Anne of Green Gables: Chapter 18: Anne to the Rescue Summary & Analysis

The Premier of Canada travels to Prince Edward Island to address his supporters in Charlottetown, 30 miles away. Most of Avonlea attends the rally. Mrs. Lynde doesn’t support the Premier, but she’s so interested in politics that she doesn’t believe a rally can take place without her, so she goes also, taking Marilla along. Anne and Matthew will be alone at Green Gables overnight. While Matthew dozes over a newspaper, Anne struggles with her geometry and glances wistfully at a novel her friend Jane Andrews has lent her.

Anne distracts herself by chatting with Matthew. They talk about politics—Matthew votes Conservative so Anne decides she’s Conservative, too. It’s a good thing, she says, because “Gil—because some of the boys […] are Grits.” Anne has heard people say that when a boy goes courting, he should agree with the girl’s mother in religious matters and with the father in political matters. She asks Matthew if he’s ever gone courting. The idea seems never to have occurred to Matthew. Anne talks about some of her friends’ older sisters who are courting and finds it all pretty interesting, but she figures she won’t want more than a single “beau” when she’s older.

Just as Anne is coming up from the cellar with some apples for a snack, Diana rushes into Green Gables’ kitchen, and Anne drops everything, candle and all, in shock. Diana’s little sister Minnie May is very sick with the croup, the babysitter is helpless, and Diana doesn’t know what to do. Matthew immediately goes outside to harness the mare and search for a doctor. Anne cheerfully bundles up while reassuring her friend—she took care of Mrs. Hammond’s twins, all of whom had croup often. She gets a bottle of ipecac, and the girls hurry across the snowy fields to Orchard Slope. Anne can’t help feeling delighted to be sharing this adventure with her estranged friend.

Three-year-old Minnie May is feverish, her breathing labored. Anne assesses the situation and immediately puts Diana to work heating water. She forces down many doses of ipecac, and, by three o’clock in the morning when Matthew arrives with a doctor, Minnie May is sleeping calmly. Anne tells them both that she’d nearly given up; she’d never seen a sicker child, but the last dose of ipecac finally brought up the choking phlegm. The doctor looks at Anne in wonder, later telling the Barrys that Anne saved their daughter’s life—Anne is a remarkable girl.

Anne stays home from school and sleeps for most of the day. When she comes downstairs, she asks Marilla about the political rally. Marilla waits until Anne has eaten some dinner and then tells her that Mrs. Barry stopped by. Mrs. Barry told Marilla that Anne saved Minnie May’s life, and she apologized for being so unreasonable about the currant wine incident. She hopes Anne will forgive her and that she and Diana will be close again. Marilla indulgently lets Anne skip washing the dishes, and Anne runs exultantly out of the house to reunite with Diana.

Anne comes home at twilight, telling Marilla she is “perfectly happy,” even in spite of having red hair. Mrs. Barry had tearfully kissed and apologized to her, and she had a lovely time visiting Diana—Mrs. Barry even let them use nice china for their tea. Anne felt so grown up and she imagines that being a real grown-up must always be so nice. She tells Marilla that after such a night, she truly feels like praying.