Chapter 2
26
and pronounced; that the big eyes were full of spirit and vivacity; that the mouth was sweet-lipped and expressive; that the forehead was broad and full; in short our (begin subscript)^(end subscript)(begin superscript)discerning(end superscript) extraordinary observer might have concluded that no commonplace soul inhabited the body of this (begin subscript)^(end subscript)(begin superscript)stray woman-(end superscript) child of whom shy Matthew Cuthbert was so ludicrously afraid.
Matthew, however, was spared the ordeal of speaking first first, for as soon as she had concluded that he was coming to her she stood up, grasping with one (begin superscript)thin brown(end superscript) hand the handle of a shabby, old-fashioned carpet bag; the other she held out to him.
“I suppose you are Mr. Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables?” she said in a peculiarly clear sweet voice. “I’m very glad to see you. I was
PHOTO ANNOTATION
"this (begin subscript)^(end subscript)(begin superscript)stray woman-(end superscript) child": Montgomery said that an anonymous magazine photograph, which turned out to be of the famous model Evelyn Nesbit, inspired her image of Anne. Perhaps unbeknownst to Montgomery, Nesbit was one of the models famous for the Gibson Girl look popular at the turn of the century and reflected in the first edition cover art for Anne of Green Gables. Did Montgomery ever know that her model for Anne became tarnished with scandal in 1906 when, in a jealous rage, Nesbit's millionaire husband Harry Thaw murdered Stanford White, Nesbit's former lover? Photo: The actual photo of Evelyn Nesbit that Montgomery pasted into her handwritten journal on November 9, 1934.
Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph, L.M. Montgomery Collection