe and Miss Cornelia were organizing a Red Cross. The doctor and Mr. Meredith were rounding up the men for a Patriotic Society. Rilla, aft.er the first shock, reacted to the romance ofit all, in spite ofher heartache. Jem certainly looked magnificent in his uniform. It was splendid to think ofthe lads of Canada answering so speedily and fearlessly and uncalculatingly to the call oftheir country.

Rilla carried her head high among the girls whose brothers had not so responded. In her diary she wrote:

â&#x20AC;˘J{e goes to cfo wfzat I liacfclone Jfaa (})ougCa.s's aaugliter 6een liis SOn, I and was sure she meant it. Ifshe were a boy of course she would go, too! She hadn't the least doubt ofthat."

Chapter Seven - A Baby in a Soup Tureen

"'Tfzrougfi tfie open aoor of tfie sma{{ bedroom opposite her, Rilla saw Mrs. Anderson lying on the untidy bed; and Mrs. Anderson was dead. There was no doubt ofthat; neither was there any doubt that the big, frowzy, red-headed, red-faced, over-fat woman sitting near the door-way, smoking a pipe quite comfortably, was very much alive. She rocked idly back and forth amid her surroundings of squalid disorder, and paid no attention whatever to the piercing wails proceeding from a cradle in the middle ofthe room [... ] 'ls-is Mrs. Anderson really dead?' asked Rilla timidly, as she stepped over the sill.

'Well, she's been a-pining ever since that worthless Tun lit

'What is going to become ofthe baby?' she asked.

'Lord knows,' said Mrs. Conover candidly.

Rilla was silent, looking down at the crying baby. She had never encountered any of the tragedies oflife before and this one smote her to the core ofher heart [ ...]

She made a sudden, desperate, impulsive resolution.

'111 take the baby home with me,' she said. 'May 17' 'Sure, ifyez wants to,' said Mrs. Conover amiably [ ... ] "Rilla carried the soup tureen to the kitchen, and set it on the table under Susan's eyes. Susan looked into the tureen and for once in her life was so completely floored that she had not a word to say.

'What in the world is this?' asked the doctor, coming in.

Rilla poured out her story. 'I just had to bring it, father,' she concluded. 'I couldn't leave it there.'

'What are you going to do with it?' asked the doctor coolly.

Rilla hadn't exactly expected this kind ofquestion.

'We-we can keep it here for awhile-can't we-until something can be arranged?' she stammered confusedly.

Dr. Blythe walked up and down the kitchen for a moment or two while the baby stared at the white walls ofthe soup tureen and Susan showed signs ofretuming animation.

Presently the doctor confronted Rilla.

'A young baby means a great deal ofadditional work and trouble in a household, Rilla. Nan and Di are leaving for Redmond next week and neither your mother nor Susan is able to assume so much extra care under present conditions.

Ifyou want to keep that baby here you must attend to it yourself.'

'Me!' Rilla was dismayed into being ungrammatical.

'Why-father-I-I couldn't!'

'Younger girls than you have had to look after babies. My advice and Susan's is at your disposal. If you cannot, them

'Susan, who told you this-when did the news come?' asked Mrs. the baby must go back to Meg Conover. Its lease oflife will Blythe. be short if it does for it is evident that it is a delicate child and requires particular care. I doubt if it would survive even 'I got it over the long-distance phone from Charlottetown halfan ifsent to an orphans' home. But I cannot have your mother hour ago,' said Susan. Toe news came to town late last night. It and Susan over-taxed.' was Dr. Holland phoned it out and he said it was only too true.

Since then I have done nothing, Mrs. Dr. dear. I am very sorry 'Susan, what must be done for a baby?' she asked dolefully. dinner is not ready. It is the first time I have been so remiss. If

you will he patient. I will soon have something for you tn eat.. Rut

I am afraid I let the potatoes burn.'

'You must keep it warm and dry and wash it every day, and be sure the water is neither too hot nor too cold, and feed it every two hours. Ifit has colic, you put hot things 'Dinner! Nobody wants any dinner, Susan,' said Mrs. Blythe wildly.

'Oh, this thing is unbelievable-it must be a nightmare.' on its stomach,' said Susan, rather feebly and flatly for her."

Chapter Eighteen • A War-Wedding

"<JQ,[{a went out to tfi.e kjtcfi.en, shut all the doors with a mysterious expression which al­ armed Susan, and then said solemnly, 'Susan can you make a wedding-cake this afternoon?'

'A wedding-cake!' Susan stared. Rilla had, without any warning, brought her a war-baby once upon a time. Was she now, with equal suddenness, going to produce a husband?

'Paris is lost-France is lost-the war is lost,' gasped Rilla, amid the utter ruins of hope and confidence and belief.

'Oh God-Oh God,' moaned Gertrude Oliver, walking about the room and wringing her hands."

From the domestic war troubles to the frontlines Montgomery ta­ kes you through what it felt like to live through WWI. For these reasons alone, 'Rilla ofIngleside' is a valuable book to read; but there's also the romance, especially between Rilla and Kenneth Ford ...

"<Tfiey stootf tfi.erefor a moment,

Ken on the lower step. The step was half sunk into the earth and mint grew thickly about and over its edge. Often crushed by so many passing feet it gave out its essence freely, and the spicy odour hung round them like a sound­ 'Who are you going to marry, Rilla?' she asked feebly. less, invisible benediction. Ken looked up at Rilla, whose hair was shining in the moonlight and whose eyes were 'Susan, darling, I am not the happy bride. Miranda Pryor is pools of allurement. All at once he felt sure there was going to marry Joe Milgrave tomorrow afternoon while her nothing in that gossip about Fred Arnold. father is away in town. A war-wedding, Susan - isn't that thrilling and romantic? I never was so excited in my life."

'Rilla,' he said in a sudden, intense whisper, 'you arc the sweetest thing.'

Susan felt that she was really too old to be subjected to such shocks.

Chapter 28 - Black Sunday

Rilla flushed and looked at Susan. Ken looked, too, and saw that Susan's back was turned. He put his arm about Rilla and kissed her. It was the first time Rilla had ever been appeared on the threshold with such a ghastly face that Mrs. Bly­ kissed. She thought perhaps she ought to resent it but she didn't.

Instead, she glanced timidly into Kenneth's seeking eyes and the cried out in sudden panic.

"<J'li.e kjtcfi.en tfoor openetfantiSusan 'Susan, what is it?'

Toe British line is broken and the German shells are falling on Paris,' said Susan dully.

The three women stared at each other, stricken.

'It's not true-it's not,' gasped Rilla.

'The thing would be-ridiculous,' said Gertrude Oliver-and then she laughed horribly.

her glance wo.s a kiss.

'Rilla-my-Rilla,' said Ken, 'will you promise that you won't let anyone else kiss you until I come back?'

'Yes,' said Rilla, trembling and thrilling."

Throughout the story Montgomery maintains her usual devices.

There are still the annoying community members, sweet child­ ren, difficult moral decisions and tender moments. Some say this book does not fit into the series because of its dark and horrific content, but nearly every 'Green Gables' novel features a certain clement of this darkness: Anne's previous upbringing in the orph­ anages, Gilbert's near death experience, the sudd�'Il death of

"In my latest story, 'Rilla of Ingleside,' I have tried, as far as in me lies, to depict the fine and splendid way in which the girls of Canada reacted to the Great War - their bravery, patience and self-sacrifice. The book is theirs in a sense in which none of my other books have been: for my other books were written for anyone who might like to read them: but Perhaps the only book on WWI from a Canadian "Rilla" was written for the girls of the great young land I love, woman's view, the value of this novel is immeasur­ whose destiny it will be their duty and privilege to shape and share." able...

- L.M. Montgomery, from "How I Became a Writer," 1921

Matthew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert's deteriorating eyesight, the death of Anne and Gilbert's first child, Joyce - and these are only a few examples of the trials Montgomery's characters face throughout the series.

1n9 0

by Allison DeWolf

Growing up, one of my favorite series was the Anne of Green Gables series. Part of it probably revolved around the fact that Anne and I both have red hair. But I also loved the story: the poor orphan girl who learns to love and be loved by an elderly brother-sister pair and later falls in love with the amazing Gil­ bert. On top of all that, food was frequently mentioned, and learning about the foods that Anne· ate at picnics and dinners was the cherry on top of my book-reading experience.

I'm guessing that anyone who has read the books remembers the scene where Anoe and Diana have a tea party. Anoe prepares sandwiches and serves raspberry oordial. Here, I give you two recipes, both of which come from the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook, written by Kate MacDonald, granddaughter ofL. M. Montgomery. I have made the sandwiches, and they are very yu­ mmy. I have not personally made the cordial, but I've read many reviews of it that say it is delicious. Enjoy!

Tea Sandwiches Ribbon - Butter and cut one slice of white bread and two slices of brown. Spread brown bread with filling. Press slices toge­ ther, with white bread in the centre. Trim crusts and cut down into thin slices.

Fillings

Egg Salad: I doz. bard boiled eggs can be chopped and made as filling by mixing with mayonnaise, a dash of paprika, light salad dressing and salt and pepper to taste.

Cream Cheese Cherry: I lb. white cream cheese can be mixed with salad dressing. Spread on bread. Sprinkle with chopped red and green maraschino cherries. Combine in rolls to fill.

Salmon or Tuna: 2 large tins of either salmon or tuna can be mixed with chopped celery, mayonnaise, salad dressing and seasoning. Roll with dill in centre as fill.

All sandwiches should be tightly rolled in wax paper and re­ frigerated until ready to be cut as above.

Manila's Raspberry Cordial

1 lb., 3 oz. frozen raspberries 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 lemons 4 cups boiling water (or more, to taSte) I. In a saucepan or small pot, cook the raspberries and sugar over medium-low heat until all the sugar is dissolved, about 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Mash the mixture and pour it through a strainer, discarding the pulp (the pulp, once you get all the flavor out of it, will be a sickly mauve color).

Rolled - Cut fresh bread in as thin slices as possible; remove cr­ usts. Roll each slice once with a rolling pin to keep bread from cracking. Spread with butter, placing in a small bunch of water­ 3. Add the strained juice of 1,..-0 lemons. Stir in the water, and cress at each end of the bread, extending a little beyond the edge. allow the drink to come to room temperature.

Roll closely on a damp towel. Cut in 1/3 inch slices.

4. Chill, serve, and enjoy.

Thank You

By Elizabeth Hausladen On April 29th, a young woman will walk down the halls of Westminster Abbey to wed a Prince. We are certain she will look gorgeous and that her dress will be classic and beautiful. However, even the name of the designer is being kept under tight wraps, and so the only other thing we know about Kate Middleton's wedding gown is that it will be white. And for that, we have to thank Kate's soon to be ancestor, Queen Victoria.

Prior to Victoria's marriage, wedding dresses were apt to be any color of the rainbow. Brides from less wealthy family might even wear their current best dress, or have a dress made for the occasion that they could wear again in the future. Since white dresses were hard to keep clean, they were only worn by the upper classes and therefore were only occasionally donned for weddings. However Queen Victoria's choice to be married in white started a trend that has become the present day norm.

While the wealthy and royal have always set trends for the rest of the world, Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert were exceptional in their impact on British and, indeed, world culture.

For instance, did your family set up a Christmas Tree this year? You can thank Prince Albert for that.

Before the 1800's, Christmas Trees were a primarily German custom. However when Albert married Victoria, he brought the tradition of the Christmas Tree to England and it quickly gained mass approval.

Have you ever been proud of your Scottish heritage, listened to the sound of a bagpipe, or donned anything plaid? Believe it or not, these things were forbidden for a long time in Britain after terrible

Scottish uprising in the 1600's. However, things began to change at the beginning of Victoria's reign.

Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns penned verses and books rejoicing in all things Scottish and these soon became popular. Victoria helped the cause by falling in love with the country of Scotland, and choosing the Palace of Balmoral for her summer residence. In fact, after Albert's death, it was a Scotsman named John Brown who became Victoria's right hand man.

To this day the royal family spends their summers at Balmoral and can regularly be seen there in traditional Scottish garb (yes, the men wear kilts).

One of the best known facts about Queen Victoria was her extraordinary grief for her husband Albert when he passed away. Albert really was an extraordinary man. Though he could not reign as equal consort besides Victoria, he determined to do all that he could to help his adoptive country and Victoria supported him in this. One of his most famous and lasting contributions was the execution of London's Great Exhibition. Scientists and inventors brought their works and discoveries to London and displayed them in a huge glass palace Albert had erected for the occasion. This was a tremendous accomplishment and in the days before internet and even photography, went far to expose and usher in the age of innovation to the common man.

This desire for education and understanding is honored even today. The Victoria and Albert Museum stands in London as a monument to this couple and their desire to serve and better their country. To learn more about Victoria and Albert, check out the 2010 film "The Young Victoria" or find a copy of esteemed biographer Elizabeth Longford's "Queen Victoria."

he three books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman that comprise the Dragonlance Chronicles series have found their own niche in fantasy literature. While the books are not in the same ballpark as those of Tolkien or Lewis, they have remained in print for more than twenty-five years and have spawned countless role play­ ing and video games, an endless host of mostly awful sequels and a truly dreadful cartoon movie. Despite some flaws, the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy serves as a good starting point for readers who have just finished Tolkien and look to explore more fantasy literature.

The ploi is nothing new. We have unlikely heroes gathered together to find powerful artifacLS to save the world from a dark power that wants to conquer everything and enslave the humans, dwarves, elves and other creatures that inhabit it. While Weis and Hickman offer some exciting battle scenes, the plot, as a whole, is not exactly new or compelling.

The books remain popular due to the characters. Weis and Hickman lovingly crafted and mutured some of the most sympathet­ ic characters in fantasy literature. They establish their characters early on in the books and develop them as the stories continue. Even some of the most overnsed stock types in the genre-the cantankerous dwarf, the lm•ely elven princess, the brawny and slow witted warrior, the knight overweighed by the burdens of honor-become fleshed out in Weis' and Hickman's competent hands.

While there are a plethora of gods and goddesses in the Dragonlance universe, they hint that there is a higher power above them and there are some Christian themes in the work. though the books as a whole match the undeniably Christ-themed worlds of Middle Earth or Narnia. One of the most important themes in the books is the restoration of true faith. The characters are, despite some reluctance, bringing the true religion back to a sinful world whose in­ habitants believe the gods have abandoned them. In fact, the people have long since turned their backs on the gods. The DragonJance Chronicles also show that good redeems sinners and that evil powers always betray their followers.

Unlike too many writers dabbling in fantasy, Weis and Hick­ man never lose their sense of wonder which is crucial to exploring new worlds. Even though the characters inhabit a strange world, they never cease to be amazed by the magical sights and fascinating creatures they encounter. Weis and Hickman show a proper respect for and healthy fear of magic, dragons and unicorns-and S<l do the characters. The writers also create some properly fearsome and evil villains ranging from gruesome dragon men to cursed undead knights.

Still, there are some Aaws. V\feis and Hickman are so good at creating characters that they start putting too many on the stage at the same time. The reader may feel some anxiety for the heroes when they are a handful of good guys taking on an army of villains.

At some points in the Chronicles, Weis and Hickman played pup­ pet masters to a legion of heroes. While the writers felt compelled to divide the heroes into two groups, they still remain plagued with too many good guys. Some of the most important characters from the early parts of the books vanish towards the end-and the reader hardly notices. Some of the more important parts of the story hap­ pen off-screen and this can often confuse the reader though Weis and Hickman try to close the narrative gaps.

Despite these problems, the Dragonlance Chronicles books remain a solid adventure tale set in a fantastic world, but what will stay \\�th the reader are the memorable characters.

-• <fHE:tESSER WORKS OF L.M. MONTGOMERY by: Anya Nikolic

L.M .. Montgomery, the author of the beloved Anne of Green Gables series, has many more stories to offer. She wrote many stories that are whimsical and romantic, like Anne, but she also has a bizarre and tingly side to offer. Try these books:

Jane of Lantern Hill "Gay Street, so Jane always thought, did not live up to its name. It was, she felt certain, the most. me/ancl,oly street in Toronto... though, to be sure, she had not seen a great many ofthe Toronto streets in her circumscribed comings and goings of eleven years."

Alter living a plain and fearful existence in the person of"Victoria" for the last eleven years, Jane Vic­ toria Stuart desires to be free from the clutches ofher domineering grandmother and her much too gloomy house. When a letter comes from her father, saying that she will be staying the summer with him for the first time since he and mother separa.ted, Jane gets the chance she was longing for.

TI1ey become the best of friends arld find the house of their dreams - the little white and green house on Lantern Hilt which is full of magic. Jane finally gets to be "somebody" and loves keeping house for "dad:'

Jane's little domestic sorrows, such as a failed batch of donuts, will amuse readers, and her im1er struggles evoke compassion. And any reader will thrill at the beautiful simplicity of the ending, which heals a long ago quarrel and renews love.

Kilmeny of the Orchard 'J'lcross the mellow stillness, mingled with the croon of the wind in the trees and the flute-like calls of the rob­ ins, came the strain of delicious music, so beautiful and fantastic t/1111 Eric held his breath i11 astonishment and delight."

Eric - young, handsome, and ambitious - is not looking forward to the tediousness of substitute teach­ ing at the Lindsay school until the end of the term. But when he stumbles into the old Connors orchard and hears Kilmeny's violin music, the greatest joy of his life has come to him, though he does not yet know it. However, Kilmcny possesses a slight disability which proves to be an obstacle to their love. What will Eric do?

This very short book is one of 1'vlontgomery's gems. The romance is tender and innocent and the

characters are strong and memorable. Montgomery's descriptions of"the Island" put the reader right down in the old forgotten orchard and illuminate all the shadowy mystery of a warm night in June.

An1ong the Shado,vs "It was a rainy afternoon, and we had been passing the time by telling ghost stories. 71,at is a very good sort of thing for a rainy afternoon, and it is a much better time than after tzight. if you tell ghost stories after dark they are apt to make you nervous, whetlier you own up to it or not, and you sneak home and dodge upstairs in mortal terror, and u11dress with your back to the wall, so that you can'tfancy there is anything behind you."

"Davenport's Story"

In this collection of short stories, take a journey away from the fairy world of Green Gables and step into a world full of mistakes, violence, ghouls, and sin. Here, a different Montgomery weaves a web of sad, scary, and strange stories. She tells of everything from ghosts, to murders, to old feuds, to lovers' quar­ rels. Messages come back from the grave, lovers com­ municate telepathically, people get drunk, and haughty men and women realize their stubbornness after it is too late.

A few of the stories are mildly funny, such as "The Deacon's Painkiller" and "Miss Calista's Peppermint Bottle': but most are haunting or strangely sweet. This is the perfect book to read on a rainy afternoon in the safety of one's own home.

Other Suggested Books: The Emily of New Moon trilogy - considered to be L.lVI. Montgomery's most autobiographical work. An orphan girl goes to live with her distant family. They do not approve of her dream to be a writer.

The Tangled "\'eb - the story of a very complicated family feud and a precious heirloom The Blue Castle - a marriage of "convenience;· supposed health complications, secret identities, and finally, love.

Tbe Stor y Girl & Tlie Golden Road - Sara Stanley has a knack for story-telling and keeps her cousins enamored with her creative ideas.

Pat of Silver Bush & Mistress Pat - Pat loves her home and family very much. The worst thing in the world that could happen would be for Silver Bush to change.

By Elizabeth Hausladen

"Quiet on set... Actshizzle!"

The camera was rolling, we were all in our places, and no one laughed at the unusual pronunciation of "action." After all, we were a family, a very goofy family at times, and adding 'izzle' to the end of everything was just another trend.

time. Her mother is an artist and had decorated the tum-of-the-century farmhouse in period style. It took me all of about five minutes to decide I absolutely had to film a movie there. And since our group of friends was comprised mainly of girls, we decided our project absolutely had to be "Little Women."

"Little Women" was born when I visited my friend Danielle's house for the first

Danielle, a true tomboy who disliked dresses and adored adventures, was the

obvious Jo. I, the eldest who loved dresses and was often found playing 'mother hen' to the rest of the group, was definitely Meg. Our friend Laura was the 'shy quiet one' at the time and one of the sweetest people I've ever met. Casting her as Beth was a no-brainer. Our family was rounded out by Ashee as Amy, and Danielle's mom, Sandy, as Mrs. March. Lastly the 'honorary March brother' Laurie was played by our real life 'honorary brother,' who also was my co-director, Josh.

We began filming on a cold winter night early January 2006. Filming wrapped a full year and a half later, in October 2007, with the final shots taking place just days before the official premiere. During this time we recorded 12 tapes of footage that eventually were edited down to a 50 minute film. That's over 12 minutes of tape for every finished minute of film!

I adapted the script from Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." Contrary to popular knowledge, "Little Women" only tells the story of the March girls through Meg's engagement. The rest of the story, including Beth's death, happens in the second book, "Good Wives." Today both of these books are usually packaged together under the title "Little Women." We did not want to make a two hour film, nor did we want to film a death scene or too much romance, so we chose to just tell the story of the first book. This proved to be a

wise decision, as the story adapted well into a three act structure and managed to take place entirely within the confines of the March household. We also were able to include drama (Beth's illness), romance (Meg and Mr. Brook), and hints at the future (Jo's writing, Amy and Laurie's romance).

One of the most difficult parts of the production proved the fact that we kept the entire story on the property. This was a necessary decision as other period locations simply were not available to us. However it proved for some interesting choices, as we would scramble to move scenes around to keep the visuals new and interesting in each scene. Thankfully the house had three porches and an attic which greatly increased our range. Even one of the bathrooms got a cameo.

Another difficulty was the challenge of lighting indoor scenes. It's a double-edged problem. If you film outside, you have to deal with noise from wind and traffic. Inside it takes a lot of work to get a room lit both well and naturally.

Added to this we had several scenes that we shot in the day that take place at night, and vice versa.

Perhaps even more bizzare were the season changes. We shot our pick-up scenes in August, and one of these just happened to be a Christmas scene. We piled on our winter cloaks, loaded up ¡

.

::II'

__

our arms with the dishes we'd filmed with at Christmas, and strode out into the warm summer night singing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."

An unexpected hurdle was learning to film scenes with food. First of all, one has to bring the food. When you're shooting with no budget and you're trying to keep it period, that's an adventure all of it's own. Then there are meals where the actors have to be seen eating on camera... and the food has to disappear at a reasonable rate. This is harder than you'd think when you consider that some shots required five or six takes!

"Little Women" is a story of deep emotional upheaval. From the telegram announcing their father's serious illness, to Beth's traumatic encounter with scarlet fever, death is a constant threat at the March household. This meant that we had to deal with some intensely difficult scenes. While I enjoyed exploring the emotional range, it was harder for me to deal with properly conveying the spiritual peace and wisdom that Meg gives her sisters. There was one scene, shot during the midst of Beth's illness, that I almost could not get through. I was going through my own period of immense difficulty and allowing myself to get that emotionally vulnerable (I had to cry in the scene) and yet still testify to God's providence was one of the hardest pieces of acting I've ever done.

Yet these deep emotions and strong faith are precisely what drew me to the story in the first place. I love that "Little Women" is a story of family, of faith, and of love. I am eternally grateful that God gave me the opportunity to produce this film, and for the strong bonds of friendship and family we developed among the cast (one of my fellow "March sisters" is now engaged to my real life brother! God is amazing). I think it takes a very special kind of story to create that sort of love and trust, and "Little Women" was perfect.

To find out more about our adventures with the March Family, or to order a copy of the DVD, visit littlewomenfilm.blogspot.com.

l-

.

"November is the most disagreeable month in the whole year,"said Margaret[... ]

- i ::.t

uote}-:\;

"That's the reason I was born in it," observed Jo pensively..

....�.... Little Women&.

"(_.&'],>,lreen Gables by neri preslin

"I apologized pretty well, didn't I?" Anne said proudly as they went down the lane. "I thought since I had to do it I might as well do it thoroughly."

"You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair... People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is." ~Anne Shirley

"You've gone and got married!"

'I'm so homely nobody will ever want to marry me-- unless it might be a foreign "Yes, please, but I never will again." And he w­ missionary. I suppose a foreign mission­ ent down upon his knees, with a penitent cla­ ary mightn't be very particular. But I do sping of hands, and a face full of mischief, hope that some day I shall have a white "Never take advice! Can't keep still all mirth and triumph. dress. That is my highest ideal of earthly day, and not being a pussycat, I don't like bliss. I just love pretty clothes. And I've to doze by the fire. I like adventures, and "Actually married?" never had a pretty dress in my life that I'm going to find some." ~ Jo March I can remember -- but of course it's all the more to look forward to, isn't it? And "Very much so, thank you."

"Well, Marilla, I'll just tell you plain that I then I can imagine that I'm dressed gor­ think you're doing a mighty foolish thing-­ "Mercy on us. What dreadful thing will you geously...'' ~Anne a risky thing, that's what. You don't know do next?" And Jo fell into her seat with a what you're getting. You're bringing a str­ gasp.

Mr. Bhaer saw the drops on her cheeks, ange child into your house and home and though she turned her head away. The you don't know a single thing about him 'Matthew dreaded all women except Marilla sight seemed to touch him very much, nor what his disposition is like nor what and Mrs. Rachel; he had an uncomfortable for suddenly stooping down, he asked in sort of parents he had nor how he's likely feeling that the mysterious creatures were a tone that meant a great deal, "Heart's to tum out. Why, it was only last week I dearest, why do you cry?" secretly laughing at him. He may have been read in the paper how a man and his wife quite right in thinking so...' ~Anne ofGG up west of the Island took a boy out of an Now, if Jo had not been new to this sort orphan asylum and he set fire to the house "Mothers have need of sharp eyes and discreet of thing she would have said she wasn't at night--set it ON PURPOSE, Marilla-­ tongues when they have girls to manage. I was crying, had a cold in her head, or told an) and nearly burnt them to a crisp in their half afraid to put the idea into your head, lest other feminine fib proper to the occasion. beds. And I know another case where an you should write and congratulate them be­ Instead of which, that undignified creat­ adopted boy used to suck the eggs -- they fore the thing was settled." ~ Marmee ure answered, with an irrepressible sob, couldn't break him of it. If you had asked "Because you are going away." my advice in the matter--which you didn't Anne sat long at her window that night compando, Marilla--I'd have said for mercy's sake ioned by a glad content. The wind purred softly "We are going to be the best of friends," not to think of such a thing, that's what." in the cherry boughs, and the mint breaths came said Gilbert, jubilantly. "We were born to ~ Rachel Lynde up to her. The stars twinkled over the pointed be good friends, Anne. You've thwarted firs in the hollow and Diana's light gleamed thro- destiny enough. I know we can help each "I advise you to sail away in one of your ugh the old gap[...] "'God's in his heaven, all's other in many ways. You are going to ships, and nevercome home again till you right with the world,"' whispered Anne softly. keep up your studies, aren't you? So am I. have tried your own way," said Jo...

Come, I'm going to walk home with you."

t6e sbiel

��-��

[) . barkness is over the lan,d.

An army, though mighty and strong, cowers before the horror standing before the1n. Men bac avfayt heads hung�

hope gone. Their trength ha failed. The en­ emy laugh as he lo ks on, and per,ceiv,e un­ chaHenged victory. But th n he sees it. One human till stand .. From out of the crowd one small p,er o tep out to face thee il. he i a woman, The evil laughter increases. v\lhat can a woman do that .men could not? What is she to uch a horror? Little doe he know, but he ill be hi vanqui her:.· ·he i the Shield Maid­ en.

A us Lord of the Ri g · erds probably

automatically ee Eowyn :in this de cription, her long hai:r flying in the wind, 1nounted. on her white teed word drawn as she faces the Nazgul lord. owever, the . hield maiden of Rohan was not the only lady deserving of that title. There have been many shieM 111aidens, o en ho would defe d t eir lands and

"5 wtsh 5 wu(! f, tzi�t f'father, 90, to ivar, anl stand up to the ft·ons of i�fustia.

people. combating evil both in fiction and throughout history.

For instance, :if we change the scene a little; from Pellenor to Orleans, and skip ahead to the year 1429 ) we find another shield maid­ en he too tands upon a ar horse, wearing a man's armor. sword in hand. 1he or,cs becom . a different enemy: Englishmen. 1he azgul lord changes form a . well. He now represe · ts a country, an i land aero· . the sea, that threat­ en to devour th shield maiden� dying land.

Joa . of Arc stands ready to free France from the d ago �s da ,.,,s. She _ ouid defea ·t, ha mg faced its fury and :its flames.

�ho f s S6e t6at comes forth as the momil19 n·5f11J? Ja,r as the moon,

brt56t as the siu1 1

7!.!!/bfe as an anny sd in batt(e arr�."

Now we back up a couple hundred years, and we find yet another shiel.d 111aiden. She 1 doesn t ide. horse, ju ta '"rear donkey. She wears no annor, and needs none, for her armor Hes entirely within her immaculate soul. She ca.rrie nothing vvith her, sav,e for the Trea ure in her womb. Through her, not j us one nation but the ·. ntire wor]d wou]d b • aved fr m · ]av­ ery and destruction.

"J·rr try a11d fe what he roves to ca(( me, 'a fittfe woman,' a11d 11ot fe ro119h and wifl, f11t do r� d11!J, here instead of wantin9 to fe somewhere ds-c."

"And the Virgin's name was MarY:' Throughout history, in mankind's dark­ est hour, God has often raised up a woman champion, to face the evil and claim the vic­ tory. From Judith to Joan, women have fought to defend their people.

Some of us however are like Jo. vVe want to be shield maidens, fighting injustice and evil, but are unsure how we can do so in our own times or situations. But we must remem­ ber that shield maidenhood is about more than the war, it's about how we live everyday, always striving; fighting, for the good.

'TII try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman; and not be rough and wild, but do my duty here instead of wanting to be somewhere else'.'

Every Christian has been called to fight the spiritual battle against evil. Sometimes the evil takes a physical form. More often the battle is spiritual, and tl1e enemy physically in­ visible. But it is in these battles that all women can be shield maidens. \-vhen, with God at our backs and the sword of truth in our hands, we march off to face the enemy.

Of course, if we strive to become shield maidens of God we must follow the leadership of our noble Captain, she who first conquered

evil with her "Fiat'� "Yes!" The Handmaiden was also the Shield Maiden. She fought the dragon and won, and she forever crushes his head.

The shield maiden is a heroine of both the physical and spiritual battlefield. God raises up His lowly handmaids, such as Joan and Mary and the shield maidens of everyday life like Jo, sending them out as warriors of His army.

"What was that?" Kate sat up in bed with a jerk, and then gave a muffled scream when she saw the man easily swing himself through the window and begin walking towards me, sword drawn.

"Oh, you needn't worry about protecting her," he said calmly, wiping the blood off his sword on his cloak. "You're the one T need to kill, you know. As long as no one gets in my way, no one will get hurt."

"I have you at last," he murmured, his voice thick with an unfamiliar :accent. "Cornered and afraid, there is no one who can help you now, little Helena. So I shall waste no time."

I backed away from him almost simply from instinct, but of course he followed.

Something suddenly touched my back, and with a feeling of panic I realized it was the wall. l had walked into the corner. l was trapped.

"Except me, apparently," I said bitterly.

"Well, of course. Except for you "He lunged forward, his sword held high, but once again his progress was interrupted by the door of the bedroom flying open and Hugh hurling himself on top of him.

"Hugh, I have a rope! Don't let him get away!"

Mrs. Carlyle rushed into the room, her long dark braid entangling with the length of rope she carried in her arms. Hugh wrenched the "Yes, no one can help you now," he hissed, man's sword from his grasp, kicked it away, and raised his sword. As I tried, I was sure futilely, to duck away, I thought, I guess this and twisted his arms behind his back. The man's face was a mask of horror and rage as is it. This is how it will all end. So many he felt Mrs. Carlyle's strong fingers wrapping unanswered questions. the rope around his wrists and ankles, tying it A loud scream suddenly sounded in my ear, so tightly that to try and escape would be and just before the sword fell ! saw Adelaide completely impossible.

The instant the man was secured, Mrs. Carlyle throw herself on me. Even though she was smaller than me she was surprisingly strong, turned to Adelaide. and I fell heavily to the ground under her.

But my soul recoiled in horror as I heard her "My poor baby!" she exclaimed in a tone that went directly to my heart. "What did he do to give another scream that had a distinctly you? Kate, get a lamp." different sound. It was a scream of pain.

Now Kate was screaming, loud, shrill, evenly spaced screams, and I considered that at least all this noise would probably awaken Hugh and his mother. I had a feeling that would be our only chance. Sitting up, I tried to get between Adefaide and the man. ,

..

Kate jumped up and got the lamp from the table that stood beside the bed. Hugh pulled a match out of what appeared to be thin air, lit the lamp, and handed it to his mother, who took it with shaking fingers. Adelaide's face was illuminated by the soft glow of the lamp

...

--

and I could see that her eyes were closed, but I knew she was not unconscious from the way her face was contorting with pain. As Mrs. Carlyle gently pulled her blood-soaked nightgown from her shoulder, Adelaide's eyes opened and she let out a strangled sounding cry.

"I'm so sorry, darling." Mrs. Carlyle winced. "l'm trying to be gentle. Kate, you and Helena run out to the kitchen and bring me a basin of warm water and some cloths. Hugh, will you please go to the police station so they can attend to ...him?" She nodded towards the man in the cloak, who was still lying in a heap on the floor. T realized with a shock that he was still staring murderously at me, and I resisted the urge to throw a blanket over his head and hide those piercing black eyes.

"Hold on a moment, Hugh," Mrs. Carlyle added, inspecting Adelaide's shoulder more closely. "You'd better run for the doctor as well."

As Hugh ran the several blocks to the police station and the doctor's, Mrs. Carlyle, Kate, and I dragged the man into the living room and then made Adelaide comfortable in her mother's bed. The slash from the sword lay across her right shoulder - deep, but probably not permanently damaging. All the same, Mrs. Carlyle kept nervously glancing out the window in anticipation of the doctor.

The police arrived first, five of them, marching down the hall to the living room in a business­ like manner.

"There he is, the bloody...oh, sorry...ladies and children present," said one of the policemen, starting with a shout and trailing away to an abashed murmur. I recognized him as the very one who had assisted Hugh and me the previous day. "He broke out of jail tonight killed one of our best men and badly injured another.

Get him." He nodded briefly to the other policemen, three of whom roughly dragged the man to his feet and pulled him down the hall and out the front door.

"Terribly sorry about this, ma'am," he said, turning to Mrs. Carlyle. "Was anyone injured?"

"My little girl suffered a wound in her shoulder, trying to protect Helena, whom this man seems to be trying to kill."

"Terribly sorry," he murmured. "May we see the room he broke into?"

"Of course. Follow me."

At this moment the front door opened, admitting Hugh and the doctor. "Helena, where's Mother?" Hugh called to me.

"With the police. Should l get her?" But at this moment Mrs. Carlyle can1e out of the bedroom. "I'm here," she said, and showed the doctor into the room where Adelaide lay.

Hugh went into the living room and I followed him.

"Hugh, I am so sorry. I've been so afraid something like this would happen. " My eyes filled with tears as I sat down on the edge of a chair near the dying fire. Drawing up my knees, I buried my face in them and felt the tears begin to course down my cheeks. 'Tm so sorry."

"It's all right, Helena." Hugh's voice was quiet. 'Tm just glad that no one was really seriously injured or killed. But why, why, why is this man trying so desperately to kill you?"

"I have no idea." I uncovered my tear­ stained face and gazed into the fire. "No idea whatsoever."

This past fall my sister participated in a theatrical production of"Anne of Green Gables." It was a fantastic show and gave my sister the chance to play a less-than­ sympathetic character: Anne's nemesis, Josie Pye. I asked her if she'd be willing to share some of her adventures with us and she graciously agreed.

EH: So, first off, how long have you been an Anne of Green Gables fan? What was it like when you found out that you would have a chance to audition for the show?

CG: Well, I've loved AOGG as long as I can remember.

When I was little I listened to a lot of books on tape, and whenever I went to the library I would get the "Anne" books to listen to. To be honest, when I first heard we were doing "Anne" I was a little disappointed, since I had just been in a production ofTom Sawyer and the two stories have many similarities. Over time I ended up loving it though!

EH: You were cast as Josie Pye. How did you feel about this? Why? Did it surprise you?

CG: At first I was rather surprised, after all in real life I think I can safely say, I am not like her at all (I guess that's why it's called acting!) By the end of the run I had fallen in love with the character, and really enjoyed playing her.

EH: What are some things you and the other cast members did to help you get in character?

CG: We read the book, and studied our scripts. We also did research on the era. During the rehearsal period, and before shows we did character warm ups to get us in the right mindset.

EH: What are some fun memories you have?

CG: Sometimes people would mess up their lines in rehearsal, but they'd say something really funny instead.

Also, The cast spent a lot of time together and it was really fun to hang out back stage a just talk.

EH: In the play, what was your favorite scene and why?

CG: My favorite scene to watch was the scene where Diana gets drunk. The girl who played her did a fabulous job.

EH: What was the best part about playing Josie, and what was the hardest?

CG: The best part was getting inside her head and figuring out what makes Josie so mean. This was also the hardest part, because (I) Josie would say something mean, and all the other kids would be like, "Josie!!!" and I'd want to join in with them.

EH: Did you or the other cast members do any research that was particularly helpful?

CG: Definitely reading the later books gave me insight into how the characters develop.

EH: Which character do you think was the hardest to play? What did that actor or actress do to help them manage the role?

CG: I think Marilla was probably the hardest to play since she is supposed to be a very straight laced, serious character, and yet she is constantly saying funny lines, and interacting with Anne. The actress who played her worked really hard to understand the character, and give her depth.

EH: Is there something you grew to appreciate about Anne of Green Gables because of the play?

CG: I never really understood before how much Anne changes Mathew, Marilla, and the entire town of Avonlea.

EH: If you could have played any other part which would it have been and why?

CG: I would have loved to be Anne, but after doing the show, I couldn't really imagine playing anyone other than Josie.

EH: What is something about putting on a play of Anne of Green Gables that might be unexpected to our readers?

CG: I think the thing that always surprises people about theater, is that the lines aren't the hardest part. People come to our shows and ask "how do you memorize all those lines?" Memorizing can be hard, but the real challenge is making your character believable and real, in a larger than life way.

'Wefre-- ti,/.,l, gtJ"UtLg -frrgro-w-tA-P' �., we-­ wii,g/vf-a,,,, we/£� wfr,af- we--�' ~ Amy_lvf.tµ:�h_.

So many times today we see families grow apart as they grow up, with different interests and different activities, and event­ ually different careers it's easy to understand bow it happens.

But bow can we fix it? How can we keep our families together as we grow?

The March family is a wonderful example of bow a family gr­ ows up together. Good ffives, better known as the second half of Little Women is a guide book for families on bow to stay together.

To read Little Woman today it might seem superficial, you m­ ight think 'there's no way a tlunily could ever be lhat perfect'.

But if you look closer there are problems, there are faults, and there are tragedies. It's how they deal with th,s problems, faults and tragedies that make them a unique family.

Meg, while happy to marry John is still longing to be a fashion­ able young wife, like the rich young women in town. Jo is des• perate to go out and see the world, and escape the unwanted proposal from Laurie. Amy bas set her sights on marrying for money, not love. And Beth's health continues to worsen.

From the beginning Mr. and Mrs. March never forced anything on their children, behavior was encouraged o,er time:, and even as adults all of the girls find things to work at in their per­ sonalities. Meg works to become a better and mo,e content wife, Jo to tame her wildness, Beth to find peace with her situ­ ation and Amy to become less superficial. The girls never feel the need to rebel against their parents because of this; their par­ ents oever seek to 'break their wills'. Their struggles lie within themselves, or sometimes with people outside of the family.

Because they love and respect their parents they seek to find re­ lationships of their own that mirror the love they see in their par­ ents, the girls that marry all marry men who share the same ideals as their parents. When Jo meets Professor Bbear she is delighted to find that he follows the same philosophy as her own father.

John, Meg's husband is poor but honest like Mr. and Mrs. March and shares their simple ideals. And Laurie, Amy's husband, was practically raised by Mrs. March.

Alcott also explores death in this half of the story. Beth, al­ ways weak since her case of scarlet fever in the first half of Little Women is increasing ill in Good Wives. As her sisters get married, travel to Europe and New York City she is left behind, the one thing she dreads the most.

A death in a family can make or break the relationships be­ tween family members, in the March's case; Beth's passing is the unifying moment, all of the girls return home 1,cQu:sc of Beth. Jo leaves Professor Bhear and her job in New York City to come home and take care of Beth before she dies; Amy is only able to return afterwards because of the time it took to travel from Europe to America in those days.

It is a great gift to have a family that stays together even as they grow older; too many times we get caught up in our studies, our careers, our own relationships outside of family.

And while these are all important we must not forget our families. We might not be close but there are always little ways to show we care, sharing a meal, calling once a week, sending a random gift - something to let them know we care.

Remembering the lessons we learned reading Good Wives can help our own families grow up together today.

'OJv n,i,y girl.½ � � ytn,v� � I uu-v � wi1J,i,, ytn,va,grea,/t,,r � �f/,w:u,v�'

~ Marwi,u,,

“Hey Micah, you're not reading a comic book, what's up with that?”

Micah glanced up from his book as Amy sat down next to him on the library couch. “Yeah, weird, right?” he agreed with a grin. “But my brother recommended this series to me and I haven't been able to put it down!”

Amy glanced at the cover and raised her eyebrows skeptically. “It looks like another boring fantasy novel with too much stilted combat writing and not enough character development.”

“Oh, I get you,” said Micah. “That's normally why I stick to comic books – they're a much better medium for action. But this guy actually knows how to write action. It's not boring and hard to visualize, it's sharp and vivid. I feel like I'm actually there.”

“Really? I didn't think that was possible. Most of the time I just skip fight scenes because they just don't seem to work on the written page.” vvvvMicah reached over to the library shelf behind them and grabbed the first volume of the series. “Here,” he said, handing it to Amy. “Get started and take notes. Your writing is about to change forever.”

Are you a fan of REGINA DOMAN'S Fairy Tale Novels? Do you love talking to other creative-minded people? Then sign up for the

4th Annual Fairy Tale Novel Festival!

June 24th-26th 2011 Silver Lake MN The Festival will include: Writing Workships with Regina Doman Filmmaking Workshop with Elizabeth Hausladen Fairy Tale Novel Swing Dance (and lessons!)

Murder Mystery Party The Premiere of "The Shadow of the Bear" movie ...and more!

To registar and find out more information, visit www.fairytalenovels.com

In Ma y . . .

W e ' r e d e l vi n g i n t o t h e vi s u a l a r t s .

Whether it's tricks and tips of photography and costuming, und e r s t a nd i ng R e na i s s a nc e ma s t e r pi e c e s , o r a l o o k a t D o c t o r W ho 's visit to Vincent Van Gogh, we have it c o ve r e d !