Warning: If you have a visual impairment, use the manuscript transcript version including the Lucy Maud Montgomery’s foot notes and contextual annotation references.

Chapter 1

12

A boy! Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of all people adopting a boy! From an orphan asylum! Well, the world was certainly turning upside down! She would be surprised at nothing after this! Nothing!

“What on earth put such a notion into your head?” she demanded disapprovingly. Note R.

“Well, we’ve been thinking about it for some time –all winter in fact,” returned Marilla. “Mrs. Alexander Spencer was up here one day before Christmas and she said she was going to get a little girl from the asylum over in Hopetown in the spring. Her cousin lives there and Mrs. Spencer has visited her and knows all about it. So Matthew and I have talked over off and on ever since. We thought we’d get a boy Matthew

 

LMM Notes

LMM Note R:
This had been done without her advice being asked and must perforce be disapproved.


TEXT ANNOTATION

"Hopetown": also written in the manuscript as "Hopeton" and thought to be inspired by Halifax; Montgomery later made Halifax into Kingsport.