Полліанна
A question of duty
"Theywerejustbeginningtoteachmethatthissummer,butIhadn’tgotfar. Theyweremoredivideduponthatthantheywereonthesewing. TheywereGOINGtobeginonbread; buttherewasn’ttwoof‘emthatmadeitalike,soafterarguingitallonesewing-meeting,theydecidedtotaketurnsatmeoneforenoonaweek—intheirownkitchens,youknow. I’donlylearnedchocolatefudgeandfigcake,though,when—whenIhadtostop." Hervoicebroke.
"Chocolatefudgeandfigcake,indeed!"scornedMissPolly. "Ithinkwecanremedythatverysoon." Shepausedinthoughtforaminute,thenwentonslowly:"Atnineo’clockeverymorningyouwillreadaloudonehalf-hourtome. Beforethatyouwillusethetimetoputthisroominorder. WednesdayandSaturdayforenoons,afterhalf-pastnine,youwillspendwithNancyinthekitchen,learningtocook. Othermorningsyouwillsewwithme. Thatwillleavetheafternoonsforyourmusic. Ishall,ofcourse,procureateacheratonceforyou,"shefinisheddecisively,asshearosefromherchair.
Pollyannacriedoutindismay.
"Oh,butAuntPolly,AuntPolly,youhaven’tleftmeanytimeatalljustto—tolive."
"Tolive,child! Whatdoyoumean? Asifyouweren’tlivingallthetime!"
"Oh,ofcourseI’dbeBREATHINGallthetimeIwasdoingthosethings,AuntPolly,butIwouldn’tbeliving. Youbreatheallthetimeyou’reasleep,butyouaren’tliving. Imeanliving—doingthethingsyouwanttodo:playingoutdoors,reading(tomyself,ofcourse),climbinghills,talkingtoMr.Tominthegarden,andNancy,andfindingoutallaboutthehousesandthepeopleandeverythingeverywhereallthroughtheperfectlylovelystreetsIcamethroughyesterday. That’swhatIcallliving,AuntPolly. Justbreathingisn’tliving!"
