Hello, all! Heidi is back with another Inklings link-up (here's the post), and I am back with another contribution! This month's prompt is a scene with a pearl necklace in book or film. This is more than a single scene, but I decided to share an incident from Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery, in which Anne comforts her son Jem after his dog dies. . . . Then a tender arm was slipped around him and he was held close in a warm embrace. Oh, there was love left yet in the world, even if Gyppy had gone. "Mother, will it always be like this?" "Not always." Anne did not tell him he would soon forget . . . that before long Gyppy would only be a dear memory. "Not always, little Jem. This will heal sometime . . . as your burned hand healed thought it hurt so much at first." "Dad said he would get me another dog. I don't have to have it, do I? I don't want another dog, Mother . . . not ever." "I know, darling." Mother knew everything. Nobody had a mother like his. He wanted to do something for her . . . and all at once it came to him what he would do. He would get her one of those pearl necklaces in Mr. Flagg's store. He had heard her say once that she really would like to have a pearl necklace and Dad had said, "When our ship comes in I'll get you one, Anne-girl." Ways and means must be considered. He had an allowance but it was all needed for necessary things and pearl necklaces were not among the items budgeted for. Besides, he wanted to earn the money for it himself. It would be really his gift then. Mother's birthday was in March . . . only six weeks away. And the necklace would cost fifty cents! And so Jem sets out with all the earnestness of a small child. Anne's birthday comes at last, and he thinks he succeeds grandly, only to learn--horror of horrors!--that the pearls were not real pearls! . . . Mother came home and slipped in to see that Walter and he were warm. "Jem, dear, are you awake at this hour? You're not sick?" "No, but I'm very unhappy here, Mother dearwums," said Jem, putting his hand on his stomach, fondly believing it to be his heart. "What is the matter, dear?" "I . . . I . . there is something I must tell you, Mother. You'll be awfully disappointed, Mother . . . but I didn't mean to deceive you, Mother . . . truly I didn't." "I'm sure you didn't, dear. What is it? Don't be afraid." "Oh, Mother dearwums, those pearls aren't real pearls . . . I thought they were . . . I did think they were . . . did . . ." Jem's eyes were full of tears. He couldn't go on. If Anne wanted to smile there was no sign of it on her face. . . . "Jem, I never thought you supposed they were real pearls. I knew they weren't . . . at least in one sense of real. In another, they are the most real things I've ever had given me. Because there was love and work and self-sacrifice in them . . . and that makes them more precious to me than all the gems that divers have fished up from the sea for queens to wear. . . .Do you feel better now?" Jem was so happy he was ashamed of it. He was afraid it was babyish to be so happy. "Oh, life is bearable again," he said cautiously. I love Anne and Jem's interactions.
Thank you for hosting, Heidi!
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Along the Brandywine is hosting an Inklings link-up this month! The prompt being a scene with a cake in book or film, I decided to share part of a story from one of my childhood favorites, In Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson. In it, Mabel bakes a cake for her Ma's surprise birthday party.
If Ma suspected anything, she didn't let on. She returned to her sewing, and I spent the afternoon hanging on the front gate, waiting for the first arrivals to the party. They were to come at suppertime, and the ladies would all bring something good to eat. I was sure that no one would come with as beautiful a cake as mine, though. And I was right. Ma was surprised and pleased. "You made this all by yourself, Mabel?" she asked. "Why, it is just lovely. I had no idea you could do that alone!" Proudly I handed Ma the knife. "You must have the first piece, because it's your birthday," I said. Ma cut the cake, and took a large slice on her plate. She took a bite, and an odd look came over her face. Something is wrong, I thought. But what could it be? I watched anxiously, but Ma kept on eating. Satisfied with my success, I ran to play with the other children. That evening, . . . Ma said, "It was the most unusual cake I've ever eaten. What did you use to flavor it, Mabel?" she asked. "Why, the vanilla, Ma," I said. "Just like you always use." "Show me where you got it," said Ma. "Where did you find the vanilla?" Ma followed me to the pantry, and I pointed to the big bottle on the shelf. Ma took it down and looked at it; then she began to laugh. On the front of the bottle the label read, WATKIN'S LINIMENT. Ma wiped her eyes and hugged me close. "That's all right, Mabel," she said. "It was a lovely cake. A little liniment never hurt anyone. I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present." It seems this is a popular mistake ;) Have you read the Grandma's Attic series? Did you ever put liniment in a cake? Happy New Year, everyone! 2023 was such a great reading year for me, so I wanted to share some of my favorites. (I read over 50 books, so we're not going to talk about them all.) Here are my 10 favorite reads, in alphabetical order because I cannot rank.
The Great Divorce C. S. Lewis This little book could probably be read in a day or two. But I took weeks soaking in this masterful allegory of Heaven and Hell and was very sad indeed when it ended. Somehow Lewis' sparsely worded observations are stunning--he was a genius, everyone. I highly, highly recommend this book! (I read this with a mentor friend, and I can't express how delightful that was. :) ) Little Dorrit Charles Dickens I already talked about this one in a previous post, so . . . this was fun, complex, thought-provoking, and very long. Amy and Arthur are the best. Phantastes George MacDonald This was . . . not what I was expecting. ("Never assume!") It kind of lacks a strong plot. But the writing is so poetic and descriptive, and there were some little moments that took my breath away. And the end moved me deeply. I've read the book that baptized C. S. Lewis' imagination! How neat is that?? Pride & Prejudice Jane Austen Jane and I properly met each other at last this summer! I've been wanting to read her books for years, so when I finally started this one, I was very afraid it wouldn't hold up to its reputation. And, to be completely honest, it kind of dragged at the beginning. But when I closed the book on the last page, I wanted to read it again--right away. The character development is to die for. Real Christianity William Wilberforce Okay, so I read a modern language version revised by Bob Beltz. I much prefer original text, complete and unabridged, etc., but oh well. Wilberforce had such a heart for God and people, and this book is very convicting. The Runaway Patricia St. John Patricia St. John has been one of my very, very favorite authors since I was twelve. I never tire of her writing. It's been a while since I've picked up one of her books, so I was excited to read this. It's a middle-grade biblical fiction, and at first I was afraid it would be a repeat of Twice Freed, my favorite St. John book. Philo, the protagonist, did seem a little too similar to the protagonist of Twice Freed, but the book held its own. Not my favorite, but very good. Have I mentioned that I love Patricia St. John?? Reading this rekindled my admiration and adoration of her stories, and now I must re-read Twice Freed. A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens I have no words. Mr. Dickens has destroyed me. Things We Didn't Say Amy Lynn Green This epistolary novel set in WWII is one of the few recently-released books I read this year. It was a similar experience to P & P: the beginning wasn't gripping (well, except for the prologue), but the characters and their arcs drew me until I couldn't put the book down. And, wow--this is the author's debut novel. Up From Slavery Booker T. Washington This autobiography of slave-turned-national figure was incredible. Booker T. Washington was so determined and so humble. (He was also very practical. Mr. Meagles would approve.) And his writing is approachable and engaging. Everyone would benefit from reading this! Young Whit books 4 & 5 Dave Arnold and Phil Lollar I finally finished the Young Whit series!! (These books have been a long time coming.) Book four was a little bland, in my opinion; book five was crazy, but oddly satisfying. Except for those really atrocious INCONSISTENCIES. Um, I have strong opinions when it comes to AIO, so I better stop here. SPOILERS Oh, but can I just say it was immensely satisfying when Johnny and Jack finally met? Not only have I been predicting it since book one, but also, it's Jack Allen!! END SPOILERS Well, that's that! Have you read any of these? What were some of your favorite reads of the year? (I also read C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy, which was crazy, and re-read the Chronicles of Narnia, which was awesome. Both of those series should have been on this list, but I think the Space Trilogy deserves its own post sometime . . .) |
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