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Chapter 23 An Accident At Mrs.
Snow's request,
Pollyanna went one day to Dr.
Chilton's office to get the name of a medicine which Mrs.
Snow had forgotten.
As it chanced,
Pollyanna had never before seen the inside of Dr.
Chilton's office.
I've never been to your home before.
This is your home,
Isn't it?
She said.
The doctor smiled a little sadly.
Yes,
Such as it is,
He answered.
He wrote something on the pad of paper in his hand,
But it's a pretty poor apology for a home.
They're just rooms,
That's all.
Pollyanna nodded her head wisely.
Her eyes glowed with sympathetic understanding.
It takes a woman's hand and heart or a child's presence to make a home,
She said.
Nay.
The doctor wheeled about abruptly.
Mr.
Pendleton told me,
Nodded Pollyanna,
About the woman's hand and heart or the child's presence.
Why don't you get a woman's hand and heart,
Dr.
Chilton?
Or maybe you take Jimmy Bean if Mr.
Pendleton doesn't want him.
Dr.
Chilton laughed a little constrainedly.
So Mr.
Pendleton says it takes a woman's hand and heart to make a home,
Does he?
Yes,
He says.
It's just a house.
Unless you have a woman's hand or a heart.
So why don't you,
Dr.
Chilton?
Why don't I what?
Get a woman's hand and heart.
Oh,
And I forgot.
I suppose I ought to tell you it wasn't Aunt Polly that Mr.
Pendleton loved long ago.
And so we aren't going there to live after all.
You see,
I told you it was,
But I made a mistake.
I hope you didn't tell anyone.
No,
I didn't tell anyone.
That's all right then.
You see,
You're the only one I told and I thought Mr.
Pendleton looked sort of funny when I said I told you.
Did he?
The doctor's lips twitched.
Yes,
And of course,
He won't want many people to know it when it wasn't true.
But why don't you get a woman's hand and heart?
There was a moment's silence.
Then very gravely,
The doctor said.
They're not always to be had for the asking.
Pollyanna frowned thoughtfully.
But I should think you could get them,
She argued.
The flattering emphasis was unmistakable.
Thank you,
Laughed the doctor with uplifted eyebrows.
I'm afraid some of your older sisters would not be quite so confident.
At least they haven't shown themselves to be so obliging.
Pollyanna frowned again.
Then her eyes widened in surprise.
Why,
Dr.
Chilton,
You don't mean you didn't try to get somebody's hand and heart once and couldn't?
The doctor got to his feet a little abruptly.
There,
Pollyanna,
Never mind about that now.
Don't let other people's troubles worry your little head.
Suppose you run back to Mrs.
Snow.
I've written down the name of the medicine and the directions of how she is to take it.
Now,
Was there anything else?
No,
Sir.
Thank you,
Sir.
Pollyanna murmured soberly as she turned toward the door.
From the little hallway,
She called back.
Anyhow,
I'm glad it wasn't my mother's hand and heart she wanted and couldn't get it.
Goodbye.
It was on the last day of October that the accident occurred.
Pollyanna,
Hurrying home from school,
Crossed the road at an apparently safe distance in front of a swiftly approaching motor car.
Just what happened,
No one could seem to tell afterward.
Neither was there anyone who could be found who could tell why it happened or who was to blame that it did happen.
Pollyanna,
However,
At five o'clock,
Was born limp and unconscious into the little room that was so dear to her.
There,
By a white-faced Aunt Polly and a weeping Nancy,
She was undressed tenderly and put to bed,
While from the village,
Hastily summoned by telephone,
Dr.
Warren was hurrying as fast as another motor car could carry him.
And you didn't need to more than look at her Aunt's face,
Nancy was sobbing to old Tom in the garden.
You didn't need to more than look at her Aunt's face to see twenty-no duty that was eating her.
Her hands don't shake and her eyes don't look as if she were trying to hold back the angel of death himself.
When you're just doing your duty,
Mr.
Tom,
Do they?
No,
They don't.
Is she hurt bad?
The old man's voice shook.
There ain't no telling.
She lay back that white and still she might easily be dead.
But Miss Polly said she weren't dead and Miss Polly ought know if anyone ought.
She kept such a listening and a feeling for her heartbeats and her breath.
Couldn't you tell anything what it's done to her?
Old Tom's face worked convulsively.
I wish you would call it something,
Mr.
Tom,
And something good and strong too.
Drat it.
Till think of it's running down our little girl.
I always hated the evil smelling things.
I did.
I did.
But where is she hurt?
I don't know,
Moaned Nancy.
There's a little cut on her blessed head but it ain't bad.
That ain't.
She said Miss Polly like she's afraid.
It's infernally she's hurt.
A faint flicker came into old Tom's eyes.
I guess you mean internally,
Nancy,
He said dryly.
She's hurt infernally,
All right.
Please take that automobile.
But I don't guess Miss Polly be using that word all the same.
Well,
I don't know.
I don't know.
Moaned Nancy with a shake of her head.
Seems as if I just could stand it until that doctor gets out of here.
I wish I had a washing to do.
The biggest washing I ever saw I do.
She began to wail,
Wringing her hands helplessly.
And even after the doctor was gone,
There seemed little that Nancy could tell Mr.
Tom.
There appeared to be no bones broken and the cut was of slight consequence.
But the doctor looked very grave.
He shook his head slowly and said that time alone could tell.
After he'd gone,
Miss Polly showed a face even whiter and more drawn looking than before.
The patient,
She said,
Had not fully recovered consciousness.
But at present,
She seemed to be resting as comfortably as could be expected.
A trained nurse had been sent for and would come that night.
That was all.
So Nancy turned sobbingly away and went back to her kitchen.
It was sometime during the next forenoon that Polly Anna opened conscious eyes and realized where she was.
Why,
Aunt Polly,
What's the matter?
Isn't it daytime?
Why don't I get up?
Why,
Aunt Polly,
I can't get up.
She fell back on the pillow after an ineffectual effort.
No,
Dear,
I wouldn't try just yet,
Soothed her aunt quickly but very quietly.
But what is the matter?
Why,
Why can't I get up?
Miss Polly's eyes asked an agonized question of the white-capped young woman standing in the window,
Out of the range of Polly Anna's eyes.
And the young woman nodded back.
Tell her,
She said.
Miss Polly cleared her throat and tried to swallow the lump that would scarcely let her speak.
You were hurt,
Dear,
By the automobile last night.
But never mind.
Auntie wants you to rest and go to sleep again.
Hurt?
Oh,
Yes,
I ran.
Polly Anna's eyes were dazed.
She lifted her hand to her forehead.
But it's all done up and it hurts.
Yes,
Dear,
But never mind that now.
Just rest.
But Aunt Polly,
I feel so funny and so bad.
And my legs,
They feel so queer.
Only they don't really feel at all.
With an imploring look into the nurse's face,
Miss Polly struggled to her feet and turned away.
The nurse came forward quickly.
Suppose you let me talk to you now,
She began cheerily.
I'm sure it's high time we were getting acquainted.
And I'm going to introduce myself.
I am Miss Hunt and I've come to help your aunt take care of you.
And the very first thing I'm going to do is to ask you to swallow these little white pills.
Polly Anna's eyes grew a bit wild.
But I don't want to be taken care of for long.
I want to get up.
I go to school,
You know.
Can't I go to school tomorrow?
From the window where Aunt Polly stood,
There came a half-stifled cry.
Tomorrow,
Smiled the nurse brightly.
Well,
I may not let you quite so soon as all that,
Miss Polly Anna.
But just swallow these little pills for me,
Please.
And we'll see what they can do.
All right,
Grieved Polly Anna somewhat doubtfully.
But I must go to school the day after tomorrow.
There are examinations then,
You know.
She spoke again a minute later of school and of the automobile and of how her head ached.
But very soon her voice trailed into silence under the blessed influence of the little white pills.
