Gorry! exclaimed Jimmy Bean tersely and uncomprehendingly, but admiringly. Then he added: I shouldnt think anybody who could talk like that, runnin, would need ter ask no questions ter fill up time with!
Pollyanna laughed.
Well, anyhow, you can be glad of that, she retorted; for when Im talking, YOU dont have to!
When the house was reached, Pollyanna unhesitatingly piloted her companion straight into the presence of her amazed aunt.
Oh, Aunt Polly, she triumphed, just look a-here! Ive got something ever so much nicer, even, than Fluffy and Buffy for you to bring up. Its a real live boy. He wont mind a bit sleeping in the attic, at first, you know, and he says hell work; but I shall need him the most of the time to play with, I reckon.
Miss Polly grew white, then very red. She did not quite understand; but she thought she understood enough.
Pollyanna, what does this mean? Who is this dirty little boy? Where did you find him? she demanded sharply.
The dirty little boy fell back a step and looked toward the door. Pollyanna laughed merrily.
There, if I didnt forget to tell you his name[87]! Im as bad as the Man. And he is dirty, too, isnt he? I mean, the boy is just like Fluffy and Buffy were when you took them in. But I reckon hell improve all right by washing, just as they did, and Oh, I most forgot again, she broke off with a laugh. This is Jimmy Bean, Aunt Polly.
Well, what is he doing here?
Why, Aunt Polly, I just told you! Pollyannas eyes were wide with surprise. Hes for you. I brought him home so he could live here, you know. He wants a home and folks. I told him how good you were to me, and to Fluffy and Buffy, and that I knew you would be to him, because of course hes even nicer than cats and dogs.
Miss Polly dropped back in her chair and raised a shaking hand to her throat. The old helplessness was threatening once more to overcome her. With a visible struggle, however, Miss Polly pulled herself suddenly erect.
That will do, Pollyanna. This is a little the most absurd thing youve done yet. As if tramp cats and mangy dogs werent bad enough but you must needs bring home ragged little beggars from the street, who
There was a sudden stir from the boy. His eyes flashed and his chin came up. With two strides of his sturdy little legs he confronted Miss Polly fearlessly.
I aint a beggar, marm, an I dont want nothin o you. I was callatin ter work, of course, fur my board an keep. I wouldnt have come ter your old house, anyhow, if this ere girl hadnt a made me, a-tellin me how you was so good an kind that youd be jest dyin ter take me in. So, there! And he wheeled about and stalked from the room with a dignity that would have been absurd had it not been so pitiful.
Oh, Aunt Polly, choked Pollyanna. Why, I thought youd be GLAD to have him here! Im sure, I should think youd be glad
Miss Polly raised her hand with a peremptory gesture of silence. Miss Pollys nerves had snapped at last. The good and kind of the boys words were still ringing in her ears, and the old helplessness was almost upon her, she knew. Yet she rallied her forces with the last atom of her will-power.
Pollyanna, she cried sharply, WILL you stop using that everlasting word glad! Its glad glad glad from morning till night until I think I shall grow wild!
From sheer amazement Pollyannas jaw dropped.
Why, Aunt Polly, she breathed, I should think youd be glad to have me gl Oh! she broke off, clapping her hand to her lips and hurrying blindly from the room.
Before the boy had reached the end of the driveway, Pollyanna overtook him.
Boy! Boy! Jimmy Bean, I want you to know how how sorry I am, she panted, catching him with a detaining hand.
Sorry nothin! I aint blamin you, retorted the boy, sullenly. But I aint no beggar! he added, with sudden spirit.
Of course you arent! But you mustnt blame auntie, appealed Pollyanna. Probably I didnt do the introducing right, anyhow; and I reckon I didnt tell her much who you were. She is good and kind, really shes always been; but I probably didnt explain it right. I do wish I could find some place for you, though!
The boy shrugged his shoulders and half turned away.
Never mind. I guess I can find one myself. I aint no beggar, you know.
Pollyanna was frowning thoughtfully. Of a sudden she turned, her face illumined.
Say, Ill tell you what I WILL do! The Ladies Aid meets this afternoon. I heard Aunt Polly say so. Ill lay your case before them.[88] Thats what father always did, when he wanted anything educating the heathen and new carpets, you know.
The boy turned fiercely.
Well, I aint a heathen or a new carpet. Besides what is a Ladies Aid?
Pollyanna stared in shocked disapproval.
Why, Jimmy Bean, wherever have you been brought up? not to know what a Ladies Aid is!
Oh, all right if you aint tellin, grunted the boy, turning and beginning to walk away indifferently.
Pollyanna sprang to his side at once.
Its its why, its just a lot of ladies that meet and sew and give suppers and raise money and and talk; thats what a Ladies Aid is. Theyre awfully kind that is, most of mine was, back home. I havent seen this one here, but theyre always good, I reckon. Im going to tell them about you this afternoon.
Again the boy turned fiercely.
Not much you will! Maybe you think Im goin ter stand round an hear a whole LOT o women call me a beggar, instead of jest ONE! Not much!
Oh, but you wouldnt be there, argued Pollyanna, quickly. Id go alone, of course, and tell them.
You would?
Yes; and Id tell it better this time, hurried on Pollyanna, quick to see the signs of relenting in the boys face. And thered be some of em, I know, that would be glad to give you a home.
Id work dont forget ter say that, cautioned the boy.
Of course not, promised Pollyanna, happily, sure now that her point was gained. Then Ill let you know to-morrow.
Where?
By the road where I found you to-day; near Mrs. Snows house.
All right. Ill be there. The boy paused before he went on slowly: Maybe Id better go back, then, for ter-night, ter the Home. You see I haint no other place ter stay; and and I didnt leave till this mornin. I slipped out. I didnt tell em I wasnt comin back, else theyd pretend I couldnt come though Im thinkin they wont do no worryin when I dont show up sometime. They aint like FOLKS, ye know. They dont CARE!
I know, nodded Pollyanna, with understanding eyes. But Im sure, when I see you to-morrow, Ill have just a common home and folks that do care all ready for you. Good-by! she called brightly, as she turned back toward the house.
In the sitting room window at that moment, Miss Polly, who had been watching the two children, followed with sombre eyes the boy until a bend of the road hid him from sight. Then she sighed, turned, and walked listlesly up-stairs and Miss Polly did not usually move listlessly. In her ears still was the boys scornful you was so good and kind. In her heart was a curious sense of desolation as of something lost.
Chapter XII
Before the Ladies Aid
Dinner, which came at noon in the Harrington homestead, was a silent meal on the day of the Ladies Aid meeting. Pollyanna, it is true, tried to talk; but she did not make a success of it[89], chiefly because four times she was obliged to break off a glad in the middle of it, much to her blushing discomfort. The fifth time it happened, Miss Polly moved her head wearily.
There, there, child, say it, if you want to, she sighed. Im sure Id rather you did than not if its going to make all this fuss.
Pollyannas puckered little face cleared.
Oh, thank you. Im afraid it would be pretty hard not to say it. You see Ive played it so long.
Youve what? demanded Aunt Polly.
Played it the game, you know, that father Pollyanna stopped with a painful blush at finding herself so soon again on forbidden ground.
Aunt Polly frowned and said nothing. The rest of the meal was a silent one.
Pollyanna was not sorry to hear Aunt Polly tell the ministers wife over the telephone, a little later, that she would not be at the Ladies Aid meeting that afternoon, owing to a headache. When Aunt Polly went up-stairs to her room and closed the door, Pollyanna tried to be sorry for the headache; but she could not help feeling glad that her aunt was not to be present that afternoon when she laid the case of Jimmy Bean before the Ladies Aid. She could not forget that Aunt Polly had called Jimmy Bean a little beggar; and she did not want Aunt Polly to call him that before the Ladies Aid.
Pollyanna knew that the Ladies Aid met at two oclock in the chapel next the church, not quite half a mile from home. She planned her going, therefore, so that she should get there a little before three.
I want them all to be there, she said to herself; else the very one that wasnt there might be the one who would be wanting to give Jimmy Bean a home; and, of course, two oclock always means three, really to Ladies Aiders.
Quietly, but with confident courage, Pollyanna ascended the chapel steps, pushed open the door and entered the vestibule. A soft babel of feminine chatter and laughter came from the main room. Hesitating only a brief moment Pollyanna pushed open one of the inner doors.
The chatter dropped to a surprised hush. Pollyanna advanced a little timidly. Now that the time had come, she felt unwontedly shy. After all, these half-strange, half-familiar faces about her were not her own dear Ladies Aid.
How do you do, Ladies Aiders? she faltered politely. Im Pollyanna Whittier. I I reckon some of you know me, maybe; anyway, I do YOU only I dont know you all together this way.
The silence could almost be felt now. Some of the ladies did know this rather extraordinary niece of their fellow-member, and nearly all had heard of her; but not one of them could think of anything to say, just then.
I Ive come to to lay the case before you, stammered Pollyanna, after a moment, unconsciously falling into her fathers familiar phraseology.
There was a slight rustle.
Did did your aunt send you, my dear? asked Mrs. Ford, the ministers wife.
Pollyanna colored a little.
Oh, no. I came all by myself. You see, Im used to Ladies Aiders. It was Ladies Aiders that brought me up with father.
Somebody tittered hysterically, and the ministers wife frowned.
Yes, dear. What is it?