Verso Pages
These back-of-page seemingly random, out-of-order scrap pieces are drafts of Montgomery’s early short stories and poems. Some were already published when she drafted Anne in 1905 and 1906, and others were probably typed up and kept elsewhere. Some verso scrap sheets show early experiments: “A Baking of Gingersnaps” (1895) was her first published short story; she tests the pen names Maud Cavendish and Maud Eglinton. After Chapter 15, she started writing Anne front-to-back. Why did she switch from scrap pages to fresh sheets?
View an index of the verso contents here, or explore the full collection of Verso pages below:
Chapter 29. An Epoch in Anne’s Life.
Anne was bringing the cows home from the back pasture by way of Lover’s’ [sic] Lane. ^M16¶ The cows swung placidly down the lane and Anne followed them dreamily, repeating aloud the battle canto from Marmion—which had also been part of their English course the preceding winter and which Miss Stacy had made them learn off by heart—and exulting in its rushing lines and the clash of spears in its imagery. When she came to the lines,“The stubborn spearsmen still made good Their dark impenetrable wood,”
she stopped in ecstasy to shut her eyes that she might the better fancy herself one of that heroic ring. When448 522
Anne.
“No. Charlotte’s beau won’t agree to that because nobody ever has been married in the church yet and he thinks it would seem too much like a funeral. It’s too mean because it would be such fun. Guess again.”
“Jane’s mother is going to be let her have a birthday party.”
Diana shook her head, her black eyes dancing with merriment.
“I can’t think what it can be,” said Anne in despair, “unless it’s that Moody Spurgeon MacPherson saw you home from prayer-meeting last night. Did he?”
“I should think not,” exclaimed Diana indignantly. “I wouldn’t be likely to boast of it if he did, the horrid creature! I knew you couldn’t guess it. Mother had a letter from
450 524
if she does we’ll have the time of our lives, Anne. I’ve never been to an Exhibition and iits it’s so aggravating to hear the other girls talking about their trips. trips. Jane and Ruby have been twice and they’re going this year again.”
“I’m not going to think about it at all until I know whether I can go or not,” said Anne resolutely. “If I did and then was disappointed, it would be dreadful more than I could bear. But in case I do go I’m ^very glad my new coat will be ready by that time. Marilla didn’t think I needed needed a new coat. ^P16 But Matthew said I must have one a new coat, so Marlla Marilla bought a lovely piece of blue broadcloth, and it’s being made by a real dressmaker over at
452 526
an interesting subject, isn’t it?”
Marilla agreed to let Anne go to town and it was arranged that Mr. Barry should take the girls in on ^the following Tuesday. As Charlottetown was thirty miles away and Mr. Barry wished to go and return the same day, it was necessary to make a very early start. But Anne counted it all joy and was up before sunrise on Tuesday morning. A glance from her window assured her that the day would be fine, for the eastern sky behind the firs of the Haunted Wood was all silvery and cloudless. Through the gap in the trees a light was shining in the western gable of Orchard Slope, a token that Diana was also up.
454 528
Anne’s flesh cringe with the old, half delightful fear; sometimes it wound along a harbour shore and passed by a little cluster of weather-gray fishing huts; ^R16 but wherever it went there was much of interest to discuss. It was almost noon when they reached town and found their way to Beechwood. It was quite a fine old mansion, set back from the street in a seclusion of green elms and branching birches.
Miss Barry met them at the door, with a twinkle in her sharp black eyes.
“So you’ve come to see me at last, you Anne-girl,” she said. “Mercy, child, how you’ve grown! You’re taller than I am, I declare. And you’re ever so much better-looking than you used to be, too. But I daresay you know that without
456 530
dreamed of such things, Diana. But do you know I don’t believe I feel very comfortable with them after all. There are so many things in this room and all so splendid that there is no scope for imagination. That is one consolation when you are poor—there are so many more things you can imagine about.”
Their sojourn in town was something Anne and Diana never forgot. dated from for years. From first to last it was crowded with delights.
On Wednesday Miss Barry took them to the Exhibition grounds and kept them there all day.
“It was splendid,” Anne related to Marilla further on. “I never imagined anything so interesting. I don’t really know which depart
458 532
I never knew how much I really liked her until I saw her familiar face among all those strangers. There were thousands of people there, Marilla. It made me feel dreadfully insignificant. And Miss Barry took us up to the grandstand to see the horse-races. Mrs. Lynde wouldn’t go; she said horse-racing was an abomination, and she, being a church member, thought it her bounden duty to set a good example by staying away. But there were so many there I don’t believe Mrs. Lynde’s absence would ever be noticed. I don’t think, though, that I ought to go very often to horse-races, because they are awfully fascinating. Diana got so excited that she offered to bet
450 534
a dark complected man who was very wealthy and I would go across water to live. V16 Oh, it was a never-to-be forgotten day, Marilla. I was so tired I couldn’t sleep at night. Miss Barry put us in the spare room, according to promise. It was an elegant room, Marilla, but somehow sleeping in a spare room isn’t what I used to think it was. That’s the worst of growing up and I’m beginning to realize it. The things you wanted so much when you were a child don’t seem half so wonderful to you when you get them.”
Thursday the girls had a drive in the park and in the evening Miss Barry took them to a concert in the Academy of Music, where a noted prima donna was to sing. To Anne the evening
462 536
over to the restaurant accross across the street and had ice-cream it might help me. That sounded so prosaic; but to my surprise I found it true. The ice-cream was delicious, Marilla, Diana said and it was so lovely ^and dissipated to be sitting there eating it at eleven o’clock at night. Diana said she believed she was born for city life. Miss Barry asked me what my opinion was but I said I would have to think it over ^very seriously before I could tell her what I really thought. So I thought it over after I went to bed. ^That is the best time to think things out[.] And I came to the conclusion, Marilla, that I wasn’t born for city life and that I was glad of it. It’s nice to be eating ice-cream at brilliant restaurants at eleven o’clock at night once in
464 538
time,” said Anne, throwing her arms impulsively about the old woman’s neck and kissing her wrinkled check. Diana would never have dared to do such a thing, and felt rather aghast at Anne’s freedom. But Miss Barry was pleased, and she stood on her veranda and watched the buggy out of sight. Then she went back into her big house with a sigh. It seemed very lonely ^lacking those fresh young lives. Miss Barry was a rather selfish old lady, if the truth must be told, and had never cared much for anybody but herself. She valued people only as they were of service to her or amused her. Anne had amused her and consequently stood high in the old lady’s good graces. But Miss Barry found herself thinking less about Anne’s quaint
467 540
was rising out of the sea, every little that grew all radiant and transfigured in her light. Every little cove along the curving road was a marvel of dancing ripples. The waves broke softly with a soft swish on the rocks below them and the tang of the sea was in the strong fresh fresh air.
“Oh, but it’s good to ^be alive and to be going home,” breathed Anne.
When she crossed the log bridge over the brook the kitchen light of Green Gables winked her a friendly welcome back, and through the open door shone the hearth fire, sending out its warm red glow athwart the chilly ^autumn night. Anne ran ^blithely up the hill and into the kitchen, where a hot supper was waiting on the table.
“So you’ve got back?” said Marilla, folding up her knitting.