A Sad Story

When Anne woke up the next morning, she felt happy. She jumped out of bed and ran to the window.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun shone and the sky was blue. Anne opened the window. Outside, there was a fruit tree with beautiful flowers. Anne could see many other trees and flowers, and a small river too.

«This is a wonderful place!» she thought. Then, suddenly, she remembered. She felt very sad again. «But I can’t stay here,» she thought. «They don’t want me because I’m not a boy.»

Marilla came into the room. «Good morning, Anne,» she said. «Breakfast is waiting. Wash your face and put on your clothes.»

«I’m feeling very hungry,» Anne said. «I can never be sad in the mornings. I love mornings.»

After breakfast, Anne washed the plates and cups. Marilla watched carefully, but Anne did the job well.

«This afternoon I’m going to drive to White Sands,» Marilla said. «You’ll come with me, Anne, and we’ll talk to Mrs. Spencer.»

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

«Is it a long way to White Sands?» asked Anne.

«About eight kilometers,» answered Marilla. «I know you like to talk, Anne. So tell me your story.»

«It isn’t very interesting,» said Anne. «I was born in Bolingbroke in Nova Scotia, and I was eleven last March. My parents were teachers. But they died when I was a baby. So their cleaner, Mrs. Thomas, and her husband took me into their house.

«Mrs. Thomas had four children. I helped her with them. But then Mr. Thomas died in an accident. Mrs. Thomas and the children went to Mr. Thomas’s parents. They didn’t want me.

«Then Mrs. Hammond, Mrs. Thomas’s friend, took me into her house. She had eight children. They were very hard work. Then Mrs. Hammond moved away. I had to go to the orphanage because nobody wanted me. I was there for four months.»

«Did you go to school?» asked Marilla.

«No, not often,» answered Anne. «I didn’t have time. I was always busy with the children. But I like reading very much.»

«Were these women-Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Hammond — kind to you?» asked Marilla.

«They wanted to be kind,» Anne said slowly. «But they were always very tired. They couldn’t really be kind to me.»

Marilla suddenly felt very sorry for Anne. The little girl’s life was very sad. Nobody wanted her or loved her.

When Mrs. Spencer saw Marilla and Anne, she was very surprised. Marilla told her about the problem.

«I’m very sorry,» answered Mrs. Spencer. «I made a mistake. But I have an idea. My neighbor, Mrs. Blewett, has a new baby. She wants a girl to help her. Anne can go and live with her.»

«Oh,» said Marilla. She knew about Mrs. Blewett. Mrs. Blewett had a lot of children, but she wasn’t very kind to them.

«Look!» said Mrs. Spencer. «Here’s Mrs. Blewett now.»

Mrs. Blewett had small, cold eyes.

«This is Marilla Cuthbert from Green Gables,» Mrs. Spencer told her. «And this little girl is from the orphanage. I brought her for Marilla but Marilla wants a boy. Would you like her?»

Mrs. Blewett looked at Anne for a long time. She didn’t smile. «She’s very thin,» she said. «I hope she’s strong. She’ll have to work hard. Yes, Mrs. Spencer, I’ll take this girl. She can come home with me now.»

Marilla looked at Anne’s unhappy face. «I can’t give Anne to Mrs. Blewett,» she thought. «Wait,» she said. «First I have to discuss things with my brother, Matthew. He wants Anne to stay with us.»

Anne looked at Marilla in surprise. Then she jumped up and ran across the room. «Can I really stay with you at Green Gables?» she asked. «Did you really say that?»

«I don’t know,» said Marilla. «Now sit down and be quiet.»

When Marilla and Anne arrived at Green Gables, Matthew met them. He was very happy when he saw Anne. Later, Marilla told him about Mrs. Blewett. She told him Anne’s story, too. Matthew wasn’t usually angry, but he was very angry about Mrs. Blewett.

«That Blewett woman is very unkind,» he said.

«I know,» said Marilla. «I don’t like her. All right, Matthew, Anne can stay here with us. But I don’t know very much about children. I hope I don’t make any mistakes with her.»

«Thank you, Marilla,» said Matthew happily. «Anne’s a very interesting little girl. Be good to her. Then she’ll always love you.»