At sunset the little soul that had come with the dawning went away , leaving heartbreak behind it . Miss Cornelia took the wee , white lady from the kindly but stranger hands of the nurse , and dressed the tiny waxen form in the beautiful dress Leslie had made for it . Leslie had asked her to do that . Then she took it back and laid it beside the poor , broken , tear-blinded little mother . `` The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away , dearie , '' she said through her own tears . `` Blessed be the name of the Lord . '' Then she went away , leaving Anne and Gilbert alone together with their dead . The next day , the small white Joy was laid in a velvet casket which Leslie had lined with apple-blossoms , and taken to the graveyard of the church across the harbor . Miss Cornelia and Marilla put all the little love-made garments away , together with the ruffled basket which had been befrilled and belaced for dimpled limbs and downy head . Little Joy was never to sleep there ; she had found a colder , narrower bed . `` This has been an awful disappointment to me , '' sighed Miss Cornelia . `` I 've looked forward to this baby -- and I did want it to be a girl , too . '' `` I can only be thankful that Anne 's life was spared , '' said Marilla , with a shiver , recalling those hours of darkness when the girl she loved was passing through the valley of the shadow . `` Poor , poor lamb ! Her heart is broken , '' said Susan . `` I ENVY Anne , '' said Leslie suddenly and fiercely , `` and I 'd envy her even if she had died ! She was a mother for one beautiful day . I 'd gladly give my life for THAT ! '' `` I would n't talk like that , Leslie , dearie , '' said Miss Cornelia deprecatingly . She was afraid that the dignified Miss Cuthbert would think Leslie quite terrible .
XXXXX 's convalescence was long , and made bitter for her by many things .
Anne Blessed Cuthbert Gilbert Leslie Marilla Susan casket day hours