Yes, maam, said Nancy aloud.
O glory! said Nancy to herself.
To Pollyanna, a minute later, she cried joyously:
And wont ye jest be listenin ter this, Miss Pollyanna. Youre ter sleep down-stairs in the room straight under this. You are you are!
Pollyanna actually grew white.
You mean why, Nancy, not really really and truly[77]?
I guess youll think its really and truly, prophesied Nancy, exultingly, nodding her head to Pollyanna over the armful of dresses she had taken from the closet. Im told ter take down yer things, and Im goin ter take em, too, fore she gets a chance ter change her mind.
Pollyanna did not stop to hear the end of this sentence. At the imminent risk of being dashed headlong, she was flying down-stairs, two steps at a time.
Bang went two doors and a chair before Pollyanna at last reached her goal Aunt Polly.
Oh, Aunt Polly, Aunt Polly, did you mean it, really? Why, that rooms got EVERYTHING the carpet and curtains and three pictures, besides the one outdoors, too, cause the windows look the same way. Oh, Aunt Polly!
Very well, Pollyanna. I am gratified that you like the change, of course; but if you think so much of all those things, I trust you will take proper care of them; thats all. Pollyanna, please pick up that chair; and you have banged two doors in the last half-minute. Miss Polly spoke sternly, all the more sternly because, for some inexplicable reason, she felt inclined to cry and Miss Polly was not used to feeling inclined to cry.
Pollyanna picked up the chair.
Yesm; I know I banged em those doors, she admitted cheerfully. You see Id just found out about the room, and I reckon youd have banged doors if Pollyanna stopped short and eyed her aunt with new interest. Aunt Polly, DID you ever bang doors?
I hope not, Pollyanna! Miss Pollys voice was properly shocked.
Why, Aunt Polly, what a shame[78]! Pollyannas face expressed only concerned sympathy.
A shame! repeated Aunt Polly, too dazed to say more.
Why, yes. You see, if youd felt like banging doors youd have banged em, of course; and if you didnt, that must have meant that you werent ever glad over anything or you would have banged em. You couldnt have helped it. And Im so sorry you werent ever glad over anything[79]!
Pollyanna! gasped the lady; but Pollyanna was gone, and only the distant bang of the attic-stairway door answered for her. Pollyanna had gone to help Nancy bring down her things.
Miss Polly, in the sitting room, felt vaguely disturbed; but then, of course she HAD been glad over some things!
Chapter XI
Introducing Jimmy
August came. August brought several surprises and some changes none of which, however, were really a surprise to Nancy. Nancy, since Pollyannas arrival, had come to look for surprises and changes.
First there was the kitten.
Pollyanna found the kitten mewing pitifully some distance down the road. When systematic questioning of the neighbors failed to find any one who claimed it, Pollyanna brought it home at once, as a matter of course[80].
And I was glad I didnt find any one who owned it, too, she told her aunt in happy confidence; cause I wanted to bring it home all the time. I love kitties. I knew youd be glad to let it live here.
Miss Polly looked at the forlorn little gray bunch of neglected misery[81] in Pollyannas arms, and shivered: Miss Polly did not care for cats not even pretty, healthy, clean ones.
Ugh! Pollyanna! What a dirty little beast! And its sick, Im sure, and all mangy and fleay.
I know it, poor little thing, crooned Pollyanna, tenderly, looking into the little creatures frightened eyes. And its all trembly, too, its so scared. You see it doesnt know, yet, that were going to keep it, of course.
No nor anybody else, retorted Miss Polly, with meaning emphasis.
Oh, yes, they do, nodded Pollyanna, entirely misunderstanding her aunts words. I told everybody we should keep it, if I didnt find where it belonged. I knew youd be glad to have it poor little lonesome thing!
Miss Polly opened her lips and tried to speak; but in vain. The curious helpless feeling that had been hers so often since Pollyannas arrival, had her now fast in its grip.
Of course I knew, hurried on Pollyanna, gratefully, that you wouldnt let a dear little lonesome kitty go hunting for a home when youd just taken ME in; and I said so to Mrs. Ford when she asked if youd let me keep it. Why, I had the Ladies Aid, you know, and kitty didnt have anybody. I knew youd feel that way, she nodded happily, as she ran from the room.
But, Pollyanna, Pollyanna, remonstrated Miss Polly. I dont But Pollyanna was already halfway to the kitchen, calling:
Nancy, Nancy, just see this dear little kitty that Aunt Polly is going to bring up along with me! And Aunt Polly, in the sitting room who abhorred cats fell back in her chair with a gasp of dismay, powerless to remonstrate.
The next day it was a dog, even dirtier and more forlorn, perhaps, than was the kitten; and again Miss Polly, to her dumfounded amazement, found herself figuring as a kind protector and an angel of mercy a role that Pollyanna so unhesitatingly thrust upon her as a matter of course, that the woman who abhorred dogs even more than she did cats, if possible found herself as before, powerless to remonstrate.
When, in less than a week, however, Pollyanna brought home a small, ragged boy, and confidently claimed the same protection for him, Miss Polly did have something to say. It happened after this wise[82].
On a pleasant Thursday morning Pollyanna had been taking calfs-foot jelly again to Mrs. Snow. Mrs. Snow and Pollyanna were the best of friends now. Their friendship had started from the third visit Pollyanna had made, the one after she had told Mrs. Snow of the game. Mrs. Snow herself was playing the game now, with Pollyanna. To be sure, she was not playing it very well she had been sorry for everything for so long, that it was not easy to be glad for anything now. But under Pollyannas cheery instructions and merry laughter at her mistakes, she was learning fast. To-day, even, to Pollyannas huge delight, she had said that she was glad Pollyanna brought calfs-foot jelly, because that was just what she had been wanting she did not know that Milly, at the front door, had told Pollyanna that the ministers wife had already that day sent over a great bowlful of that same kind of jelly.
Pollyanna was thinking of this now when suddenly she saw the boy.
The boy was sitting in a disconsolate little heap by the roadside, whittling half-heartedly at a small stick.
Hullo, smiled Pollyanna, engagingly.
The boy glanced up, but he looked away again, at once. Hullo yourself[83], he mumbled.
Pollyanna laughed.
Now you dont look as if youd be glad even for calfs-foot jelly, she chuckled, stopping before him.
The boy stirred restlessly, gave her a surprised look, and began to whittle again at his stick, with the dull, broken-bladed knife in his hand.
Pollyanna hesitated, then dropped herself comfortably down on the grass near him. In spite of Pollyannas brave assertion that she was used to Ladies Aiders, and didnt mind, she had sighed at times for some companion of her own age. Hence her determination to make the most of this one.
My names Pollyanna Whittier, she began pleasantly. Whats yours?
Again the boy stirred restlessly. He even almost got to his feet. But he settled back.
Jimmy Bean, he grunted with ungracious indifference.
Good! Now were introduced. Im glad you did your part some folks dont, you know. I live at Miss Polly Harringtons house. Where do you live?
Nowhere.
Nowhere! Why, you cant do that everybody lives somewhere, asserted Pollyanna.
Well, I dont just now. Im huntin up a new place.
Oh! Where is it?
The boy regarded her with scornful eyes.
Silly! As if Id be a-huntin for it if I knew!
Pollyanna tossed her head a little. This was not a nice boy, and she did not like to be called silly. Still, he was somebody besides old folks. Where did you live before? she queried.
Well, if you aint the beatem for askin questions! sighed the boy impatiently.
I have to be, retorted Pollyanna calmly, else I couldnt find out a thing about you. If youd talk more I wouldnt talk so much.
The boy gave a short laugh. It was a sheepish laugh, and not quite a willing one; but his face looked a little pleasanter when he spoke this time.
All right then here goes! Im Jimmy Bean, and Im ten years old goin on eleven[84]. I come last year ter live at the Orphans Home; but theyve got so many kids there aint much room for me, an I want never wanted, anyhow, I dont believe. So Ive quit. Im goin ter live some-wheres else but I haint found the place, yet. Id LIKE a home jest a common one, ye know, with a mother in it, instead of a Matron. If ye has a home, ye has folks; an I haint had folks since dad died. So Im a-huntin now. Ive tried four houses, but they didnt want me though I said I expected ter work, course. There! Is that all you want ter know? The boys voice had broken a little over the last two sentences.
Why, what a shame! sympathized Pollyanna. And didnt there anybody want you? O dear! I know just how you feel, because after after my father died, too, there wasnt anybody but the Ladies Aid for me, until Aunt Polly said shed take Pollyanna stopped abruptly. The dawning of a wonderful idea began to show in her face.
Why, what a shame! sympathized Pollyanna. And didnt there anybody want you? O dear! I know just how you feel, because after after my father died, too, there wasnt anybody but the Ladies Aid for me, until Aunt Polly said shed take Pollyanna stopped abruptly. The dawning of a wonderful idea began to show in her face.
Oh, I know just the place for you, she cried. Aunt Pollyll take you I know she will! Didnt she take me? And didnt she take Fluffy and Buffy, when they didnt have any one to love them, or any place to go? and theyre only cats and dogs. Oh, come, I know Aunt Pollyll take you! You dont know how good and kind she is!
Jimmy Beans thin little face brightened.
Honest Injun?[85] Would she, now? Id work, ye know, an Im real strong! He bared a small, bony arm.
Of course she would! Why, my Aunt Polly is the nicest lady in the world now that my mama has gone to be a Heaven angel. And theres rooms heaps of em, she continued, springing to her feet, and tugging at his arm. Its an awful big house. Maybe, though, she added a little anxiously, as they hurried on, maybe youll have to sleep in the attic room. I did, at first. But theres screens there now, so twont be so hot, and the flies cant get in, either, to bring in the germ-things on their feet. Did you know about that? Its perfectly lovely! Maybe shell let you read the book if youre good I mean, if youre bad. And youve got freckles, too, with a critical glance so youll be glad there isnt any looking-glass; and the outdoor picture is nicer than any wall-one could be[86], so you wont mind sleeping in that room at all, Im sure, panted Pollyanna, finding suddenly that she needed the rest of her breath for purposes other than talking.