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 - (VERSO)

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“In that case I must sample it,” laughed Mrs. Allan, helping herself to a plump triangle, as did also the minister and Marilla.

Mrs. Allan took a mouthful of hers and a most peculiar expression crossed her face; not a word did she say however, but ate steadily away at it. Marilla saw the expression and hastened to taste the cake.

“Anne Shirley!” she exclaimed, “what on earth did you put into that cake?”

“Nothing but what the recipe said, Marilla,” said Anne, (begin superscript)with a look of anguish.(end superscript) “Oh, isn’t it all right?”

“All right! It’s simply horrible. Mrs. Allan, don’t try to eat it. Anne, taste it yourself. What


PHOTO ANNOTATION

black and white picture of an unsmiling woman with huge puffed sleeves on her dress

"what on earth did you put into that cake?": In her January 27, 1911 diary entry, Montgomery identified actual places and real events that inspired places and scenes in Anne of Green Gables. Of Anne's mishap with the cake, Montgomery says: "As for the notable incident of the liniment cake – when I was teaching in Bideford Mrs. Estey flavored a layer cake with anodyne liniment just as it happened in the story. Never shall I forget the taste of that cake. What fun we had over it!" (Complete Journals, the P.E.I. Years, 1901–1911, p. 355). Mrs. Estey, pictured here with admirable puffed sleeves, was the minister's wife and Maud boarded, very happily, at the manse for part of her first year of teaching, 1894–1895.
Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph, L.M. Montgomery Collection