Аня из Авонлеи
XI. Facts and Fancies
ShesaysamaninGraftonwentinsaneonceandthatwashowitbegan.
“DidyouknowthatThomasaBecketwascanonizedasaSNAKE?RoseBellsayshewas...alsothatWilliamTyndaleWROTEtheNewTestament.ClaudeWhitesaysa‘glacier’isamanwhoputsinwindowframes!
“Ithinkthemostdifficultthinginteaching,aswellasthemostinteresting,istogetthechildrentotellyoutheirrealthoughtsaboutthings.OnestormydaylastweekIgatheredthemaroundmeatdinnerhourandtriedtogetthemtotalktomejustasifIwereoneofthemselves.Iaskedthemtotellmethethingstheymostwanted.Someoftheanswerswerecommonplaceenough...dolls,ponies,andskates.Othersweredecidedlyoriginal.HesterBoulterwanted‘towearherSundaydresseverydayandeatinthesittingroom.’HannahBellwanted‘tobegoodwithouthavingtotakeanytroubleaboutit.’MarjoryWhite,agedten,wantedtobeaWIDOW.Questionedwhy,shegravelysaidthatifyouweren’tmarriedpeoplecalledyouanoldmaid,andifyouwereyourhusbandbossedyou;butifyouwereawidowthere’dbenodangerofeither.ThemostremarkablewishwasSallyBell’s.Shewanteda‘honeymoon.’IaskedherifsheknewwhatitwasandshesaidshethoughtitwasanextranicekindofbicyclebecausehercousininMontrealwentonahoneymoonwhenhewasmarriedandhehadalwayshadtheverylatestinbicycles!
“AnotherdayIaskedthemalltotellmethenaughtiestthingtheyhadeverdone.Icouldn’tgettheolderonestodoso,butthethirdclassansweredquitefreely.
