Pollyanna Eleanor H. Porter (classic english novels txt) đ
- Author: Eleanor H. Porter
Book online «Pollyanna Eleanor H. Porter (classic english novels txt) đ». Author Eleanor H. Porter
âGorry!â exclaimed Jimmy Bean tersely and uncomprehendingly, but admiringly. Then he added: âI shouldnât think anybody who could talk like that, runninâ, would need ter ask no questions ter fill up time with!â
Pollyanna laughed.
âWell, anyhow, you can be glad of that,â she retorted; âfor when Iâm talking, you donât have to!â
When the house was reached, Pollyanna unhesitatingly piloted her companion straight into the presence of her amazed aunt.
âOh, Aunt Polly,â she triumphed, âjust look a-here! Iâve got something ever so much nicer, even, than Fluffy and Buffy for you to bring up. Itâs a real live boy. He wonât mind a bit sleeping in the attic, at first, you know, and he says heâll work; but I shall need him the most of the time to play with, I reckon.â
Miss Polly grew white, then very red. She did not quite understand; but she thought she understood enough.
âPollyanna, what does this mean? Who is this dirty little boy? Where did you find him?â she demanded sharply.
The âdirty little boyâ fell back a step and looked toward the door. Pollyanna laughed merrily.
âThere, if I didnât forget to tell you his name! Iâm as bad as the Man. And he is dirty, too, isnât he?â âI mean, the boy isâ âjust like Fluffy and Buffy were when you took them in. But I reckon heâll improve all right by washing, just as they did, andâ âOh, I âmost forgot again,â she broke off with a laugh. âThis is Jimmy Bean, Aunt Polly.â
âWell, what is he doing here?â
âWhy, Aunt Polly, I just told you!â Pollyannaâs eyes were wide with surprise. âHeâs for you. I brought him homeâ âso 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 heâs even nicer than cats and dogs.â
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.
âThat will do, Pollyanna. This is a little the most absurd thing youâve done yet. As if tramp cats and mangy dogs werenât bad enough but you must needs bring home ragged little beggars from the street, whoâ ââ
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.
âI ainât a beggar, marm, anâ I donât want nothinâ oâ you. I was calâlatinâ ter work, of course, fur my board anâ keep. I wouldnât have come ter your old house, anyhow, if this âere girl hadnât âaâ made me, a-tellinâ me how you was so good anâ kind that youâd be jest dyinâ ter take me in. So, there!â And he wheeled about and stalked from the room with a dignity that would have been absurd had it not been so pitiful.
âOh, Aunt Polly,â choked Pollyanna. âWhy, I thought youâd be glad to have him here! Iâm sure, I should think youâd be gladâ ââ
Miss Polly raised her hand with a peremptory gesture of silence. Miss Pollyâs nerves had snapped at last. The âgood and kindâ of the boyâs 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.
âPollyanna,â she cried sharply, âWill you stop using that everlasting word âgladâ! Itâs âgladââ ââgladââ ââgladâ from morning till night until I think I shall grow wild!â
From sheer amazement Pollyannaâs jaw dropped.
âWhy, Aunt Polly,â she breathed, âI should think youâd be glad to have me glâ âOh!â 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.
âBoy! Boy! Jimmy Bean, I want you to know howâ âhow sorry I am,â she panted, catching him with a detaining hand.
âSorry nothinâ! I ainât blaminâ you,â retorted the boy, sullenly. âBut I ainât no beggar!â he added, with sudden spirit.
âOf course you arenât! But you mustnât blame auntie,â appealed Pollyanna. âProbably I didnât do the introducing right, anyhow; and I reckon I didnât tell her much who you were. She is good and kind, reallyâ âsheâs always been; but I probably didnât explain it right. I do wish I could find some place for you, though!â
The boy shrugged his shoulders and half turned away.
âNever mind. I guess I can find one myself. I ainât no beggar, you know.â
Pollyanna was frowning thoughtfully. Of a sudden she turned, her face illumined.
âSay, Iâll tell you what I will do! The Ladiesâ Aid meets this afternoon. I heard Aunt Polly say so. Iâll lay your case before them. Thatâs what father always did, when he wanted anythingâ âeducating the heathen and new carpets, you know.â
The boy turned fiercely.
âWell, I ainât a heathen or a new carpet. Besidesâ âwhat is a Ladiesâ Aid?â
Pollyanna stared in shocked disapproval.
âWhy, Jimmy Bean, wherever have you been brought up?â ânot to know what a Ladiesâ Aid is!â
âOh, all rightâ âif you ainât tellinâ,â grunted the boy, turning and beginning to walk away indifferently.
Pollyanna sprang to his side at once.
âItâsâ âitâsâ âwhy, itâs just a lot of ladies that meet and sew and give suppers and raise money andâ âand talk; thatâs what a Ladiesâ Aid is. Theyâre awfully kindâ âthat is, most of mine was, back home. I havenât seen this one here, but theyâre always good, I reckon. Iâm going to tell them about you this afternoon.â
Again the boy turned fiercely.
âNot much you will! Maybe you think Iâm goinâ ter stand âround anâ hear a whole lot oâ women call me a beggar, instead of jest one! Not much!â
âOh, but you wouldnât be there,â argued Pollyanna, quickly. âIâd go alone, of course, and tell them.â
âYou would?â
âYes; and Iâd tell it better this time,â hurried on Pollyanna, quick to see the signs of relenting in
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