Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter


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Page 40

From sheer amazement Pollyanna's jaw dropped.

"Why, Aunt Polly," she breathed, "I should think you'd 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 ain't blamin' you," retorted the boy, sullenly.
"But I ain't no beggar!" he added, with sudden spirit.

"Of course you aren't! But you mustn't blame auntie," appealed
Pollyanna. "Probably I didn't do the introducing right, anyhow;
and I reckon I didn't tell her much who you were. She is good and
kind, really--she's always been; but I probably didn't 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 ain't no beggar,
you know."

Pollyanna was frowning thoughtfully. Of a sudden she turned, her
face illumined.

"Say, I'll tell you what I WILL do! The Ladies' Aid meets this
afternoon. I heard Aunt Polly say so. I'll lay your case before
them. That's what father always did, when he wanted
anything--educating the heathen and new carpets, you know."

The boy turned fiercely.

"Well, I ain't 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 ain't tellin'," grunted the boy, turning
and beginning to walk away indifferently.

Pollyanna sprang to his side at once.

"It's--it's--why, it's just a lot of ladies that meet and sew and
give suppers and raise money and--and talk; that's what a Ladies'
Aid is. They're awfully kind--that is, most of mine was, back
home. I haven't seen this one here, but they're always good, I
reckon. I'm going to tell them about you this afternoon."

Again the boy turned fiercely.

"Not much you will! Maybe you think I'm goin' ter stand 'round
an' hear a whole LOT o' women call me a beggar, instead of jest
ONE! Not much!"

"Oh, but you wouldn't be there," argued Pollyanna, quickly. "I'd
go alone, of course, and tell them."

"You would?"

"Yes; and I'd tell it better this time," hurried on Pollyanna,
quick to see the signs of relenting in the boy's face. "And
there'd be some of 'em, I know, that would be glad to give you a
home."

"I'd work--don't forget ter say that," cautioned the boy.

"Of course not," promised Pollyanna, happily, sure now that her
point was gained. "Then I'll let you know to-morrow."

"Where?"

"By the road--where I found you to-day; near Mrs. Snow's house."

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Books | Photos | Paul Mutton | Tue 23rd Dec 2025, 4:08