Josephine Barry's bequest to Anne

Josephine Barry’s bequest to Anne Shirley is both a concrete inheritance and the last expression of a kindness that had endured through Josephine’s final illness. The lawyer’s letter brings Anne news of Josephine’s death and the gift of one thousand dollars; Anne receives the money with a full heart, not as a merely practical windfall.

Death and the Letter

Anne has left a thin, typewritten communication until last, assuming it unimportant. After reading it, she sits very still, tears in her eyes. When Marilla Cuthbert asks what is wrong, Anne tells her that Josephine Barry is dead. The letter comes from Josephine’s lawyer and confirms the bequest in her will.

Marilla explains that Josephine had been sick for over a year, that the Barry family had expected news of her death, and that she had suffered dreadfully. Her death is presented as the end of prolonged suffering, while the letter gives Anne a final, intimate connection to someone who had treated her kindly.

The Bequest and Anne’s Response

Josephine leaves Anne one thousand dollars. Anne emphasizes that Josephine “has been kind to the last,” linking the money to a continuing personal bond rather than treating it as an unexplained transfer of wealth. The inheritance gives that kindness a material form, but Anne’s tears and quiet withdrawal keep grief at the center of the moment.

Davy Keith reacts to the sum with astonishment and recalls the story Diana Barry told him about Anne and Diana jumping into the spare-room bed. He wonders whether that incident explains why Josephine left Anne so much. Anne gently hushes him rather than answering. The scene offers no account of how Anne will use the money; its immediate significance lies in who gave it and what her gift means to her.

Immediate Aftermath

Anne slips away to the porch gable with a full heart, leaving Marilla and Rachel Lynde to discuss the news. Her withdrawal separates her private response from the household’s conversation: the inheritance is public news, but her grief and gratitude remain her own. Davy then speculates anxiously about whether Anne will marry now that she has money, repeating a remark he heard from a married woman. Rachel sharply tells him to hold his tongue. The exchange raises the possibility of financial independence without resolving Anne’s future or suggesting that the bequest determines it.