Read by rachelellen
Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic children's novel, Anne of Green Gables tells the story of a red headed orphan girl.
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anne of green gables by l m montgomery chapter two matthew cuthbert is surprised matthew cuthbert and the sorrell mare jogged comfortably over the eight miles to bright river it was a pretty road running along between snug farmsteads with now and again a bit of balsamy fur wood to drive through or a hollow where wild plums hung out their filmy bloom the air was sweet with the breath of many apple orchards and the meadows sloped away in the distance to horizon mists of pearl and purple while the little birds sang as if it were the one day of summer and all the year matthew enjoyed the drive after his own fashion except during the moments when he met women and had to nod to them for in prince edward island you are supposed to nod to all and sundry you meet on the road whether you know them or not matthew dreaded all women except marilla and mrs rachel he had an uncomfortable feeling that the mysterious creatures were secretly laughing at him he may have been quite right in thinking so for he was an odd-looking personage with an ungainly figure and long iron gray hair that touched his stooping shoulders and a full soft brown beard which he had worn ever since he was 20. in fact he had looked at 20 very much as he looked at 60 lacking a little of the grayness when he reached bright river there was no sign of any train he thought he was too early so he tied his horse in the yard of the small bright river hotel and went over to the station house the long platform was almost deserted the only living creature in sight being a girl who was sitting on a pile of shingles at the extreme end matthew barely noting that it was a girl sidled past her as quickly as possible without looking at her had he looked he could hardly have failed to notice the tense rigidity and expectation of her attitude and expression she was sitting there waiting for something or somebody and since sitting and waiting was the only thing to do just then she sat and waited with all her might and mane matthew encountered the station master locking up the ticket office preparatory to going home for supper and asked him if the 5 30 train would soon be along the 5 30 train has been in and gone half an hour ago answered that brisk official but there was a passenger dropped off for you a little girl she's sitting out there on the shingles i asked her to go into the ladies waiting room but she informed me gravely that she preferred to stay outside there was more scope for imagination she said she's a case i should say i'm not expecting a girl said matthew blankly it's a boy i've come for he should be here mrs alexander spencer was to bring him over from nova scotia for me the station master whistled guess there's been some mistake he said mrs spencer came off the train with that girl and gave her into my charge said you and your sister were adopting her from an orphan asylum and that you would be along for her presently that's all i know about it and i haven't got any more orphans concealed hereabouts i don't understand said matthew helplessly wishing that marilla was at hand to cope with the situation well you'd better question the girl said the station master carelessly i dare say she'll be able to explain she's got a tongue of her own that's certain maybe they were out of boys of the brand you wanted he walked jauntily away being hungry and the unfortunate matthew was left to do that which was harder for him than bearding a lion in its den walk up to a girl a strange girl an orphan girl and demand of her why she wasn't a boy matthew groaned in spirit as he turned about and shuffled gently down the platform towards her she had been watching him ever since he had passed...