Tonight, we’ll read the 22nd chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Anne is Invited Out to Tea”

In the previous chapter, Anne is excited about the new minister and his wife Mrs. Allan, who she decides is a kindred spirit. Marilla invites the Allans to tea and Anne is allowed to bake a cake. Anne flavors the cake with what she thinks is vanilla, but ends up being Anodyne Liniment. Although Anne assumes the worst and becomes bereft, Mrs. Allan kindly forgives the mistake.

Anodyne Liniment was a topical pain reliever, not meant for consumption, let alone the flavoring of a cake. Ingredients may have included menthol, camphor and possibly turpentine, which would have created a bitter, medicinal and unpleasant flavor.