The Gossip of Valley View

"The Gossip of Valley View" is a charming novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, known for her beloved "Anne of Green Gables" series. Set in the fictional community of Valley View, the story revolves around the intricate web of relationships, secrets, and social dynamics among its inhabitants. Through witty dialogue and keen observations, Montgomery explores themes of friendship, love, and the impact of gossip on small-town life. The narrative weaves together moments of humor and heartfelt emotion, showcasing the author's signature style and deep understanding of human nature.

• Short story

								
It was the first of April, and Julius Barrett, aged fourteen, perched
on his father's gatepost, watched ruefully the low descending sun, and
counted that day lost. He had not succeeded in "fooling" a single
person, although he had tried repeatedly. One and all, old and young,
of his intended victims had been too wary for Julius. Hence, Julius
was disgusted and ready for anything in the way of a stratagem or a
spoil.

The Barrett gatepost topped the highest hill in Valley View. Julius
could see the entire settlement, from "Young" Thomas Everett's farm, a
mile to the west, to Adelia Williams's weather-grey little house on a
moonrise slope to the east. He was gazing moodily down the muddy road
when Dan Chester, homeward bound from the post office, came riding
sloppily along on his grey mare and pulled up by the Barrett gate to
hand a paper to Julius.

Dan was a young man who took life and himself very seriously. He
seldom smiled, never joked, and had a Washingtonian reputation for
veracity. Dan had never told a conscious falsehood in his life; he
never even exaggerated.

Julius, beholding Dan's solemn face, was seized with a perfectly
irresistible desire to "fool" him. At the same moment his eye caught
the dazzling reflection of the setting sun on the windows of Adelia
Williams's house, and he had an inspiration little short of
diabolical. "Have you heard the news, Dan?" he asked.

"No, what is it?" asked Dan.

"I dunno's I ought to tell it," said Julius reflectively. "It's kind
of a family affair, but then Adelia didn't say not to, and anyway
it'll be all over the place soon. So I'll tell you, Dan, if you'll
promise never to tell who told you. Adelia Williams and Young Thomas
Everett are going to be married."

Julius delivered himself of this tremendous lie with a transparently
earnest countenance. Yet Dan, credulous as he was, could not believe
it all at once.

"Git out," he said.

"It's true, 'pon my word," protested Julius. "Adelia was up last night
and told Ma all about it. Ma's her cousin, you know. The wedding is to
be in June, and Adelia asked Ma to help her get her quilts and things
ready."

Julius reeled all this off so glibly that Dan finally believed the
story, despite the fact that the people thus coupled together in
prospective matrimony were the very last people in Valley View who
could have been expected to marry each other. Young Thomas was a
confirmed bachelor of fifty, and Adelia Williams was forty; they were
not supposed to be even well acquainted, as the Everetts and the
Williamses had never been very friendly, although no open feud existed
between them.

Nevertheless, in view of Julius's circumstantial statements, the
amazing news must be true, and Dan was instantly agog to carry it
further. Julius watched Dan and the grey mare out of sight, fairly
writhing with ecstasy. Oh, but Dan had been easy! The story would be
all over Valley View in twenty-four hours. Julius laughed until he
came near to falling off the gatepost.

At this point Julius and Danny drop out of our story, and Young Thomas
enters.

It was two days later when Young Thomas heard that he was to be
married to Adelia Williams in June. Eben Clark, the blacksmith, told
him when he went to the forge to get his horse shod. Young Thomas
laughed his big jolly laugh. Valley View gossip had been marrying him
off for the last thirty years, although never before to Adelia
Williams.

"It's news to me," he said tolerantly.

Eben grinned broadly. "Ah, you can't bluff it off like that, Tom," he
said. "The news came too straight this time. Well, I was glad to hear
it, although I was mighty surprised. I never thought of you and
Adelia. But she's a fine little woman and will make you a capital
wife."

Young Thomas grunted and drove away. He had a good deal of business to
do that day, involving calls at various places--the store for
molasses, the mill for flour, Jim Bentley's for seed grain, the
doctor's for toothache drops for his housekeeper, the post office for
mail--and at each and every place he was joked about his approaching
marriage. In the end it rather annoyed Young Thomas. He drove home at
last in what was for him something of a temper. How on earth had that
fool story started? With such detailed circumstantiality of rugs and
quilts, too? Adelia Williams must be going to marry somebody, and the
Valley View gossips, unable to locate the man, had guessed Young
Thomas.

When he reached home, tired, mud-bespattered, and hungry, his
housekeeper, who was also his hired man's wife, asked him if it was
true that he was going to be married. Young Thomas, taking in at a
glance the ill-prepared, half-cold supper on the table, felt more
annoyed than ever, and said it wasn't, with a strong expression--not
quite an oath--for Young Thomas never swore, unless swearing be as
much a matter of intonation as of words.

Mrs. Dunn sighed, patted her swelled face, and said she was sorry; she
had hoped it was true, for her man had decided to go west. They were
to go in a month's time. Young Thomas sat down to his supper with the
prospect of having to look up another housekeeper and hired man before
planting to destroy his appetite.

Next day, three people who came to see Young Thomas on business
congratulated him on his approaching marriage. Young Thomas, who had
recovered his usual good humour, merely laughed. There was no use in
being too earnest in denial, he thought. He knew that his unusual fit
of petulance with his housekeeper had only convinced her that the
story was true. It would die away in time, as other similar stories
had died, he thought. Valley View gossip was imaginative.

Young Thomas looked rather serious, however, when the minister and his
wife called that evening and referred to the report. Young Thomas
gravely said that it was unfounded. The minister looked graver still
and said he was sorry--he had hoped it was true. His wife glanced
significantly about Young Thomas's big, untidy sitting-room, where
there were cobwebs on the ceiling and fluff in the corners and dust on
the mop-board, and said nothing, but looked volumes.

"Dang it all," said Young Thomas, as they drove away, "they'll marry
me yet in spite of myself."

The gossip made him think about Adelia Williams. He had never thought
about her before; he was barely acquainted with her. Now he remembered
that she was a plump, jolly-looking little woman, noted for being a
good housekeeper. Then Young Thomas groaned, remembering that he must
start out looking for a housekeeper soon; and housekeepers were not
easily found, as Young Thomas had discovered several times since his
mother's death ten years before.

Next Sunday in church Young Thomas looked at Adelia Williams. He
caught Adelia looking at him. Adelia blushed and looked guiltily away.

"Dang it all," reflected Young Thomas, forgetting that he was in

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