POLLYANNA PAYS A VISIT (Pollyanna)

01Chapter Eight of Pollyanna Pays a Visit It was not long before life at the Harrington homestead settled into something like order, although not exactly the order that Miss Polly had at first prescribed.

02Pollyanna sewed, practiced, read aloud, and studied cooking in the kitchen, it is true, but she did not give to any of these things quite so much time as had first been planned.

03She had more time, also, to just live, as she expressed it, for almost all of every afternoon from two until six o'clock was hers to do with as she liked, provided she did not like to do certain things already prohibited by Aunt Polly.

04It is a question, perhaps, whether all this leisure time was given to the child as a relief to Pollyanna from work or as a relief to Aunt Polly from Pollyanna.

05Certainly as those First July days passed, Miss Polly found occasion many times to ejaculate, What an extraordinary child!

06And certainly the reading and sewing lessons found her at their conclusion each day somewhat dazed and wholly exhausted.

07Nancy in the kitchen fared better.

08She was not dazed nor exhausted.

09Wednesdays and Saturdays came to be, indeed, red-letter days to her.

10There were no children in the immediate neighborhood of the Harrington homestead for Pollyanna to play with.

11The house itself was on the outskirts of the village, and though there were other houses not far away, they did not chance to contain any boys or girls near Pollyanna's age.

12This, however, did not seem to disturb Pollyanna in the least.

13Oh, no, I don't mind it at all, she explained to Nancy.

14I'm happy just to walk around and see the streets and the houses and watch the people.

15I just love people.

16Don't you, Nancy?

17Well, I can't say I do, all of them, retorted Nancy tersely.

18Almost every pleasant afternoon found Pollyanna begging for an errand to run, so that she might be off for a walk in one direction or another.

19And it was on these walks that frequently she met the man.

20To herself Pollyanna always called him the man, no matter if she met a dozen other men the same day.

21The man often wore a long black coat and a high silk hat, two things that the just men never wore.

22His face was clean-shaven and rather pale, and his hair growing below his hat was somewhat gray.

23He walked erect and rather rapidly, and he was always alone, which made Pollyanna vaguely sorry for him.

24Perhaps it was because of this that she one day spoke to him.

25How do you do, sir?

26Isn't this a nice day?

27she called cheerily as she approached him.

28The man threw a hurried glance about him, then stopped uncertainly.

29Did you speak to me?

30he asked in a sharp voice.

31Yes, sir, beamed Pollyanna.

32I say it's a nice day, isn't it?

33Eh?

34Oh, he grunted and strode on again.

35Pollyanna laughed.

36He was such a funny man, she thought.

37The next day she saw him again.

38Tisn't quite so nice as yesterday, but it's pretty nice, she called out cheerily.

39Eh?

40Oh, grunted the man as before, and once again Pollyanna laughed happily.

41When, for the third time, Pollyanna accosted him in much the same manner, the man stopped abruptly.

42See here, child, who are you and why are you speaking to me every day?

43I'm Pollyanna Whittier, and I thought you looked lonesome.

44I'm so glad you stopped.

45Now we're introduced, only I don't know your name yet.

46Well, of all the—the man did not finish his sentence, but strode on faster than ever.

47Pollyanna looked after him, with a disappointed droop, to her usually smiling lips.

48Maybe he didn't understand, but that was only half an introduction.

49I don't know his name yet, she murmured as she proceeded on her way.

50Pollyanna was carrying calf's-foot jelly to Mrs.

51Snow today.

52Miss Polly Harrington always sent something to Mrs.

53Snow once a week.

54She said she thought that it was her duty, inasmuch as Mrs.

55Snow was poor, sick, and a member of her church, it was the duty of all the church members to look out for her, of course.

56Miss Polly did her duty by Mrs.

57Snow, usually on Thursday afternoons, not personally, but through Nancy.

58Today Pollyanna had begged the privilege, and Nancy had promptly given it to her in accordance with Miss Polly's orders.

59And it's glad I am to get rid of it, Nancy had declared in private afterwards to Pollyanna.

60Though it's a shame to be tucking the job off to you, poor lamp, so it is it is.

61But I'd love to do it, Nancy.

62Well, you won't, after you done it once, predicted Nancy sourly.

63Why not?

64Because nobody does.

65If folks wasn't sorry for her, there wouldn't be a soul go near her from morning till night.

66She's that cantankerous.

67All is, I pity her daughter what has to take care of her.

68But why, Nancy?

69Nancy shrugged her shoulders.

70Well, in plain words, it's just that nothing whatever has happened has happened right in Miss Snow's eyes.

71Even the days of the week ain't run to her mind.

72If it's Monday, she's bound to say she wished for Sunday.

73And if you take her jelly, you're purty sure to hear she wanted chicken.

74But if you did bring her chicken, she'd be just hankering for lamb broth.

75Why, what a funny woman!

76laughed Pollyanna.

77I think I shall like to go see her.

78She must be so surprising and—and different.

79I love different folks.

80Huh.

81Well, Miss Snow's different all right.

82I hope for the sake of the rest of us.

83Nancy had finished grimly.

84Pollyanna was thinking of these remarks today as she turned in at the gate of the shabby little cottage.

85Her eyes were quite sparkling indeed at the prospect of meeting this different Mrs.

86Snow.

87A pale-faced, tired-looking young girl answered her knock at the door.

88How do you do?

89began Pollyanna politely.

90I'm from Miss Polly Harrington, and I'd like to see Mrs.

91Snow, please.

92Well, if you would, you're the first one that ever liked to see her, muttered the girl under her breath.

93But Pollyanna did not hear this.

94The girl had turned and was leading the way through the hall to a door at the end of it.

95In the sick room, after the girl had ushered her in and closed the door, Pollyanna blinked a little before she could accustom her eyes to the gloom.

96Then she saw, dimly outlined, a woman half sitting up in the bed across the room.

97Pollyanna advanced at once.

98How do you do, Mrs.

99Snow?

100Aunt Polly says she hopes you are comfortable today, and she sent you some calf's foot jelly.

101Dear me, jelly, murmured a fretful voice.

102Of course I'm very much obliged, but I was hoping t'would be lamb broth today.

103Pollyanna frowned a little.

104Why, I thought it was chicken you wanted when folks brought you jelly, she said.

105What?

106The sick woman turned sharply.

107Why, nothing much, apologized Pollyanna hurriedly.

108And of course it doesn't really make any difference.

109It's only that Nancy said it was chicken you wanted when we brought jelly, and lamb broth when we brought chicken.

110But maybe t'was the other way, and Nancy forgot.

111The sick woman pulled herself up till she sat erect in the bed.

112A most unusual thing for her to do, though Pollyanna did not know this.

113Well, Miss Impertinence, who are you?

114she demanded.

115Pollyanna laughed gleefully.

116Oh, that isn't my name, Mrs.

117Snow, and I'm so glad t'isn't too.

118That would be worse than Hepzibah, wouldn't it?

119I'm Pollyanna Whittier, Miss Polly Harrington's niece, and I've come to live with her.

120That's why I'm here with the jelly this morning.

121All through the first part of this sentence the sick woman had sat interestedly erect, but at the reference to the jelly she fell back on her pillow listlessly.

122Well, thank you.

123Your aunt is very kind, of course, but my appetite isn't very good this morning.

124And I was wanting lamb—she stopped suddenly, then went on with an abrupt change of subject.

125I never slept a wink last night, not a wink.

126Oh, dear, I wish I didn't, sighed Pollyanna, placing the jelly on the little stand and seating herself comfortably in the nearest chair.

127You lose such a lot of time just sleeping, don't you think so?

128Lose time sleeping?

129exclaimed the sick woman.

130Yes, when you might be just living, you know.

131It seems such a pity we can't live nights too.

132Once again the woman pulled herself erect in her bed.

133Well, if you ain't the amazing young one, she cried, here, do you go to that window and pull the curtain, she directed.

134I should like to know what you look like.

135Pollyanna rose to her feet, but she laughed a little ruefully.

136Oh, dear, then you'll see my freckles, won't you?

137She sighed as she went to the window.

138And just when I was being so glad it was dark and you couldn't see him.

139There, now you can—oh!

140She broke off excitedly as she turned back to the bed.

141I'm so glad you wanted to see me, because now I can see you.

142They didn't tell me you were so pretty.

143Me?

144Me?

145Pretty?

146scoffed the woman bitterly.

147Why, yes, didn't you know it?

148cried Pollyanna.

149Well, no, I didn't, retorted Mrs.

150Snow dryly.

151Mrs.

152Snow had lived forty years, and for fifteen of those years she had been too busy wishing things were different to find much time to enjoy things as they were.

153Oh, but your eyes are so big and dark.

154And your hair's all dark, too, and curly, cooed Pollyanna.

155I love black curls.

156That's one of the things I'm going to have when I get to heaven.

157And you've got two little red spots in your cheeks.

158Why, Mrs.

159Snow, you are pretty.

160I should think you'd know it when you looked at yourself in the glass.

161The glass?

162snapped the sick woman, falling back on her pillow.

163Well, yes, I ain't done much printing before the mirror these days, and you wouldn't if you was flat on your back as I am.

164Why, no, of course not, agreed Pollyanna, sympathetically.

165But wait, just let me show you, she exclaimed, skipping over to the bureau and picking up a small hand-glass.

166On the way back to the bed she stopped, eyeing the sick woman with a critical gaze.

167I reckon maybe if you don't mind I'd like to fix your hair just a little before I let you see it, she proposed.

168May I fix your hair, please?

169Why, I suppose so, if you want to, permitted Mrs.

170Snow, grudgingly.

171But it won't stay, you know.

172Oh, thank you.

173I love to fix people's hair, exulted Pollyanna, carefully laying down the hand-glass and reaching for a comb.

174I shan't do much today, of course.

175I'm in such a hurry for you to see how pretty you are.

176But some day I'm going to take it all down and have a perfectly lovely time with it, she cried, touching with soft fingers the waving hair above the sick woman's forehead.

177For five minutes Pollyanna worked swiftly, deftly, combing a refractory curl into fluffiness, perking up a drooping ruffle at the neck, or shaking a pillow into plumpness so that the head might have a better pose.

178Meanwhile the sick woman, frowning prodigiously and openly scoffing at the whole procedure, was, in spite of herself, beginning to tingle with a feeling perilously near to excitement.

179There, panted Pollyanna, hastily plucking a pink from a vase nearby, and tucking it into the dark hair where it would give the best effect.

180Now I reckon we're ready to be looked at.

181And she held out the mirror in triumph.

182Hmph!

183grunted the sick woman, eyeing her reflection severely.

184I like red pinks better than pink ones.

185But then it'll fade anyhow before night, so what's the difference?

186But I should think you'd be glad they did fade, laughed Pollyanna.

187"'Cause then you can have the fun of getting some more.

188I just love your hair fluffed out like that," she finished with a satisfied gaze.

189"'Don't you?' "'Hmm, maybe.

190Still t'won't last, with me tossing back and forth on the pillow as I do.' "'Of course not.

191And I'm glad, too,' nodded Pollyanna, cheerfully, "'because then I can fix it again.

192Anyhow, I should think you'd be glad it's black.

193Black shows up so much nicer on a pillow than yellow hair like mine does.' "'Maybe, but I never did set much store by black hair.

194Shows gray too soon,' retorted Mrs.

195Snow.

196She spoke fretfully, but she still held the mirror before her face.

197"'Oh, I love black hair.

198I should be so glad if only I had it,' sighed Pollyanna.

199Mrs.

200Snow dropped the mirror and turned irritably.

201"'Well, you wouldn't.

202Not if you were me.

203You wouldn't be glad for black hair nor anything else if you had to lie here all day as I do.' Pollyanna bent her brows in a thoughtful frown.

204"'Why, t'would be kind of hard to do it then, wouldn't it?' she mused aloud.

205"'Do what?' "'Be glad about things.' "'Be glad about things when you're sick in bed all your days.

206Well, I should say it would,' retorted Mrs.

207Snow.

208"'If you don't think so, just tell me something to be glad about, that's all.' To Mrs.

209Snow's unbounded amazement, Pollyanna sprang to her feet and clapped her hands.

210"'Oh, goody, that'll be a hard one, won't it?

211I've got to go now, but I'll think and think all the way home.

212And maybe the next time I come I can tell it to you.

213Good-bye.

214I've had a lovely time.

215Good-bye,' she called again as she tripped through the doorway.

216"'Well, I never—' "'Now what does she mean by that?' ejaculated Mrs.

217Snow, staring after her visitor.

218By and by she turned her head and picked up the mirror, eyeing her reflection critically.

219"'That little thing has got a knack with hair and no mistake,' she muttered under her breath.

220"'I declare, I didn't know it could look so pretty.

221But then what's the use?' she sighed, dropping the little glass into the bedclothes and rolling her head on the pillow fretfully.

222A little later, when Millie, Mrs.

223Snow's daughter, came in, the mirror still lay among the bedclothes, but it had been carefully hidden from sight.

224"'Why, Mother, the curtain is up,' cried Millie, dividing her amazed stare between the window and the pink in her mother's hair.

225"'Well, what if it is?' snapped the sick woman.

226"'I needn't stay in the dark all my life if I am sick, need I?' "'Why, no, of course not,' rejoined Millie in hasty conciliation as she reached for the medicine bottle.

227"'It's only—' "'Well, you know very well that I've tried to get you to have a lighter room for ages and you wouldn't.' There was no reply to this.

228Mrs.

229Snow was picking at the lace on her nightgown.

230At last she spoke fretfully.

231"'I should think somebody might give me a new nightdress instead of lamb broth for a change.' "'Why, Mother!' No wonder Millie quite gasped aloud with bewilderment.

232In the drawer behind her at that moment lay two new nightdresses that Millie for months had been vainly urging her mother to wear.

233End of chapter 8