Pollyanna Grows Up

at she would ever attempt to explore Boston streets by herself, never occurred to Mrs. Carew, hence she naturally had never forbidden it. In Beldingsville, howeve

did say: "There, there, child, run away; please do. Go where you like an

t, and Perkins. To-day, however, Mary had a headache, Jennie was trimming a new hat, Bridget was making apple pies, and Perkins was nowhere to be found. Moreover it was a particularl

use, or else sauntered more leisurely through the parkway that extended up and down the middle of the Avenue

uld take one to-day. Mrs. Carew would not mind. Had she not told her to do just what she pleased so long as she asked no more questions? And there was the whole long afternoon before her. Only think what a

rised-that she received no answering smile in return. She was used to that now-in Boston. S

found herself at the edge of a street crossing her way at right angles. Across the street, in all its au

grounds of some rich man or woman, she did not for a moment doubt. Once, with Dr. Ames at the Sanatorium, she had been

t, she could see; but they might be invited guests, of course. After she had seen two women, one man, and a little girl unhesitatingly enter the gate and walk

irrel leaped across the path ahead of her. On benches here and there sat men, women, and children. Through the tr

little timidly, she accosted a handsomel

this-a party

ng woma

she repea

s it all right fo

course. It's for-for everybod

, then. I'm glad I ca

nothing; but she turn

l dazedly as s

the turn of the path she came upon a small girl and a doll carriage. She stopped with a glad little cry, but she had not said a dozen words before fr

with me. Hasn't mama told you n

ng woman and the little girl dragging the doll carriage were already far down the path; and with a half-stifled sigh Polly

Susie Smith, perhaps, or even Mrs. Carew's Jamie. Anyhow, I can IMAGINE I'm going to find them; and if I don

d promptly assumed that conditions would differ only in that the homes and the friends would be new, and therefore even more delightful, possibly, for they would be "different"-and Pollyanna did so love "different" things and people! Her first and always her supreme del

ho lived across the street, or even next door. More inexplicable still, Mrs. Carew herself did not know many of them, and not any of them well. She seemed, indeed, utterly

e would say; and with this, Pollyanna-whom they

people who were doubtless most delightful-if she only knew them. But she did not know them. Worse yet, there seemed to be no prospect that she would

at I'm not strange children," she said at las

led sweetly into the eyes of the ne

ice day,

rmured the lady addressed, as s

s full of laughing children. As she watched them, Pollyanna felt more and more dissatisfied to remain by herself. It was then that, spying a man sitting alone not far away, she advanced slowly toward him and sat down on the other end of the bench. On

though Pollyanna of course did not know this) that the State gives its prisoners as a freedom suit. His face was a pasty white, and was

yanna said nothing; th

nice day,

ed his head

, with a curiously frightened look around t

ly. That is, of course I'm glad it's a nice day, but I said it just as a beginning to things, and I'd just a

d a little queer, though she did not know (as did the man) t

but what I shall have to do it, then. Still, I should think a nice little lad

what a duffer is, so I can't dislike that. Besides, if you are a duffer, I reckon I like duffers. Anyhow,

s face and words expressed polite doubt, it might have been noticed that he

ays that, whatever I talk about, anyhow, I always bring up at the Ladies' Aiders. But I reckon that's because they brought

par

isn't it? The lady said it was for everybody, so I stayed-though

s lips t

"but the 'house' that's giving it is the city of Boston. This i

I'd worried for fear I couldn't ever come again, after to-day, you see. I'm glad now, though, that I didn't know it just at th

urn out to be nice at all," conc

" she gloried. "I wonder if Mrs. Carew knows about it-that it's for anybody, so. Why, I sh

s face h

ob-who've got something to do besides just to come here and

can be glad for tha

delightedly follow

nantly, but no words came.

see, I lost my legs for a while-I mean, they didn't go; and you know you never know how much you use things, till you don't have 'em. And eyes, too. Did you ever think what a lot you do with eyes? I didn't till I went to the Sanatorium. There was a lady there who had just

vexed, half-baffled expression

e then I've been so glad, sometimes-when I see something perfectly lovely like this, you know-I've been so glad I wante

e-G

told those men how it felt to be blind. And they made it-that law. And they said that she did more than anybody else, even her husband, to help make it, and that they didn't believe there would have been any law at all if it hadn't been for her. So now she says she's glad she lost her eyes, 'cause she's kept so many little ba

was a long silence; then, a little

ay NOW?" she asked in

" He smiled down at

coming bac

head-but ag

out. I thought there was no place for me anywhere-now. But I've just discovered that I've got two eyes, two arms

moment he

, he was nice-and he was different, too," she fi

crossed the bridge to the starting-place of the little boats. For some time she watched the children happily, keeping a particularly sharp lookout for the possible black curls of Susie Smith. She would have liked to take a ride in the pretty boats, herself, but

im, but he was so absorbed in his book that she turned away after a moment's wistful gazing. Soon then she came upon a pretty, but sad-l

! I've been hunting ever so long for you," she asserted,

th a start, an eager look

nt. "I thought- Why, what do you mean?" she demanded ag

course I didn't know you were going to be YOU exactly. It's just that I wanted to find some one that lo

e girl, falling back in

it's too bad YOU shou

what

ce in all the world is i

frowned an

lks all around you. Still-" she hesitated, and the frown deepened. "I WAS lonesome this a

girl smil

don't ever think-or

n be glad some do," urged

e spoke she shivered and looked fearfully down t

Repeated rebuffs that afternoon h

ammered. "That you wishe

Some one that hadn't ought to notice. I was glad to have y

here, either, any more th

ghed the girl; "that is, if yo

?" asked Pollya

d with a nicked pitcher, one rickety chair, and me. It's like a furnace in the summer and an ice box in the winter; but it's all the place I've got, and I'm supposed to stay in it-when I ain't workin'. But I've come out to-day. I ain't goin' to stay in that room, and I ain't goin' to go

led and nodde

it? Besides, the Bible tells us to;-rejoice and be glad, I mean. It tells us to

k her head. A queer

dryly. "I can't say

bl

not; but, you see, MY fath

INIS

ed Pollyanna, answering somethi

olor crept up to t

like mine to be wit

urned away

back home," she answere

y. "Sometimes I get to thinking, if only I could just

You see, I'm

to be with mother and the rest of us up in Heaven,

rred restlessly, and

, that really CARES and notices quite so much as fathers and mothers. You see I know, for I had a father until I was eleven years old; but, for a mother, I

ghts and her history to a total stranger on a Boston park bench did not once occur to Pollyanna. To Pollyanna all men, women, and children were friends, either known or unknown; and thus f

ney East to Vermont. She told of new friends and old friends, and of course she told of the game. Pollyanna almost always told everybo

ge. The flushed cheeks, frowning brow, troubled eyes, and nervously working fingers were plainly the signs of some inward struggle. From tim

ght where you are? There's a man I know comin'; but no matter what he says, d

urprise, she found herself looking up into the face of a v

his hat to Pollyanna's companion. "I'm afraid I'll

," said the young gir

ecided no

an gave a l

't be hard on a chap bec

the girl, a swift red flaming into

smiling. He spoke sharply. "

y mind. I told my little fr

gentleman," began Pollyanna, anxiously; but she

d NOT rather go.

e young man with an expression that made him suddenly look

w then that I hadn't ought to. Let's call it-that I know it

hateful look in his eyes. At last he said something very low and angry, which

ed quite out of sight, then, relaxing, sh

ckon I owe you-more t

oing away NOW!" b

sighed

t and rose to her feet. For a moment she hesitated, then she choked bitterly: "You see, he's the

the vanishing figure. "She was nice, but she was sort of different,