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 6

102

it my business to see she’s trained to be that. And mind, Matthew, you’re not to go interfering with my methods. Perhaps an old maid doesn’t know much about bringing up a child but I guess she knows more than an old bachelor. So you just leave me to manage her.(begin strikethrough)”(end strikethrough) When I fail it’ll be time enough to put your oar in.”

“There, there, Marilla, you can have your own way,” said Matthew reassuringly. “Only be as good and kind to her as you can be without spoiling her. I kind of think she’s one of the sort you can do anything with if you only get her to love you.”

Marilla sniffed and walked to express her contempt for Matthew’s opinions concerning anything feminine, and walked off to the dairy with the pails.


TEXT ANNOTATION

"she knows more than an old bachelor": Women and men at the time were expected to maintain their "separate spheres." Women's work was in and of the home, and even an "old maid" was expected to know more about raising children than a man, whose work was outside the home.