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life at Green Gables; with its savor of ancient peace; and the
steadfast abiding love that was there for her。 Mrs。 Lynde's
letter was full of church news。 Having broken up housekeeping;
Mrs。 Lynde had more time than ever to devote to church affairs
and had flung herself into them heart and soul。 She was at
present much worked up over the poor 〃supplies〃 they were having
in the vacant Avonlea pulpit。
〃I don't believe any but fools enter the ministry nowadays;〃 she
wrote bitterly。 〃Such candidates as they have sent us; and such
stuff as they preach! Half of it ain't true; and; what's worse;
it ain't sound doctrine。 The one we have now is the worst of the
lot。 He mostly takes a text and preaches about something else。
And he says he doesn't believe all the heathen will be eternally
lost。 The idea! If they won't all the money we've been giving
to Foreign Missions will be clean wasted; that's what! Last
Sunday night he announced that next Sunday he'd preach on the
axe…head that swam。 I think he'd better confine himself to the
Bible and leave sensational subjects alone。 Things have come to
a pretty pass if a minister can't find enough in Holy Writ to
preach about; that's what。 What church do you attend; Anne? I
hope you go regularly。 People are apt to get so careless about
church…going away from home; and I understand college students
are great sinners in this respect。 I'm told many of them actually
study their lessons on Sunday。 I hope you'll never sink that low;
Anne。 Remember how you were brought up。 And be very careful what
friends you make。 You never know what sort of creatures are in
them colleges。 Outwardly they may be as whited sepulchers and
inwardly as ravening wolves; that's what。 You'd better not have
anything to say to any young man who isn't from the Island。
〃I forgot to tell you what happened the day the minister called
here。 It was the funniest thing I ever saw。 I said to Marilla;
‘If Anne had been here wouldn't she have had a laugh?' Even
Marilla laughed。 You know he's a very short; fat little man with
bow legs。 Well; that old pig of Mr。 Harrison's the big; tall
one had wandered over here that day again and broke into the
yard; and it got into the back porch; unbeknowns to us; and it
was there when the minister appeared in the doorway。 It made one
wild bolt to get out; but there was nowhere to bolt to except
between them bow legs。 So there it went; and; being as it was so
big and the minister so little; it took him clean off his feet
and carried him away。 His hat went one way and his cane another;
just as Marilla and I got to the door。 I'll never forget the
look of him。 And that poor pig was near scared to death。 I'll
never be able to read that account in the Bible of the swine that
rushed madly down the steep place into the sea without seeing
Mr。 Harrison's pig careering down the hill with that minister。
I guess the pig thought he had the Old Boy on his back instead
of inside of him。 I was thankful the twins weren't about。
It wouldn't have been the right thing for them to have seen
a minister in such an undignified predicament。 Just before
they got to the brook the minister jumped off or fell off。
The pig rushed through the brook like mad and up through the woods。
Marilla and I run down and helped the minister get up and brush
his coat。 He wasn't hurt; but he was mad。 He seemed to hold
Marilla and me responsible for it all; though we told him the pig
didn't belong to us; and had been pestering us all summer。
Besides; what did he come to the back door for? You'd never have
caught Mr。 Allan doing that。 It'll be a long time before we get
a man like Mr。 Allan。 But it's an ill wind that blows no good。
We've never seen hoof or hair of that pig since; and it's my
belief we never will。
〃Things is pretty quiet in Avonlea。 I don't find Green Gables
as lonesome as I expected。 I think I'll start another cotton
warp quilt this winter。 Mrs。 Silas Sloane has a handsome new
apple…leaf pattern。
〃When I feel that I must have some excitement I read the murder
trials in that Boston paper my niece sends me。 I never used to
do it; but they're real interesting。 The States must be an awful
place。 I hope you'll never go there; Anne。 But the way girls
roam over the earth now is something terrible。 It always makes
me think of Satan in the Book of Job; going to and fro and walking
up and down。 I don't believe the Lord ever intended it; that's what。
〃Davy has been pretty good since you went away。 One day he was
bad and Marilla punished him by making him wear Dora's apron all
day; and then he went and cut all Dora's aprons up。 I spanked
him for that and then he went and chased my rooster to death。
〃The MacPhersons have moved down to my place。 She's a great
housekeeper and very particular。 She's rooted all my June lilies
up because she says they make a garden look so untidy。 Thomas
set them lilies out when we were married。 Her husband seems a
nice sort of a man; but she can't get over being an old maid;
that's what。
〃Don't study too hard; and be sure and put your winter
underclothes on as soon as the weather gets cool。
Marilla worries a lot about you; but I tell her you've
got a lot more sense than I ever thought you would have
at one time; and that you'll be all right。〃
Davy's letter plunged into a grievance at the start。
〃Dear anne; please write and tell marilla not to tie me to the
rale of the bridge when I go fishing the boys make fun of me when
she does。 Its awful lonesome here without you but grate fun in
school。 Jane andrews is crosser than you。 I scared mrs。 lynde
with a jacky lantern last nite。 She was offel mad and she was
mad cause I chased her old rooster round the yard till he fell
down ded。 I didn't mean to make him fall down ded。 What made
him die; anne; I want to know。 mrs。 lynde threw him into the
pig pen she mite of sold him to mr。 blair。 mr。 blair is giving
50 sense apeace for good ded roosters now。 I herd mrs。 lynde
asking the minister to pray for her。 What did she do that was so
bad; anne; I want to know。 I've got a kite with a magnificent
tail; anne。 Milty bolter told me a grate story in school
yesterday。 it is troo。 old Joe Mosey and Leon were playing
cards one nite last week in the woods。 The cards were on a stump
and a big black man bigger than the trees come along and grabbed
the cards and the stump and disapered with a noys like thunder。
Ill bet they were skared。 Milty says the black man was the old
harry。 was he; anne; I want to know。 Mr。 kimball over at
spenservale is very sick and will have to go to the hospitable。
please excuse me while I ask marilla if thats spelled rite。
Marilla says its the silem he has to go to not the other place。
He thinks he has a snake inside of him。 whats it like to have a
snake inside of you; anne。 I want to know。 mrs。 lawrence bell
is sick to。 mrs。