Facing the demand for more stories of Anne
and
Avonlea, Montgomery put together Chronicles of Avonlea from old short
stories she had published. Originally, these tales bore no mention of Anne
and Avonlea, but she edited them to bring the stories into familiar
territory. The volume was first published in 1912 and contains 12
stories.
"The Hurrying of
Ludovic"
"Old Lady Lloyd"
"Each in His Own
Tongue"
"Little Joscelyn"
"The Winning of Lucinda"
"Old Man Shaw's Girl"
"Aunt Olivia's Beau"
"The
Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's"
"Pa Sloane's Purchase"
"The Courting of Prissy
Strong"
"The Miracle at Carmody"
"The End of a Quarrel"
"The
Hurrying of Ludovic"
Ludovic Speed has been courting Theodora Dix for fifteen years. With
the help of Arnold Sherman, Anne Shirley makes a plan to Speed Ludovic along.
"Old
Lady Lloyd"
This tale is told in six chapters named for the months in which they take place. Pride
has spoiled Margaret Lloyd's life. She lives in Spencerville, and keeps
her poverty a secret, refusing to socialize with anyone. When Sylvia
Gray arrives in town, Old Lady Lloyd does everything she can to show her affection
for the child of her lost lover by playing the role of a fairy godmother to
Sylvia. Episode 5 of "Road to Avonlea's" season 1 was based
upon this story.
"Each
in His Own Tongue"
Felix Moore is a twelve year old boy with a talent for playing the violin. Felix's
playing makes Abel Blair care and makes him think of Anne Shirley. Unfortunately
Felix's grandfather Rev. Stephen Leonard does not see his gift with the violin
as a blessing and bans him from playing it, wanting Felix to become a minister. He
doesn't understand when Abel argues that there is both the Devil and Christ
in Felix's music.
"Little
Joscelyn"
Mrs. William Morrison refuses to let Aunty Nan see Little Joscelyn sing, considering
her age, health and the amount of travel involved. Aunty Nan loved the
lonely child over 15 years ago, and now Joscelyn was a famous singer. Her
memory makes Aunty Nan think of the young Anne Shirley at the Cuthberts though
Joscelyn was very beautiful. Aunty Nan never manages to see Joscelyn's
performance and her health deteriorates, but she craves the sight of Little
Joscelyn. Young Billy Morrison decides to intervene for Aunty Nan's sake.
"The
Winning of Lucinda"
Lucinda and Romney Penhallow have been in love for 15 years, but haven't spoken
to one another for pride for the same length of time. Mrs. George Penhallow
learns their story with great surprise and through her blunder, mistaking Anne
Shirley for Lucinda a wedding party, Lucinda and Romney walk home alone together. This
is an amusing tale with an even more amusing climax that takes place following
Anne and Gilbert's engagement in Anne of the Island (1915). Anne
mentions Alice Penhallow's wedding in Chapter XLI. Anne is fixing the
same dress she wears to the wedding party of this story published in this volume
3 years earlier. The Penhallows also appear in A Tangled Web,
but I'm not sure if it's the same family.
"Old
Man Shaw's Girl"
Old Man Shaw in a joyful soul, thrilled to have his daughter Blossom back with
him after her three years away. A meeting with Martha Blewett completely
dampers his spirits and he begins to wonder if his simple home at White Sands
will satisfy his girl who may want more from life. As her arrival nears,
Old Man Shaw begins to despair. Martha or Mrs. Peter Blewitt seems to
be the same women who once wanted to adopt Anne in Anne of Green Gables.
"Aunt
Olivia's Beau"
Olivia Sterling is an old maid, who shocks her nieces with her engagement to
Mr. Malcolm MacPherson. They plan to marry and move to Avonlea, where
Olivia only knows Rachel Lynde. He brings liveliness, love and dirt into
Olivia's prim and proper household, and she has so much trouble dealing with
these changes that she breaks the engagement. MacPherson is shocked,
for he truly loves her. Will Olivia regret her decision?
"The
Quarantine at Alexander Abraham's"
Peter Angelina MacPherson, the ironically-named man-hater is quarantined due
to a smallpox outbreak with the town woman-hater, Alexander Abraham. Along
for the ride is Peter's cat William Adophus and Alexander's dog, Mr. Riley,
who get along no better. How will Peter and Alexander ever manage? Anne
is mentioned briefly as the reason Peter doesn't want to teach the girl's Sunday
school class at the beginning of the story. This humourous tale was also
retold in Season 1 of the "Road to Avonlea" television series, where
Rachel Lynde took the role of Peter.
"Pa
Sloane's Purchase"
Pa Sloane has an addiction for auctions. In spite of his agreement with
Ma to not purchase a thing at the Garland auction, he makes a bid on something
very surprising - an orphan baby. But what will Ma say?
"The
Courting of Prissy Strong"
Emmeline Strong wants to keep Stephen Clark from courting her weak-minded sister,
Prissy. He had tried to court her 20 years ago, and failed. The
story is told by Rosanna, Diana Barry's mother's second cousin. Diana
and Anne Shirley are paying her a visit, and play a role in bringing the story
to its conclusion. The story also makes mention of the Gillis and Pye
families.
"The
Miracle at Carmody"
Salome and Judith Marsh are spinster sisters, taking care of the adopted Lionel
Hezekiah, a boy who cannot stay out of trouble. Salome is crippled and
in part because of this, Judith has stopped believing in God. The family
does not attend church. When Salome realizes Lionel believes all the
other boys are better than him because they are allowed to attend Sunday school,
and that he idolizes Abel Blair of "Each in His Own Tongue," she
defies her sister to go to church for the first time in years and a miracle
takes place.
"The
End of a Quarrel"
Nancy Rogerson visits her old friend Louisa Shaw in Avonlea after 20 years
away. Nancy is an old maid, with some regrets. She recalls young
Anne Shirley's romantic notion of being a widow. Nancy decides that that's
what she'd most like to be, since she never married. When Louisa mentions
that Nancy's old love Peter Wright never married, she is shocked to learn that
Nancy and Peter broke their engagement by quarreling over grammar. When
Nancy and Peter finally speak, can they resolve their differences?
Last Updated 03.08.07
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