The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902 to 1903, by Lucy Maud pptx

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902 to1903, by Lucy Maud Montgomery This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restric

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902 to

1903, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

This eBook is for the use of anyone

anywhere at no cost and with

almost no restrictions whatsoever You may copy it, give it away or

re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

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Title: Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories,

1902 to 1903

Author: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Release Date: March 19, 2008 [EBook

#24874]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MONTGOMERY SHORT STORIES ***

Produced by Alicia Williams, Jeannie Howse and the Online

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Lucy Maud

Montgomery Short Stories, 1902 to 1903

Lucy Maud Montgomerywas born at Clifton (nowNew London), PrinceEdward Island, Canada, onNovember 30, 1874 Sheachieved international fame

in her lifetime, putting PrinceEdward Island and Canada

on the world literary map

Best known for her "Anne ofGreen Gables" books, shewas also a prolific writer ofshort stories and poetry Shepublished some 500 shortstories and poems and twentynovels before her death in

1942 The Project Gutenbergcollection of her short storieswas gathered from numeroussources and is presented inchronological publishingorder:

Lucy MaudMontgomery ShortStories, 1896 to1901

Lucy Maud

Montgomery ShortStories, 1902 to1903

Lucy MaudMontgomery ShortStories, 1904

Lucy MaudMontgomery ShortStories, 1905 to1906

Lucy MaudMontgomery ShortStories, 1907 to1908

Lucy MaudMontgomery ShortStories, 1909 to1922

Business 1903Our Runaway

A Patent Medicine Testimonial

"You might as well try to move the rock

of Gibraltar as attempt to change UncleAbimelech's mind when it is once madeup," said Murray gloomily

Murray is like dear old Dad; he getsdiscouraged rather easily Now, I'm notlike that; I'm more like Mother's folks AsUncle Abimelech has never failed to tell

me when I have annoyed him, I'm "allFoster." Uncle Abimelech doesn't like theFosters But I'm glad I take after them If I

had folded my hands and sat down meeklywhen Uncle Abimelech made known hisgood will and pleasure regarding Murrayand me after Father's death, Murray wouldnever have got to college—nor I either,for that matter Only I wouldn't haveminded that very much I just wanted to go

to college because Murray did I couldn't

be separated from him We were twinsand had always been together

As for Uncle Abimelech's mind, I knewthat he never had been known to change it.But, as he himself was fond of saying,there has to be a first time for everything,and I had determined that this was to bethe first time for him I hadn't any ideahow I was going to bring it about; but itjust had to be done, and I'm not "all

Foster" for nothing.

I knew I would have to depend on myown thinkers Murray is clever at booksand dissecting dead things, but he couldn'thelp me out in this, even if he hadn'tsettled beforehand that there was no use inopposing Uncle Abimelech

"I'm going up to the garret to think thisout, Murray," I said solemnly "Don't letanybody disturb me, and if UncleAbimelech comes over don't tell himwhere I am If I don't come down in time

to get tea, get it yourself I shall not leavethe garret until I have thought of some way

to change Uncle Abimelech's mind."

"Then you'll be a prisoner there for theterm of your natural life, dear sis," saidMurray sceptically "You're a clever girl,

Prue—and you've got enough decision fortwo—but you'll never get the better ofUncle Abimelech."

"We'll see," I said resolutely, and up tothe garret I went I shut the door andbolted it good and fast to make sure Then

I piled some old cushions in the windowseat—for one might as well becomfortable when one is thinking as not—and went over the whole ground from thebeginning

Outside the wind was thrashing thebroad, leafy top of the maple whose tallesttwigs reached to the funny grey eaves ofour old house One roly-poly littlesparrow blew or flew to the sill and satthere for a minute, looking at me withknowing eyes Down below I could see

Murray in a corner of the yard, potteringover a sick duck He had set its broken legand was nursing it back to health Anyoneexcept Uncle Abimelech could see thatMurray was simply born to be a doctorand that it was flying in the face ofProvidence to think of making himanything else.

From the garret windows I could see allover the farm, for the house is on the hillend of it I could see all the dear old fieldsand the spring meadow and the beechwoods in the southwest corner Andbeyond the orchard were the two greybarns and down below at the right-handcorner was the garden with all my sweetpeas fluttering over the fences andtrellises like a horde of butterflies It was

a dear old place and both Murray and Iloved every stick and stone on it, but therewas no reason why we should go on livingthere when Murray didn't like farming.And it wasn't our own, anyhow It allbelonged to Uncle Abimelech.

Father and Murray and I had alwayslived here together Father's health brokedown during his college course That wasone reason why Uncle Abimelech was setagainst Murray going to college, althoughMurray is as chubby and sturdy a fellow

as you could wish to see Anybody withFoster in him would be that

To go back to Father The doctors toldhim that his only chance of recovering hisstrength was an open-air life, so Fatherrented one of Uncle Abimelech's farms

and there he lived for the rest of his days.

He did not get strong again until it was toolate for college, and he was a square peg

in a round hole all his life, as he used totell us Mother died before we couldremember, so Murray and Dad and I wereeverything to each other We were veryhappy too, although we were bossed byUncle Abimelech more or less But hemeant it well and Father didn't mind

Then Father died—oh, that was adreadful time! I hurried over it in mythinking-out Of course when Murray and Icame to look our position squarely in theface we found that we were dependent onUncle Abimelech for everything, even theroof over our heads We were literally aspoor as church mice and even poorer, for

at least they get churches rent-free.

Murray's heart was set on going tocollege and studying medicine He askedUncle Abimelech to lend him enoughmoney to get a start with and then he couldwork his own way along and pay back theloan in due time Uncle Abimelech is rich,and Murray and I are his nearest relatives.But he simply wouldn't listen to Murray'splan

"I put my foot firmly down on suchnonsense," he said "And you know thatwhen I put my foot down somethingsquashes."

It was not that Uncle Abimelech wasmiserly or that he grudged us assistance.Not at all He was ready to dealgenerously by us, but it must be in his own

way His way was this Murray and I were

to stay on the farm, and when Murray wastwenty-one Uncle Abimelech said hewould deed the farm to him—make him apresent of it out and out

"It's a good farm, Murray," he said

"Your father never made more than a bareliving out of it because he wasn't strongenough to work it properly—that's what

he got out of a college course, by the way.

But you are strong enough and ambitiousenough to do well."

But Murray couldn't be a farmer, thatwas all there was to it I told UncleAbimelech so, firmly, and I talked to himfor days about it, but Uncle Abimelechnever wavered He sat and listened to mewith a quizzical smile on that handsome,

clean-shaven, ruddy old face of his, withits cut-granite features And in the end hesaid,

"You ought to be the one to go tocollege if either of you did, Prue Youwould make a capital lawyer, if I believed

in the higher education of women, but Idon't Murray can take or leave the farm as

he chooses If he prefers the latteralternative, well and good But he gets nohelp from me You're a foolish little girl,Prue, to back him up in this nonsense ofhis."

It makes me angry to be called a littlegirl when I put up my hair a year ago, andUncle Abimelech knows it I gave uparguing with him I knew it was no useanyway

I thought it all over in the garret But noway out of the dilemma could I see I hadeaten up all the apples I had brought with

me and I felt flabby and disconsolate Thesight of Uncle Abimelech stalking up thelane, as erect and lordly as usual, served

to deepen my gloom

I picked up the paper my apples hadbeen wrapped in and looked it overgloomily Then I saw something, andUncle Abimelech was delivered into myhand

The whole plan of campaign unrolleditself before me, and I fairly laughed inglee, looking out of the garret windowright down on the little bald spot on thetop of Uncle Abimelech's head, as hestood laying down the law to Murray

"All right, sis," said Murray.

"That isn't solemn enough," I protested

"I'm serious Promise solemnly."

"I promise solemnly, 'cross my heart,'"said Murray, looking like an owl

"Very well Remember that your role is

to lie low and say nothing, like BrerRabbit Alloway's Anodyne Liniment ispretty good stuff, isn't it, Murray? It curedyour sprain after you had tried everythingelse, didn't it?"

"Yes But I don't see the connection."

"It isn't necessary that you should Well,what with your sprain and my rheumatics Ithink I can manage it."

"Look here, Prue Are you sure that longbrooding over our troubles up in the garrethasn't turned your brain?"

"My brain is all right Now leave me,minion There is that which I would do."

Murray grinned and went I wrote aletter, took it down to the office, andmailed it For a week there was nothing

more to do.

There is just one trait of UncleAbimelech's disposition more marked thanhis fondness for having his own way andthat one thing is family pride TheMelvilles are a very old family The namedates back to the Norman conquest when acertain Roger de Melville, who was anancestor of ours, went over to Englandwith William the Conqueror I don't thinkthe Melvilles ever did anything worthrecording in history since To be sure, asfar back as we can trace, none of them hasever done anything bad either They havebeen honest, respectable folks and I thinkthat is something worth being proud of

But Uncle Abimelech pinned his familypride to Roger de Melville He had the

Melville coat of arms and our family tree,made out by an eminent genealogist,framed and hung up in his library, and hewould not have done anything that wouldnot have chimed in with that coat of armsand a conquering ancestor for the world.

At the end of a week I got an answer to

my letter It was what I wanted I wroteagain and sent a parcel In three weeks'time the storm burst

One day I saw Uncle Abimelechstriding up the lane He had a bignewspaper clutched in his hand I turned

to Murray, who was poring over a book ofanatomy in the corner

"Murray, Uncle Abimelech is coming.There is going to be a battle royalbetween us Allow me to remind you of

fiercer I did feel a quake or two, but I

faced Uncle Abimelech undauntedly Nouse in having your name on the roll ofBattle Abbey if you can't stand yourground

"Prudence, what does this mean?"thundered Uncle Abimelech, as he flungthe newspaper down on the table Murraygot up and peered over Then he whistled

He started to say something butremembered just in time and stopped But

he did give me a black look Murray has asneaking pride of name too, although hewon't own up to it and laughs at UncleAbimelech

I looked at the paper and began tolaugh We did look so funny, Murray and

I, in that advertisement It took up thewhole page At the top were our photos,half life-size, and underneath our namesand addresses printed out in full Belowwas the letter I had written to the AllowayAnodyne Liniment folks It was a floridtestimonial to the virtues of their liniment

I said that it had cured Murray's sprainafter all other remedies had failed andthat, when I had been left a partial wreck

from a very bad attack of rheumatic fever,the only thing that restored my joints andmuscles to working order was Alloway'sAnodyne Liniment, and so on.

It was all true enough, although I daresay old Aunt Sarah-from-the-Hollow'srubbing had as much to do with the cures

as the liniment But that is neither here northere

"What does this mean, Prudence?" saidUncle Abimelech again He was quiveringwith wrath, but I was as cool as acucumber, and Murray stood like a gravenimage

"Why, that, Uncle Abimelech," I saidcalmly, "well, it just means one of myways of making money That linimentcompany pays for those testimonials and

photos, you know They gave me fiftydollars for the privilege of publishingthem Fifty dollars will pay for books andtuition for Murray and me at KentvilleAcademy next winter, and Mrs Tredgold

is kind enough to say she will board mefor what help I can give her around thehouse, and wait for Murray's until he canearn it by teaching."

I rattled all this off glibly before UncleAbimelech could get in a word

"It's disgraceful!" he stormed

"Disgraceful! Think of Sir Roger deMelville—and a patent medicineadvertisement! Murray Melville, whatwere you about, sir, to let your sisterdisgrace herself and her family name bysuch an outrageous transaction?"

I quaked a bit If Murray should fail me!But Murray was true-blue.

"I gave Prue a free hand, sir It's anhonest business transaction enough—andthe family name alone won't send us tocollege, you know, sir."

Uncle Abimelech glared at us

"This must be put an end to," he said

"This advertisement must not appearagain I won't have it!"

"But I've signed a contract that it is torun for six months," I said sturdily "AndI've others in view You remember theHerb Cure you recommended one springand that it did me so much good! I'mnegotiating with the makers of that and—"

"The girl's mad!" said Uncle

Abimelech "Stark, staring mad!"

"Oh, no, I'm not, Uncle Abimelech I'mmerely a pretty good businesswoman Youwon't help Murray to go to college, so Imust This is the only way I have, and I'mgoing to see it through."

After Uncle Abimelech had gone, still

in a towering rage, Murray remonstrated.But I reminded him of his promise and hehad to succumb

Next day Uncle Abimelech returned—asubdued and chastened Uncle Abimelech

"See here, Prue," he said sternly "This

thing must be stopped I say it must I am

not going to have the name of Melvilledragged all over the country in a patentmedicine advertisement You've played

your game and won it—take what comfortyou can out of the confession: If you willagree to cancel this notorious contract ofyours I'll settle it with the company—andI'll put Murray through college—and youtoo if you want to go! Something will have

to be done with you, that's certain Is thissatisfactory?"

"Perfectly," I said promptly "If youwill add thereto your promise that youwill forget and forgive, Uncle Abimelech.There are to be no hard feelings."

Uncle Abimelech shrugged hisshoulders

"In for a penny, in for a pound," he said

"Very well, Prue We wipe off all scoresand begin afresh But there must be nomore such doings You've worked your

little scheme through—trust a Foster forthat! But in future you've got to rememberthat in law you're a Melville whatever youare in fact."

I nodded dutifully "I'll remember,Uncle Abimelech," I promised

After everything had been arranged andUncle Abimelech had gone I looked atMurray "Well?" I said

Murray twinkled "You'veaccomplished the impossible, sis But, asUncle Abimelech intimated—don't you try

it again."

So I had to keep mine also, although I felt

as fresh as a morning lark, and just in themood for enjoyment

My name is Marguerite Forrester—anabsurdly long name for so small a girl

Aunt Martha always calls me Marguerite,

with an accent of strong disapproval Shedoes not like my name, but she gives me

the full benefit of it Connie Shelmardineused to call me Rita Connie was myroommate last year at the Seminary Wecorrespond occasionally, but Aunt Marthafrowns on it.

I have always lived with Aunt Martha

—my parents died when I was a baby.Aunt Martha says I am to be her heiress if

I please her—which means—but, oh, you

do not know what "pleasing" Aunt Marthameans

Aunt is a determined and inveterateman-hater She has no particular love forwomen, indeed, and trusts nobody butMrs Saxby, her maid I rather like Mrs.Saxby She is not quite so far gone inpetrifaction as Aunt, although she gets alittle stonier every year I expect the

process will soon begin on me, but ithasn't yet My flesh and blood are stillunreasonably warm and pulsing andrebellious.

Aunt Martha would be in danger oftaking a fit if she ever saw me talking to aman She watches me jealously, firmlydetermined to guard me from any possibleattack of a roaring and ravening lion in thedisguise of nineteenth-century masculineattire So I have to walk demurely andassume a virtue, if I have it not, while Ipine after the untested flesh-pots of Egypt

have been chattering to her all day, forthere are times when I absolutely must talk

to someone or go mad

July Tenth.This sort of life is decidedly dull Theprogram of every day is the same I go tothe sandshore with Aunt Martha and Mrs.Saxby in the morning, read to Aunt in theafternoons, and mope around by mydisconsolate self in the evenings Mrs.Blake has lent me, for shore use, a veryfine spyglass which she owns She saysher "man" brought it home from "furrin'parts" before he died While Aunt andMrs Saxby meander up and down theshore, leaving me free to a certain extent, Iamuse myself by examining distant seas

and coasts through it, thus getting a fewpeeps into a forbidden world We see fewpeople, although there is a large summerhotel about a mile up the beach Our shorehaunts do not seem to be popular with itsguests They prefer the rocks This suitsAunt Martha admirably I may also addthat it doesn't suit her niece—but that is amatter of small importance.

The first morning I noticed a whiteobject on the rocks, about half a mileaway, and turned my glass on it There—apparently within a stone's throw of me—was a young man He was lounging on arock, looking dreamily out to sea Therewas something about his face thatreminded me of someone I know, but Icannot remember whom