Benjamin Holland had not been `` fore-handed '' when she married him ; but , when he died , six years after his marriage , he was a well-to-do man . Naomi made no pretense of mourning for him . It was an open secret that they had quarreled like the proverbial cat and dog . Charles Holland and his wife had naturally sided with Benjamin , and Naomi fought her battles single-handed . After her husband 's death , she managed to farm alone , and made it pay . When the mysterious malady which was to end her life first seized on her she fought against it with all the strength and stubbornness of her strong and stubborn nature . Her will won for her an added year of life , and then she had to yield . She tasted all the bitterness of death the day on which she lay down on her bed , and saw her enemy come in to rule her house . But Caroline Holland was not a bad or unkind woman . True , she did not love Naomi or her children ; but the woman was dying and must be looked after for the sake of common humanity . Caroline thought she had done well by her sister-in-law . When the red clay was heaped over Naomi 's grave in the Avonlea burying ground , Caroline took Eunice and Christopher home with her . Christopher did not want to go ; it was Eunice who reconciled him . He clung to her with an exacting affection born of loneliness and grief . In the days that followed Caroline Holland was obliged to confess to herself that there would have been no doing anything with Christopher had it not been for Eunice . The boy was sullen and obstinate , but his sister had an unfailing influence over him . In Charles Holland 's household no one was allowed to eat the bread of idleness . His own children were all girls , and Christopher came in handy as a chore boy . He was made to work -- perhaps too hard . But Eunice helped him , and did half his work for him when nobody knew .
When he quarreled with his cousins , she took his part ; whenever possible she took on herself the blame and punishment XXXXX his misdeeds .
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