Emily of New Moon

l and looked up at Ell

been suddenly turned

as stunned as if El

olour faded out of he

they swallowed up the

ackness. The effect

reene felt u

because I think it's h

at your pa for month

d off. I says to him,

, and if you drop off

hasn't been prepare

e's time enough yet, Ellen.' But he's nev

d might come any time

was right and drop a

on't look like that!

nt of the Murray pride, If for no other rea

gers--even if they ha

have a good home--bet

rry a mite. As for y

t rest. He's been dy

's kept it from you,

is heart broke when yo

she was only sick thr

s coming, so's you won

sake, Emily Byrd Sta

ou give me the creeps

t an orphan and you w

don't go pestering y

Come you in now, out

ooky 'fore y

s if to take the chil

ly--she must scream if

sharp, bitter little

the door and fled u

er kitchen. "Anyhow, I've done MY duty, "

it off till he was dea

She'll have time now

day or two. I will

, from all I've heard

overcrow HER. She's

l help her through. I

at he's dying, but I d

at HE'D do. Well, I'

y. Not many women wo

s a shame the way tha

o school. Well, I've

it--it ain't on MY

al-thing, you git out

Mike for the very g

held tightly in her a

le cot-bed. Amid he

omfort in the feel of

ety

she stared straight in

g Ellen had told her.

was true. Why could

on living wi

't let things like thi

wicked of her to say

was the wickest thin

But she didn't care.

ld strike her dead an

on being

only Mike got tired of

She was all alone no

ed all over her and ye

id of it. She couldn

ellow account-book.

ol teacher going away

and Ellen telling her

and flashes; and aft

things hadn't hurt he

bout. She could not

ne when she burned her

by mistake. Father h

old her stories and

Ellen had said, was go

Ellen had told her th

less than an hour sinc

n the barrens and loo

ky-gree

er come again--it c

d certain things from

o suffer, --to pity--

hese things were all i

sh-grey eyes. Her her

e her up. She must no

t might hurt him. Sh

r, oh, so much, in the

ard him cough in the

up; she undressed as

crept into the littl

ow. The voices of t

eded--unheard the Wind

es dwell only in the

y cannot enter the

tearless and motionle

ry slowly he walked--h

was it she had never

ot coughing at all.

wild hope shot through

littl

r to her bed. She fel

ir beside her, in his

! There was no other

nder, so understanding, So wonderful! They h

uldn't be that they

, are yo

hispered

sleepy, s

--not s

ok her hand and

alk, honey. I can't s

ou som

w it!" burst out Emil

llen t

lent for a moment.

--the FAT old fool!"-

n, for the last time, Emily hoped. Perhaps

s fat foo

e, is it, Father?

her father, "I can't

mb up and sit on my k

ed and got on her fath

about her and held h

nst

ttle beloved Emilykin,

ell you myself to-ni

has told you--brutal

as the brain of a hen

it on her grandmother

rt you,

hing down that wan

can't--I ca

l. You will live bec

k. You have my gift-

ucceed where I failed,

ou, sweetheart, but I

thing, I think--in s

u remember y

and there--like lov

hen she died. I've n

But I'm going to tel

t me to talk of her no

k like her, Emily--on

your namesake, my moth

Juliet, too. But you

u Juliet then I'd so

h between you, and she

y had once said to her

ther" the romance of

other--HER maiden nam

he prettiest name in t

ful, she said. Emil

woman e

led and Emily s

ears ago, when I wa

rlottetown and she w

and fair and blue-eye

but Laura was never

and their voices. She

ve never told you muc

ive up on the old nort

ays have lived there

Country in 1790. Th

on and he named h

he new moon is such

erested fo

ay ever since at New

along the north shore, Emily. Well, they h

ied it too far. Folk

' up t

ltiplied and scattered

out. Only your aunts, Elizabeth and Lau

rried--could not find

o be said. Your Uncle

side, your Aunt Ruth i

Nancy at Pr

an INTERESTING name--

ter--but interesting,

er the horror had mom

e while she ceas

he dressing-gown a lit

er black head

and Wallace and Oli

ildren. His first wi

married again--a youn

was born. Juliet wa

, as she used to cal

d they all loved and p

she fell in love w

s pen and his ambition, There was a family e

won't rake it all up-

forgive. Your mother

ould have nothing mor

pite of it, she was ne

e

d and patted her fat

t be sorry. Of COURSE

urrays of any

le--and there was jus

la

el that way about it.

ever were two happier

that happiness. I r

e house in Charlotteto

g silvery clouds over

here. In our tiny gar

love and our happin

up and down the path

ad planted--and praye

like a rosy pearl whe

hter. I went in--and

t dear, slow, wonderf

e--only--baby--of any

Just--thin

emember from the very

t would be so v

a lot of uncomfortab

tle. "It can't be ver

er than getting used t

hard, for you were a

y years, and then--do

her died

al, Father--I remembe

iddle of a room, holdi

before us in a long, b

think why--and I wond

open her eyes. And I

it was so cold. It

m said, 'Poor littl

ut my face down

Your mother died v

t it. The Murrays al

ain traditions and th

is that nothing but c

n--and another is th

e. They came when sh

ill if they had known

haved very well--oh, v

f New Moon for nothing

atin dress to the fun

cond best one would h

hen I said your mother

tetown cemetery. The

ld Murray burying-grou

burying-ground, you

But your Uncle Wallac

elong to her husband'

ffered to take you and

ce.' I refused to le

o right

spered Emily, with a

-it was he who spoke t

d not be parted from m

mind, let us know.'

ears later when my doc

' he said, 'if you do, And live out-of-doo

prophet. I came out h

ther, haven't we,

-oh,

I've taught you in the

We've been living o

hat was left me in an

I was married. The es

house is only a rente

rtainly been a failur

you--I know that.

nothing else. And t

d have sent for them

ave pride of a kind, t

ss--and the Murrays

arried your mother.

hem to co

Emily, almo

ne to come between her

he thought was horribl

to come--afterwards.

g much-

o the very end, then,

minute. And I want

ANYTHING, Emily. Dea

ve--and spring comes e

or. There are beautif

ll find your mother t

r doubted THAT. Some

far ahead of me in the

ut I feel NOW that she

e won't hurry--we'll

ch up w

ake me right through

ered

you won't wish that.

d life has something

arlessly, dear. I kn

you will remember m

id Emily, who couldn't

hat I don't lik

--the laugh Emily lik

t her breath over the

s tightening

You can't help lik

tn't mix Him up with Ellen

ctly what Father mean

afraid any longer--a

, and the unbearable p

s all about her and ar

sible, hovering Tende

e love was--and love

door--no, he was going

tter, because a curta

he would slip into t

limpses. He would be

om her. She could bea

wasn't very far away

vering

until she fell asleep

aged to lay her dow

y--she will suffer t

ompensate--as I have

, so may God deal wi

ken