la took Anne up to bed that night she said stiffly:

"Now, Anne, I noticed last night that you threw your clothes all about
the floor when you took them off. That is a very untidy habit, and I
can't allow it at all. As soon as you take off any article of clothing
fold it neatly and place it on the chair. I haven't any use at all for
little girls who aren't neat."

"I was so harrowed up in my mind last night that I didn't think about my
clothes at all," said Anne. "I'll fold them nicely tonight. They always
made us do that at the asylum. Half the time, though, I'd forget, I'd be
in such a hurry to get into bed nice and quiet and imagine things."

"You'll have to remember a little better if you stay here," admonished
Marilla. "There, that looks something like. Say your prayers now and get
into bed."

"I never say any prayers," announced Anne.

Marilla looked horrified astonishment.

"Why, Anne, what do you mean? Were you never taught to say your prayers?
God always wants little girls to say their prayers. Don't you know who
God is, Anne?"

"'God is a spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable, in His being,
wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth,'" responded Anne
promptly and glibly.

Marilla looked rather relieved.

"So you do know something then, thank goodness! You're not quite a
heathen. Where did you learn that?"

"Oh, at the asylum Sunday-school. They made us learn the whole
catechism. I liked it pretty well. There's something splendid about some
of the words. 'Infinite, eternal and unchangeable.' Isn't that grand? It
has such a roll to it--just like a big organ playing. You couldn't quite
call it poetry, I suppose, but it sounds a lot like it, doesn't it?"

"We're not talking about poetry, Anne--we are talking about saying your
prayers. Don't you know it's a terrible wicked thing not to say your
prayers every night? I'm afraid you are a very bad little girl."

"You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair," said
Anne reproachfully. "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble
is. Mrs. Thomas told me that God made my hair red ON PURPOSE, and I've
never cared about Him since. And anyhow I'd always be too tired at night
to bother saying prayers. People who have to look after twins can't be
expected to say their prayers. Now, do you honestly think they can?"

Marilla decided that Anne's religious training must be begun at once.
Plainly there was no time to be lost.