Pollyanna Grows Up Eleanor H. Porter (booksvooks .TXT) š
- Author: Eleanor H. Porter
Book online Ā«Pollyanna Grows Up Eleanor H. Porter (booksvooks .TXT) šĀ». Author Eleanor H. Porter
āOh, Jimmy, how you do take the poetry out of things,ā reproached Pollyanna, laughingly.
āBut thatās my business,ā flashed Jimmy. āHow do you suppose Iām going to build dams and bridges if I donāt see something besides poetry in the waterfall?ā
āYou canāt, Pendleton! And itās the bridgeā āthat countsā āevery time,ā declared Jamie in a voice that brought a sudden hush to the group about the fire. It was for only a moment, however, for almost at once Sadie Dean broke the silence with a gay:
āPooh! Iād rather have the waterfall every time, without any bridge aroundā āto spoil the view!ā
Everybody laughedā āand it was as if a tension somewhere snapped. Then Mrs. Carew rose to her feet.
āCome, come, children, your stern chaperon says itās bedtime!ā And with a merry chorus of good nights the party broke up.
And so the days passed. To Pollyanna they were wonderful days, and still the most wonderful part was the charm of close companionshipā āa companionship that, while differing as to details with each one, was yet delightful with all.
With Sadie Dean she talked of the new Home, and of what a marvelous work Mrs. Carew was doing. They talked, too, of the old days when Sadie was selling bows behind the counter, and of what Mrs. Carew had done for her. Pollyanna heard, also, something of the old father and mother āback home,ā and of the joy that Sadie, in her new position, had been able to bring into their lives.
āAnd after all itās really you that began it, you know,ā she said one day to Pollyanna. But Pollyanna only shook her head at this with an emphatic:
āNonsense! It was all Mrs. Carew.ā
With Mrs. Carew herself Pollyanna talked also of the Home, and of her plans for the girls. And once, in the hush of a twilight walk, Mrs. Carew spoke of herself and of her changed outlook on life. And she, like Sadie Dean, said brokenly: āAfter all, itās really you that began it, Pollyanna.ā But Pollyanna, as in Sadie Deanās case, would have none of this; and she began to talk of Jamie, and of what he had done.
āJamieās a dear,ā Mrs. Carew answered affectionately. āAnd I love him like an own son. He couldnāt be dearer to me if he were really my sisterās boy.ā
āThen you donāt think he is?ā
āI donāt know. Weāve never learned anything conclusive. Sometimes Iām sure he is. Then again I doubt it. I think he really believes he isā ābless his heart! At all events, one thing is sure: he has good blood in him from somewhere. Jamieās no ordinary waif of the streets, you know, with his talents; and the wonderful way he has responded to teaching and training proves it.ā
āOf course,ā nodded Pollyanna. āAnd as long as you love him so well, it doesnāt really matter, anyway, does it, whether heās the real Jamie or not?ā
Mrs. Carew hesitated. Into her eyes crept the old somberness of heartache.
āNot so far as he is concerned,ā she sighed, at last. āItās only that sometimes I get to thinking: if he isnāt our Jamie, where isā āJamie Kent? Is he well? Is he happy? Has he anyone to love him? When I get to thinking like that, Pollyanna, Iām nearly wild. Iād giveā āeverything I have in the world, it seems to me, to really know that this boy is Jamie Kent.ā
Pollyanna used to think of this conversation sometimes, in her after talks with Jamie. Jamie was so sure of himself.
āItās just somehow that I feel itās so,ā he said once to Pollyanna. āI believe I am Jamie Kent. Iāve believed it quite a while. Iām afraid Iāve believed it so long now, thatā āthat I just couldnāt bear it, to find out I wasnāt he. Mrs. Carew has done so much for me; just think if, after all, I were only a stranger!ā
āBut sheā āloves you, Jamie.ā
āI know she doesā āand that would only hurt all the moreā ādonāt you see?ā ābecause it would be hurting her. She wants me to be the real Jamie. I know she does. Now if I could only do something for herā āmake her proud of me in some way! If I could only do something to support myself, even, like a man! But what can I do, withā āthese?ā He spoke bitterly, and laid his hand on the crutches at his side.
Pollyanna was shocked and distressed. It was the first time she had heard Jamie speak of his infirmity since the old boyhood days. Frantically she cast about in her mind for just the right thing to say; but before she had even thought of anything, Jamieās face had undergone a complete change.
āBut, there, forget it! I didnāt mean to say it,ā he cried gaily. āAnd ātwas rank heresy to the game, wasnāt it? Iām sure Iām glad Iāve got the crutches. Theyāre a whole lot nicer than the wheel chair!ā
āAnd the Jolly Bookā ādo you keep it now?ā asked Pollyanna, in a voice that trembled a little.
āSure! Iāve got a whole library of jolly books now,ā he retorted. āTheyāre all in leather, dark red, except the first one. That is the same little old notebook that Jerry gave me.ā
āJerry! And Iāve been meaning all the time to ask for him,ā cried Pollyanna. āWhere is he?ā
āIn Boston; and his vocabulary is just as picturesque as ever, only he has to tone it down at times. Jerryās still in the newspaper businessā ābut heās getting the news, not selling it. Reporting, you know. I have been able to help him and mumsey. And donāt you suppose I was glad? Mumseyās in a sanatorium for her rheumatism.ā
āAnd is she better?ā
āVery much. Sheās coming out pretty soon, and going to housekeeping with Jerry. Jerryās been making up some of his lost schooling during these past few
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