icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Log out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon

Pollyanna Grows Up

Chapter 10 IN MURPHY'S ALLEY

Word Count: 2733    |    Released on: 29/11/2017

and out upon Arlington Street to Charles. Inside sat a shining-eyed little girl and a white-faced, tense woman. Outside,

leaped to the ground, and, with a ridiculous imitation of the liveried pomposities he had

d her came Mrs. Carew, visibly shuddering as her gaze swept the filth, the sordidness, and the ragged chil

ed his ar

is ain't no free movies! CAN that racket and get a move o

in, and laid a trembling

E!" she

path for his charges; and before Mrs. Carew knew quite how it was done, she found herself with

e put out a

you say a word about-about his being possibly the boy I'm

!" agreed

easy up these 'ere stairs. There's always holes, and most generally there's a kid or two asleep some

tring which he was banging up and down the second flight of stairs. On all sides doors were opened, now boldly, now stealthily, but always disclosing women with tousled heads or peer

ast stairway the boy came to

a throaty voice. "I know what mumsey'll do-she'll turn on the weeps in no time ter see Jamie so tickled." The next

unclean humanity. There were two beds, three broken chairs, a dry-goods-box table, and a stove with a faint glow of light that told of a fire not nearly brisk enough to

e with her back to the wall. Pollyanna hurried forward with a low cry just as

lyanna. "You don't know how I've looked and looked

ntly and held out

girl, you know, that told me the glad game-and mumsey's playing it, too," he triumphed, turning back to Pollyanna. "First she cried 'cause her ba

d, her eyes half-fearfully, half-longing

e brought her to see

in a trem

time, and was nervously offering her chair. Mrs. Carew accepted it w

?" she asked, with

y's bright eyes look

your ot

n't k

Mrs. Carew turned to the twisted little

mad

on't know

m. I neve

sture Mrs. Carew tur

you remember ANYTHING

. Into his eyes was co

not

belonged to your father, wi

u'd like to look at 'em," she suggested, pointing to a row of worn volumes on a shelf across the r

alf-stifled voice, as she rose to her feet

erless "Tennyson," a dilapidated "Little Lord Fauntleroy," and two or three books of ancient and medieval history. But, though Mrs. Carew looked carefully through every one

about yourselves," she said brokenly, droppin

den. There was little that was new, nothing that was significant, in spite of the probing que

ou knew-my fath

r eyes and pressed h

she answered. "B

ickly she suppressed it in obedience to Mrs. Carew's warning

es from Mrs. Carew's face, sudd

na did not answer at once, he hurried on, his eyes going from her face to the somewhat battered pink in a broken-necked bottle in t

im. She was still gazing, wide-eyed about the r

, Jamie," she faltered. "I didn't suppose there could be an

ings there is about this room. Why, we get the sun in that winder there for 'most two hours every day, when it shines. And if you get real near it

ea

le, Jamie's voice shook. "Mis' Dolan down-stairs-the woman what keeps my wheel chair for me, you know-is helpin' us out

't we-" bega

arew had risen to her fee

ust go." Then to the w

ve. I'll send you mone

to one of the charity o

ted, and t

the woman opposite had drawn itself almost erect. Mrs. Murp

tremulously, but proudly. "We're poor-

ly. "You're letting the woman down-

n just as quick-I have done 'em for her in times past. Help from FRIENDS ain't charity. They CARE; and that-that makes a difference

heart-breaking, exhausting hour for her. Never a patient wom

ur landlord and insist that he make you even decently comfortable while you do stay? Surely you're entitled to somet

way. Her twisted little figure had f

thing. We never see anybody but the agent, of course; and he says the

ation. "It's shameful! What's more, I think it's a clear case of violation of the law;-those stairs are, certainly. I shall make it m

e of the owner, madam

dg

rply, an odd look on her face.

His name is H

s. Carew's face, then receded,

rmured, in a half-stifled voice, turning

yanna was bidding Ja

oon," she promised brightly, as she hu

sticulating crowd of men, women, and children that surrounded the scowling Perkins and the limousine, did Pollyann

say that it was Jamie! Oh, it wou

isn't

! Are y

e, then Mrs. Carew covere

. "I don't think he is; I'm almost positive he isn't. But,

Pollyanna, "and play he was? Then you could tak

e when he WASN'T Jamie? Ne

was like this Jamie, all poor and sick, wouldn't you want some one to take him in and comfort him, and-" "Don't-don't, Pollyanna," moaned Mrs. Carew, turni

ou couldn't be doing any harm to the other Jamie by taking this one, and you'd do a whole lot of good, for you'd make this one so happy-so happy! And then, by and by,

don't! I want to th

effort she kept still for one whole minute. Then, as if th

st wish the man that owned it had to live in it hi

ly erect. Her face sh

l she flung out her h

rhaps she didn't know. I'm sure she didn't know-she owned a

it, and do you know her? And

her lips. "I know her,

hed Pollyanna. "Then i

avowed Mrs. Carew with emphasis, as

d to one Henry Dodge, summoning him to an immediate conference as to certain changes and repairs to be made at once in tenements she owned. There were, moreover, several scathing sentences concerning "r

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open