Полліанна

           "An’you’dbesurprisedterfindhowcuteitworks,ma’am,too,"maintainedNancy,withalmosttheeagernessofPollyannaherself. "IwishIcouldtellyewhatalotshe’sdoneformotheran’thefolksouthome. She’sbeentersee‘em,yeknow,twice,withme. She’smademeglad,too,onsuchaloto’things—littlethings,an’bigthings; an’it’smade‘emsomucheasier. Forinstance,Idon’tmind‘Nancy’foranamehalfasmuchsinceshetoldmeIcouldbeglad‘twa’n’t‘Hephzibah. ’An’there’sMondaymornin’s,too,thatIusedterhateso. She’sactuallymademegladforMondaymornin’s." 

           "Glad—forMondaymornings!" 

           Nancylaughed. 

           "Iknowitdoessoundnutty,ma’am. Butletmetellye. ThatblessedlambfoundoutIhatedMondaymornin’ssomethin’awful; an’whatdoessheupan’tellmeonedaybutthis:‘Well,anyhow,Nancy,IshouldthinkyoucouldbegladderonMondaymornin’thanonanyotherdayintheweek,because‘twouldbeawholeWEEKbeforeyou’dhaveanotherone!’ An’I’mblestifIhain’tthoughtofitev’ryMondaymornin’since—an’itHAShelped,ma’am. Itmademelaugh,anyhow,ev’rytimeIthoughtofit; an’laughin’helps,yeknow—itdoes,itdoes!" 

           "Butwhyhasn’t—shetoldme—thegame?"falteredMissPolly. "Whyhasshemadesuchamysteryofit,whenIaskedher?" 

           Nancyhesitated. 

           "Beggin’yerpardon,ma’am,youtoldhernotterspeakof—herfather; soshecouldn’ttellye. ‘Twasherfather’sgame,yesee." 

           MissPollybitherlip. 

           "Shewantedtertellye,firstoff,"continuedNancy,alittleunsteadily. "Shewantedsomebodyterplayitwith,yeknow. That’swhyIbegunit,soshecouldhavesomeone." 

           "And—and—theseothers?"MissPolly’svoiceshooknow.