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 21

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the man and good housekeeping in the woman make an ideal combination for a minister’s family.”

The new minister and his wife were a young, pleasant-faced couple, still in their honeymoon.(begin superscript) R12(end superscript) Avonlea opened its heart to them from the start. Old and young liked the frank, cheerful young man with his high ideals, and the bright, gentle little lady who assumed the mistress-ship of the manse. With Mrs. Allan Anne fell promptly and whole-heartedly in love. She had discovered another kindred spirit.

“Mrs. Allan is perfectly lovely,” she announced one Sunday afternoon. “She’s taken our class and she’s a splendid teacher. She said right away she didn’t think it was fair for the teacher to ask all the questions (begin subscript)^(end subscript)(begin superscript)S12 (end superscript)She said we could ask her any question we liked and I asked ever so many. I’m good at asking questions, Marilla.”

 

LMM Notes

LMM Note R12
and full of all good and beautiful enthusiasms for their chosen life work.

LMM Note S12
and you know, Marilla, that is exactly what I've always thought.


TEXT ANNOTATION

"ideal combination for a minister's family": All of the references to ministers or the ministry in this story have a certain humour for Montgomery since she was being courted by the Rev. Ewan Macdonald while she wrote. This combination, of sound doctrine and good housekeeping, is perhaps another coy comment on her part. One can imagine how she convinced Ewan of her baking and household skills, and her journal entries suggest she sounded him thoroughly on his religious beliefs.