Полліанна
Which tells of the man
"Humph!"gruntedtheman,ashepassedon. TheManalwaysspoketoPollyannaafterthis,andfrequentlyhespokefirst,thoughusuallyhesaidlittlebut"goodafternoon." Eventhat,however,wasagreatsurprisetoNancy,whochancedtobewithPollyannaonedaywhenthegreetingwasgiven.
"Sakesalive,MissPollyanna,"shegasped,"didthatmanSPEAKTOYOU?"
"Why,yes,healwaysdoes—now,"smiledPollyanna.
"‘Healwaysdoes’! Goodness! Doyouknowwho—he—is?"demandedNancy.
Pollyannafrownedandshookherhead.
"Ireckonheforgottotellmeoneday. Yousee,Ididmypartoftheintroducing,buthedidn’t."
Nancy’seyeswidened.
"Butheneverspeaksteranybody,child—hehain’tforyears,Iguess,exceptwhenhejusthasto,forbusiness,andallthat. He’sJohnPendleton. HelivesallbyhimselfinthebighouseonPendletonHill. Hewon’tevenhaveanyone‘roundtercookforhim—comesdownterthehotelforhismealsthreetimesaday. IknowSallyMiner,whowaitsonhim,andshesayshehardlyopenshisheadenoughtertellwhathewantstereat. Shehasterguessitmore’nhalfthetime—onlyit’llbesomethin’CHEAP! Sheknowsthatwithoutnotellin’."
Pollyannanoddedsympathetically.
"Iknow. Youhavetolookforcheapthingswhenyou’repoor. FatherandItookmealsoutalot. Wehadbeansandfishballsmostgenerally. Weusedtosayhowgladwewerewelikedbeans—thatis,wesaiditspeciallywhenwewerelookingattheroastturkeyplace,youknow,thatwassixtycents. DoesMr.Pendletonlikebeans?"
