Chapter 1

15

“Well, Marilla, I’ll just tell you plain that I think you’re doing a mighty foolish thing—a risky thing, that’s what. You don’t know what you’re getting. You’re bringing a strange child into your house and home, and you don’t know a single thing about him nor what his disposition is (begin superscript)nor what sort of parents he had(end superscript) nor how he’s likely to turn out. Why, it was only last week I read in the paper how a man and his wife up west of the Island took a boy out of an orphan asylum and he set fire to the house at night (begin superscript)–set fire to it on purpose, Marilla—(end superscript) and nearly burnt them to a crisp in their beds (begin superscript)Note T.(end superscript) If you had asked my advice in the matter—which you didn’t do, Marilla—I’d have said for mercy’s sake not to think of such a thing, that’s what.”

 

LMM Note T:
And I know another case where an adopted boy used to suck the eggs—they couldn't break him of it.