and that was all Miss Pollyanna's doings, you
know, 'cause she told mother she could be glad she'd got her hands and
arms, anyway; and that made mother wonder right away why she didn't DO
something with her hands and arms. And so she began to do something--to
knit, you know. And you can't think what a different room it is now,
what with the red and blue and yellow worsteds, and the prisms in the
window that SHE gave her--why, it actually makes you feel BETTER just to
go in there now; and before I used to dread it awfully, it was so dark
and gloomy, and mother was so--so unhappy, you know.

"And so we want you to please tell Miss Pollyanna that we understand
it's all because of her. And please say we're so glad we know her, that
we thought, maybe if she knew it, it would make her a little glad that
she knew us. And--and that's all," sighed Milly, rising hurriedly to her
feet. "You'll tell her?"

"Why, of course," murmured Miss Polly, wondering just how much of this
remarkable discourse she could remember to tell.

These visits of John Pendleton and Milly Snow were only the first of
many; and always there were the messages--the messages which were in
some ways so curious that they caused Miss Polly more and more to puzzle
over them.

One day there was the little Widow Benton. Miss Polly knew her well,
though they had never called upon each other. By reputation she knew
her as the saddest little woman in town--one who was always in black.
To-day, however, Mrs. Benton wore a knot of pale blue at the throat,
though there were tears in her eyes. She spoke of her grief and horror
at the accident; then she asked diffidently if she might see Pollyanna.

Miss Polly shook her head.

"I am sorry, but she sees no one yet. A little later--perhaps."

Mrs. Benton wiped her eyes, rose, and turned to go. But after she had
almost reached the hall door she came back hurriedly.

"Miss Harrington, perhaps, you'd give her--a message," she stammered.

"Certainly, Mrs. Benton; I shall be very glad to."

Still the little woman hesitated; then she spoke.

"Will you tell her, please, that--that I've put on THIS," she said, just
touching the blue bow at her throat. Then, at Miss Polly's ill-concealed
look of surprise, she added: "The little girl has been trying for so
long to make me wear--some color, that I thought she'd be--glad to know
I'd begun. She said that Freddy would be so glad to see it, if I would.
You know Freddy's ALL I hav