“Yes; but--she didn't know that, you see!” observed Nancy, dryly, stifling a chuckle. “I'm sorry about the bread and milk; I am, I am.”
“Why, I like bread and milk, and I'd like to eat with you. I don't see any trouble about being glad about that.”
“You don't seem ter see any trouble bein' glad about everythin',” retorted Nancy, choking a little over her remembrance of Pollyanna's brave attempts to like the bare little attic room.
“Well, that's the game, you know, anyway.”
“Whatever in the world are you talkin' about?”
“Why, it's a game. Father told it to me, and it's lovely,” rejoined Pollyanna. “We've played it always, ever since I was a little, little girl. I told the Ladies' Aid, and they played it--some of them.”
“What is it? I ain't much on games, though.”
Pollyanna laughed again, but she sighed, too; and in the gathering twilight her face looked thin and wistful.
“Why, we began it on some crutches that came in a missionary barrel.”
“Yes. You see I'd wanted a doll, and father had written them so; but when the barrel came the lady wrote that there hadn't any dolls come in, but the little crutches had. So she sent 'em along as they might come in handy for some child, sometime. And that's when we began it.”
“Well, I must say I can't see any game about that, about that,” declared Nancy, almost irritably.
“Oh, yes; the game was to just find something about everything to be glad about--no matter what 'twas,” rejoined Pollyanna, earnestly. “And we began right then--on the crutches.”
“Well, goodness me! I can't see anythin' ter be glad about--gettin' a pair of crutches when you wanted a doll!”
“There is--there is,” she crowed. “But _I_ couldn't see it, either, Nancy, at first,” she added, with quick honesty. “Father had to tell it to me.”
“Well, then, suppose YOU tell ME,” almost snapped Nancy.
“Goosey! Why, just be glad because you don't--NEED--'EM!” exulted Pollyanna, triumphantly. “You see it's just as easy--when you know how!”
“Well, of all the queer doin's!” breathed Nancy, regarding Pollyanna with almost fearful eyes.
“Oh, but it isn't queer--it's lovely,” maintained Pollyanna enthusiastically. “And we've played it ever since. And the harder 'tis, the more fun 'tis to get 'em out; only--only sometimes it's almost too hard--like when your father goes to Heaven, and there isn't anybody but a Ladies' Aid left.”