The Way of the Winning of Anne Page #3

"The Way of the Winning of Anne" is a novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery that continues the beloved story of Anne Shirley, a spirited and imaginative young woman from Avonlea. This narrative delves into Anne's journey as she faces new challenges and experiences the complexities of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of rural Canada, the story highlights Anne's growth and her enduring passion for life, all while maintaining Montgomery's signature blend of warmth, humor, and poignant reflection. Through Anne's eyes, readers are invited to explore themes of ambition, resilience, and the power of dreams.

• Short story

								

mean to pester you any more, but we can be real good friends, can't
we? I'm sure I'm as much your friend as ever I was."

Now, I hold that this speech of Jerome's, delivered in a cool,
matter-of-fact tone, as of a man stating a case with dispassionate
fairness, was a masterpiece. It was the last cleverly executed
movement of the campaign. If it failed to effect a capitulation, he
was a defeated man. But it did not fail.

Anne had got to that point where an excited woman must go mad or cry.
Anne cried. She sat flatly down on a chair and burst into tears.

Jerome's hat went one way and his cane another. Jerome himself sprang
across the intervening space and dropped into the chair beside Anne.
He caught her hand in his and threw his arm boldly around her waist.

"Goodness gracious, Anne! Do you care after all? Tell me that!"

"I don't suppose it matters to you if I do," sobbed Anne. "It hasn't
seemed to matter, anyhow."

"Anne, look here! Didn't I come after you for fifteen years? It's you
I always have wanted and want yet, if I can get you. I don't care a
rap for Harriet Warren or anyone but you. Now that's the truth right
out, Anne."

No doubt it was, and Anne was convinced of it. But she had to have her
cry out--on Jerome's shoulder--and it soothed her nerves wonderfully.
Later on Octavia, slipping noiselessly up the steps in the dusk, saw a
sight that transfixed her with astonishment. When she recovered
herself she turned and fled wildly around the house, running bump into
Sam Mitchell, who was coming across the yard from a twilight
conference with the hired men.

"Goodness, Tavy, what's the matter? Y' look 'sif y'd seen a ghost."

Octavia leaned up against the wall in spasms of mirth.

"Oh, Sam," she gasped, "old Jerome Irving and Aunt Anne are sitting
round there in the dark on the front porch and he had his arms around
her, kissing her! And they never saw nor heard me, no more'n if they
were deaf and blind!"

Sam gave a tremendous whistle and then went off into a shout of
laughter whose echoes reached even to the gloom of the front porch and
the ears of the lovers. But they did not know he was laughing at them
and would not have cared if they had. They were too happy for that.

There was a wedding that fall and Anne Stockard was the bride. When
she was safely his, Jerome confessed all and was graciously forgiven.

"But it was kind of mean to Harriet," said Anne rebukingly, "to go
with her and get her talked about and then drop her as you did. Don't
you think so yourself, Jerome?"

Her husband's eyes twinkled.

"Well, hardly that. You see, Harriet's engaged to that Johnson fellow
out west. 'Tain't generally known, but I knew it and that's why I
picked on her. I thought it probable that she'd be willing enough to
flirt with me for a little diversion, even if I was old. Harriet's
that sort of a girl. And I made up my mind that if that didn't fetch
it nothing would and I'd give up for good and all. But it did, didn't
it, Anne?"

"I should say so. It was horrid of you, Jerome--but I daresay it's
just as well you did or I'd likely never have found out that I
couldn't get along without you. I did feel dreadful. Poor Octavia
could tell you I was as cross as X. How did you come to think of it,
Jerome?"

"A fellow had to do something," said Jerome oracularly, "and I'd have
done most anything to get you, Anne, that's a fact. And there it
was--courting fifteen years and nothing to show for it. I dunno,
though, how I did come to think of it. Guess it was a sort of
inspiration. Anyhow, I've got you and that's what I set out to do in
the beginning."
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