Pollyanna Ch 30, 31, & 32

Pollyanna by Eleanor H.

Porter Chapter 30.

Jimmy Takes the Helm It's Jimmy Bean.

He wants to see you,

Ma'am,

Announced Nancy in the doorway.

Me rejoined Miss Polly,

Plainly surprised.

Are you sure he didn't mean Miss Pollyanna?

He may see her for a few minutes today,

If he likes.

Yes,

I told him,

But he said it was you he wanted.

Very well,

I'll come down.

And Miss Polly rose from her chair a little warily.

In the sitting room she found waiting for her a round-eyed,

Flush-faced boy,

Who began to speak at once.

Ma'am,

I suppose it's dreadful,

What I'm doing and what I'm saying,

But I can't help it.

It's for Pollyanna,

And I'd walk over hot coals for her.

Or face you,

Or anything like that,

Any time.

And I think you would too,

If you thought there was a chance for her to walk again.

And so that's why I come to tell you that as long as it's only pride,

And it ain't something that's keeping Pollyanna from walking.

Why,

I knew you would ask Dr.

Chilton here,

If you understood.

What?

Interrupted Miss Polly,

The look of stupefaction on her face changing to one of angry indignation.

Jimmy sighed despairingly.

There.

I didn't mean to make you mad.

That's why I began by telling you about her walking again.

I thought you'd listen to that.

Jimmy,

What are you talking about?

Jimmy sighed again.

That's what I'm trying to tell ye.

Well,

Then tell me.

But begin at the beginning,

And be sure I understand each thing as you do.

Don't plunge into the middle of it,

As you did before,

And mix everything all up.

Jimmy wet his lips determinedly.

Well,

To begin with,

Dr.

Chilton came to see Mr.

Pendleton,

And they talked in the library.

Do you understand that?

Yes,

Jimmy.

Miss Polly's voice was rather faint.

Well,

The window was open,

And I was weeding the flowerbed under it,

And I heard him talking.

Oh,

Jimmy,

Listening.

T'wasn't about me,

And I wasn't sneaking.

And I'm glad I listened.

You will be when I tell ye.

Why,

It may make Pollyanna walk.

Jimmy,

What do you mean?

Miss Polly was leaning forward eagerly.

There,

I told you so,

Nodded Jimmy contentedly.

Well,

Dr.

Chilton knows some doctor somewhere that can cure Pollyanna.

He thinks he can make her walk,

But he can't tell sure till he sees her,

And he wants to see her something awful,

But he told Mr.

Pendleton that you wouldn't let him.

Miss Polly's face turned very red.

But Jimmy,

I can't,

I couldn't.

That is,

I didn't know.

Miss Polly was twisting her fingers together helplessly.

Yes,

And that's what I come to tell ye,

So you would know,

Asserted Jimmy eagerly.

They said that for some reason,

I didn't rightly catch it,

That you wouldn't let Dr.

Chilton come,

And you told Dr.

Warren so.

And Dr.

Chilton couldn't come by himself without you asking him,

On account of pride and professional,

Well,

Something like that.

And they was wishing somebody could make you understand,

Only they didn't know who could.

And I was outside the window,

And I says to myself right away,

By jinx I'll do it,

And I come.

And have I made you understand?

Yes,

But Jimmy,

About the doctor,

Implored Miss Polly feverishly.

Who was he?

What did he do?

Are they sure he could make Pollyanna walk?

I don't know who he was.

They didn't say.

Dr.

Chilton knows him,

And he's just cured someone just like her,

Dr.

Chilton thinks.

Anyhow,

They didn't seem to be doing no worrying about him.

T'was you they were worried about,

Cause you wouldn't let Dr.

Chilton see her,

And say you won't let him even come in.

Now you understand?

Miss Polly turned her head side to side.

Her breath was coming in little,

Uneven,

Rapid gasps.

Jimmy,

Watching her with anxious eyes,

Thought she was going to cry,

But she did not cry.

After a minute she said brokenly,

Yes,

I'll let Dr.

Chilton see her.

Now run home,

Jimmy,

Quick.

I've got to speak to Dr.

Warren.

He's upstairs now.

I saw him drive in a few minutes ago.

A little later Dr.

Warren was surprised to meet an agitated,

Flushed face Miss Polly in the hall.

He was still more surprised to hear the lady say a little breathlessly,

Dr.

Warren,

You asked me once to allow Dr.

Chilton to be called in consultation,

And I refused.

Since then I have reconsidered.

I very much desire that you should call in Dr.

Chilton.

Will you not ask him here at once,

Please?

Thank you.

Chapter 31 A New Uncle The next time Dr.

Warren entered the chamber where Pollyanna lay watching the dancing shimmer of color on the ceiling,

A tall,

Broad-shouldered man followed close behind him.

Dr.

Chilton!

Oh,

Dr.

Chilton,

How glad I am to see you,

Cried Pollyanna.

And at the joyous rapture of the voice,

More than one pair of eyes in the room,

Brimmed with hot,

Sudden tears.

But of course,

If Aunt Polly doesn't want.

.

.

It's all right,

My dear,

Don't worry,

Soothed Miss Polly agitatedly,

Hurrying forward.

I have told Dr.

Chilton that,

That I want him to look you over with Dr.

Warren this morning.

Oh,

Then you asked him to come?

Murmured Pollyanna.

Yes,

Dear,

I asked him,

That is,

But it was too late.

The adoring happiness that had leaped to Dr.

Chilton's eyes was unmistakable,

And Miss Polly had seen it.

With very pink cheeks,

She turned and left the room hurriedly.

Over in the window,

The nurse and Dr.

Warren were talking earnestly.

Dr.

Chilton held out both his hands to Pollyanna.

Little girl,

I am thinking that one of the gladdest jobs you ever did has been done today,

He said in a voice shaken with emotion.

At twilight,

A wonderfully tremulous,

Wonderfully different Aunt Polly crept to Pollyanna's bedside.

The nurse was at supper,

They had the room to themselves.

Pollyanna,

Dear,

I am going to tell you,

The very first one of all,

Someday I am going to give Dr.

Chilton to you for your uncle,

And it's you that have done it all.

Oh,

Pollyanna,

I am so happy,

And so glad,

Darling.

Pollyanna began to clap her hands,

But even as she brought a small palm together the first time,

She stopped and held them suspended.

Aunt Polly,

Aunt Polly,

Were you the woman's hand and heart he wanted so long ago?

You were,

I knew you were,

And that's what he meant by saying I'd done the gladdest job of all today.

I'm so glad.

Why,

Aunt Polly,

I don't know,

But I'm so glad that I don't mind,

Even with my legs now.

Aunt Polly swallowed a sob.

Perhaps someday,

Dear,

But Aunt Polly did not finish.

Aunt Polly did not dare to tell yet that the great hope that Dr.

Chilton had put into her heart.

But she did say this,

And surely this was quite wonderful enough to Pollyanna's mind.

Pollyanna,

Next week you're going to take a journey.

On a nice,

Comfortable little bed you're going to be carried in cars and carriages to a great doctor,

Who has a big house many miles from here made on purpose for people as you are.

He's a dear friend of Dr.

Chilton's,

And we're going to see what he can do for you.

Dear Aunt Polly and Uncle Tom,

Oh,

I can,

I can,

I can walk.

I did today all the way from my bed to the window.

It was six steps.

My,

How good it was to be on legs again.

All the doctors stood round and smiled,

And all the nurses stood beside them crying.

A lady in the next ward,

Who walked last week first,

Peeked into the door,

And another one who hopes she can walk next month was invited to the party.

And she laid on my nurse's bed and clapped her hands.

Even Black Tilly,

Who washes the floor,

Looked through the piazza window and called me Honey Child when she wasn't crying too much to call me anything.

I don't see why they cried.

I wanted to sing and shout and yell.

Oh,

Just think,

I can walk,

Walk,

Walk.

Now I don't mind being here almost ten months,

And I didn't miss the wedding anyhow.

Wasn't that just like you,

Aunt Polly,

To come on here and get married right beside my bed so I could see you?

You always do think of the gladdest things.

Pretty soon they say I shall go home.

I wish I could walk all the way there.

I do.

I don't think I shall ever want to ride anywhere anymore.

It will be so good just to walk.

Oh,

I'm so glad.

I'm glad for everything.

Why,

I'm glad now I lost my legs for a while,

For you never,

Never know how perfectly lovely legs are till you haven't gotten them.

I'm going to walk eight steps tomorrow with heaps of love to everybody.

Pollyanna.

And that is the end of our story this evening.

Until next time.

Sweet dreams.