"Thank you," rejoined the lady, dryly. "I can't say, however, that I see
any immediate need for that."
"But, of course, you--you'd want her, your sister's child," ventured
Nancy, vaguely feeling that somehow she must prepare a welcome for this
lonely little stranger.
Miss Polly lifted her chin haughtily.
"Well, really, Nancy, just because I happened to have a sister who was
silly enough to marry and bring unnecessary children into a world that
was already quite full enough, I can't see how I should particularly
WANT to have the care of them myself. However, as I said before, I hope
I know my duty. See that you clean the corners, Nancy," she finished
sharply, as she left the room.
"Yes, ma'am," sighed Nancy, picking up the half-dried pitcher--now so
cold it must be rinsed again.
In her own room, Miss Polly took out once more the letter which she had
received two days before from the far-away Western town, and which had
been so unpleasant a surprise to her. The letter was addressed to Miss
Polly Harrington, Beldingsville, Vermont; and it read as follows:
"Dear Madam:--I regret to inform you that the Rev. John Whittier died
two weeks ago, leaving one child, a girl eleven years old. He left
practically nothing else save a few books; for, as you doubtless know,
he was the pastor of this small mission church, and had a very meagre
salary.
"I believe he was your deceased sister's husband, but he gave me to
understand the families were not on the best of terms. He thought,
however, that for your sister's sake you might wish to take the child
and bring her up among her own people in the East. Hence I am writing to
you.
"The little girl will be all ready to start by the time you get this
letter; and if you can take her, we would appreciate it very much if you
would write that she might come at once, as there is a man and his wife
here who are going East very soon, and they would take her with them to
Boston, and put her on the Beldingsville train. Of course you would be
notified what day and train to expect Pollyanna on.
"Hoping to hear favorably from you soon, I remain,
"Respectfully yours,
"Jeremiah O. White."
With a frown Miss Polly folded the letter and tucked it into its
envelope. She had answered it the day before, and she had said she would
take the child, of course. She HOPED she knew her duty well enough for
that!--disagreeable as the task would be.
As she sat now, with the letter in her
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