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.’Isn’tthatgrand? Ithassucharolltoit—justlikeabigorganplaying. Youcouldn’tquitecallitpoetry,Isuppose,butitsoundsalotlikeit,doesn’tit?” “We’renottalkingaboutpoetry,Anne—wearetalkingaboutsayingyourprayers. Don’tyouknowit’saterriblewickedthingnottosayyourprayerseverynight? I’mafraidyouareaverybadlittlegirl.” “You’dfinditeasiertobebadthangoodifyouhadredhair,”saidAnnereproachfully. “Peoplewhohaven’tredhairdon’tknowwhattroubleis. Mrs.ThomastoldmethatGodmademyhairredONPURPOSE,andI’venevercaredaboutHimsince. AndanyhowI’dalwaysbetootiredatnighttobothersayingprayers. Peoplewhohavetolookaftertwinscan’tbeexpectedtosaytheirprayers.Now,doyouhonestlythinktheycan?” MarilladecidedthatAnne’sreligioustrainingmustbebegunatonce.Plainlytherewasnotimetobelost. “Youmustsayyourprayerswhileyouareundermyroof,Anne.” “Why,ofcourse,ifyouwantmeto,”assentedAnnecheerfully.“I’ddoanythingtoobligeyou. Butyou’llhavetotellmewhattosayforthisonce. AfterIgetintobedI’llimagineoutarealniceprayertosayalways. Ibelievethatitwillbequiteinteresting,nowthatIcometothinkofit.” “Youmustkneeldown,”saidMarillainembarrassment. AnnekneltatMarilla’skneeandlookedupgravely. “Whymustpeoplekneeldowntopray?IfIreallywantedtoprayI’lltellyouwhatI’ddo. I’dgooutintoagreatbigfieldallaloneorintothedeep,deep,woods,andI’dlookupintothesky—up—up—up—intothatlovelyblueskythatlooksasiftherewasnoendtoitsblueness.AndthenI’djustFEELaprayer.Well,I’mready.WhatamItosay?” Marillafeltmoreembarrassedthanever. ShehadintendedtoteachAnnethechildishclassic,“NowIlaymedowntosleep.” Butshehad,asIhavetoldyou,theglimmeringsofasenseofhumor—whichissimplyanothernameforasenseoffitnessofthings;anditsuddenlyoccurredtoherthatthatsimplelittleprayer,sacredtowhite-robedchildhoodlispingatmotherlyknees,wasentirelyunsuitedtothisfreckledwitchofagirlwhoknewandcarednothingboutGod’slove,sinceshehadneverhadittranslatedtoherthroughthemediumofhumanlove. “You’reoldenoughtoprayforyourself,Anne,”shesaidfinally.“JustthankGodforyourblessingsandaskHimhumblyforthethingsyouwant.” “Well,I’lldomybest,”promisedAnne,buryingherfaceinMarilla’slap. “GraciousheavenlyFather—that’sthewaytheministerssayitinchurch,soIsupposeit’sallrightinprivateprayer,isn’tit?” sheinterjected,liftingherheadforamoment. "GraciousheavenlyFather,IthankTheefortheWhite WayofDelightandtheLakeofShiningWatersandBonny andtheSnowQueen.I'mreallyextremelygratefulfor them.Andthat'salltheblessingsIcanthinkofjust nowtothankTheefor.AsforthethingsIwant, they'resonumerousthatitwouldtakeagreatdealof timetonamethemallsoIwillonlymentionthetwo mostimportant.PleaseletmestayatGreenGables; andpleaseletmebegood-lookingwhenIgrowup. “There,didIdoallright?”sheaskedeagerly,gettingup.“IcouldhavemadeitmuchmorefloweryifI’dhadalittlemoretimetothinkitover.” PoorMarillawasonlypreservedfromcompletecollapsebyrememberingthatitwasnotirreverence,butsimplyspiritualignoranceonthepartofAnnethatwasresponsibleforthisextraordinarypetition. Shetuckedthechildupinbed,mentallyvowingthatsheshouldbetaughtaprayertheverynextday,andwasleavingtheroomwiththelightwhenAnnecalledherback. “I’vejustthoughtofitnow.Ishouldhavesaid,‘Amen’inplaceof‘yoursrespectfully,’shouldn’tI?—thewaytheministersdo. I’dforgottenit,butIfeltaprayershouldbefinishedoffinsomeway,soIputintheother. Doyousupposeitwillmakeanydifference?” “I—Idon’tsupposeitwill,”saidMarilla.“Gotosleepnowlikeagoodchild.Goodnight.” “Icanonlysaygoodnighttonightwithaclearconscience,”saidAnne,cuddlingluxuriouslydownamongherpillows. Marillaretreatedtothekitchen,setthecandlefirmlyonthetable,andglaredatMatthew. “MatthewCuthbert,it’sabouttimesomebodyadoptedthatchildandtaughthersomething.She’snextdoortoaperfectheathen. Willyoubelievethatsheneversaidaprayerinherlifetilltonight? I’llsendhertothemansetomorrowandborrowthePeepoftheDayseries,that’swhatI’lldo. AndsheshallgotoSunday-schooljustassoonasIcangetsomesuitableclothesmadeforher. IforeseethatIshallhavemyhandsfull. Well,well,wecan’tgetthroughthisworldwithoutourshareoftrouble. I’vehadaprettyeasylifeofitsofar,butmytimehascomeatlastandIsupposeI’lljusthavetomakethebestofit.” 
