When Kayla asks me that question almost every night, it is truly music to my ears! And even though reading aloud to my kids (or really, anyone who will listen!) is one of my favorite things to do, it hasn’t happened as much lately. It used to be a daily occurrence, but now that my kids are older and life seems a little crazier, it has gone by the wayside a bit, so I’m thrilled when Kayla asks, and even more thrilled when she asks for Anne!
While we were reading last night, Kayla got tickled during part of chapter fourteen in Anne of Avonlea, entitled “A Danger Averted.” Her giggling caused me to giggle, and it was just too much fun not to tell you about. The backstory is that Matthew has died, and now Anne, who still lives at home with Marilla, is a teacher. She and Marilla are also now responsible for twins ~ Davy and Dora, since their father can not care for them presently. Davy is a real stinker, while Dora is a proverbial angel, and this scene has Davy in trouble yet again, with Anne giving the reproof…
“Davy Keith, don’t you know that it is very wrong of you to be eating jam, when you were told never to meddle with anything in that closet?”
“Yes, I knew it was wrong,” admitted Davy uncomfortably, “but plum jam is awful nice, Anne. I just peeped in and it looked so good I thought I’d take just a weeny taste. I stuck my finger in…” Anne groaned…”and licked it clean. And it was so much gooder than I’d ever thought that I got a spoon and just sailed in.”
Anne gave him such a serious lecture on the sin of stealing plum jam that Davy became conscience stricken and promised with repentant kisses never to do it again.
(And here’s the gave-us-the giggles-part…well, after we giggled about “gooder”, that is…)
“Anyhow, there’ll be plenty of jam in heaven, that’s one comfort,” he said complacently.
Anne nipped a smile in the bud.
“Perhaps there will…if we want it,” she said. “But what makes you think so?”
“Why, it’s in the catechism,” said Davy.
“Oh, no, there’s nothing like that in the catechism, Davy.”
“But I tell you there is,” persisted Davy. “It was in that question Marilla taught me last Sunday. ‘Why should we love God?’ It says, ‘Because He makes preserves, and redeems us.’ Preserves is just a holy way of saying jam.”
(giggle, giggle…)
“I must get a drink of water,” said Anne hastily.
(HA HA HA HA!)
When she came back it cost her some time and trouble to explain to Davy that a certain comma in the said catechism made a great deal of difference in the meaning.
(Giggle, giggle, giggle….)
“Well, I though it was too good to be true,” he said at last, with a sigh of disappointed conviction. “And besides, I didn’t see when He’d find time to make jam if it’s one endless Sabbath day, as the hymn says. I don’t believe I want to go to heaven. Won’t there ever be any Saturdays in heaven, Anne?”
(hee, hee, hee….poor Davy!)
Sooooooo thankful that my girl can still giggle over a misplaced comma, and the innocent, youthful, depravity of a little boy! Oh, that her own girlish innocence would remain, and that she would always be entertained by Anne!
(Exerpt from Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery, pp.114-115 ~ and HIGHLY recommended reading, by the way! All of the ‘Anne’ books, that is.)
Anne and Kayla are kindred spirits, so that innocence will remain. Anne and I have been kindred spirits since I was 11 years old. Some things never change. And the next time you decide to visit PEI, make sure you take me along! Love and Blue skies from K&J (Jack loves Anne, too)