Chapter VII. Anne Says Her Prayers

           WhenMarillatookAnneuptobedthatnightshesaidstiffly:

           “Now,Anne,Inoticedlastnightthatyouthrewyourclothesallaboutthefloorwhenyoutookthemoff.Thatisaveryuntidyhabit,andIcan’tallowitatall.Assoonasyoutakeoffanyarticleofclothingfolditneatlyandplaceitonthechair.Ihaven’tanyuseatallforlittlegirlswhoaren’tneat.”

           “IwassoharrowedupinmymindlastnightthatIdidn’tthinkaboutmyclothesatall,”saidAnne.“I’llfoldthemnicelytonight.Theyalwaysmadeusdothatattheasylum.Halfthetime,though,I’dforget,I’dbeinsuchahurrytogetintobedniceandquietandimaginethings.”

           “You’llhavetorememberalittlebetterifyoustayhere,”admonishedMarilla.“There,thatlookssomethinglike.Sayyourprayersnowandgetintobed.”

           “Ineversayanyprayers,”announcedAnne.

           Marillalookedhorrifiedastonishment.

           “Why,Anne,whatdoyoumean?Wereyounevertaughttosayyourprayers?Godalwayswantslittlegirlstosaytheirprayers.Don’tyouknowwhoGodis,Anne?”

           “‘Godisaspirit,infinite,eternalandunchangeable,inHisbeing,wisdom,power,holiness,justice,goodness,andtruth,’”respondedAnnepromptlyandglibly.

           Marillalookedratherrelieved.

           “Soyoudoknowsomethingthen,thankgoodness!You’renotquiteaheathen.Wheredidyoulearnthat?”

           “Oh,attheasylumSunday-school.Theymadeuslearnthewholecatechism.Ilikeditprettywell.There’ssomethingsplendidaboutsomeofthewords.‘Infinite,eternalandunchangeable.