CHAPTER IX. LESSONS

erherlap,sheexclaimed,“Why,itlookslikeashroud!Isitone?” “No,dear,thankGod,itisn't,butitmighthavebeen,ifwehadn'tsavedthepoorlittlesoul,”criedMissMills,withasuddenbrighteningoftheface,whichmadeitbeautifulinspiteofthestiffgraycurlthatbobbedoneachtemple,thewantofteeth,andacrookednose. “Willyoutellmeaboutit?Iliketohearyouradventuresandgoodworkssomuch,”saidPolly,readytobeamusedbyanythingthatmadeherforgetherself. “Ah,mydear,it'saverycommonstory,andthat'sthesaddestpartofit.I'lltellyouallaboutit,forIthinkyoumaybeabletohelpme.LastnightIwatchedwithpoorMaryFloyd.She'sdyingofconsumption,youknow,”beganMissMills,ashernimblefingersflew,andherkindoldfacebeamedoverthework,asifsheputablessinginwitheverystitch.“Marywasverylow,butaboutmidnightfellasleep,andIwastryingtokeepthingsquiet,whenMrs.Finnshe'sthewomanofthehousecameandbeckonedmeout,withascaredface.'LittleJanehaskilledherself,andIdon'tknowwhattodo,'shesaid,leadingmeuptotheattic.” “WhowaslittleJane?”brokeinPolly,droppingherwork. “Ionlyknewherasapale,shyyounggirlwhowentinandout,andseldomspoketoanyone.Mrs.Finntoldmeshewaspoor,butabusy,honest,littlething,whodidn'tmixwiththeotherfolks,butlivedandworkedalone.'Shehaslookedsodown-heartedandpaleforaweek,thatIthoughtshewassick,andaskedheraboutit,'saidMrs.Finn,'butshethankedmeinherbashfulway,andsaidshewasprettywell,soIletheralone.Butto-night,asIwentuplatetobed,Iwaskindofimpressedtolookinandseehowthepoorthingdid,forshehadn'tleftherroomallday.Ididlookin,andhere'swhatIfound.'AsMrs.Finnendedsheopenedthedoorofthebackattic,andIsawaboutassadasightastheseoldeyeseverlookedat.” “O,what?”criedPolly,palenowwithinterest. “Abareroom,coldasabarn,andonthebedalittledead,whitefacethatalmostbrokemyheart,itwassothin,sopatient,andsoyoung.Onthetablewasabottlehalffulloflaudanum,anoldpocket-book,andaletter.Readthat,mydearanddon'tthinkhardoflittleJane.” PollytookthebitofpaperMissMillsgaveher,andreadthesewords: DEARMRS.FINN,PleaseforgivemeforthetroubleImakeyou,butIdon'tseeanyotherway.Ican'tgetworkthatpaysenoughtokeepmetheDr.saysIcan'tbewellunlessIrest.Ihatetobeaburden,soI'mgoingawaynottotroubleanybodyanymore.I'vesoldmythingstopaywhatIoweyou.PleaseletmebeasIam,anddon'tletpeoplecomeandlookatme.Ihopeitisn'tverywicked,buttheredon'tseemanyroomformeintheworld,andI'mnotafraidtodienow,thoughIshouldbeifIstayedandgotbadbecauseIhadn'tstrengthtokeepright.Givemylovetothebaby,andsogood-by,good-by. JANEBRYANT. “O,MissMills,howdreadful!”criedPolly,withhereyessofullshecouldhardlyreadthelittleletter. “Notsodreadfulasitmighthavebeen,butabitter,sadthingtoseethatchild,onlyseventeen,lyingthereinherlittleclean,oldnight-gown,waitingfordeathtocomeandtakeher,because'theredidn'tseemtobeanyroomforherintheworld.'Ah,well,wesavedher,foritwasn'ttoolate,thankheaven,andthefirstthingshesaidwas,'Oh,whydidyoubringmeback?'I'vebeennursingherallday,hearingherstory,andtryingtoshowherthatthereisroomandawelcomeforher.Hermotherdiedayearago,andsincethenshehasbeenstrugglingalongalone.Sheisoneofthetimid,innocent,humblecreatureswhocan'tpushtheirway,andsogetputasideandforgotten.Shehastriedallsortsofpoorlypaidwork,couldn'tliveonitdecently,gotdiscouraged,sick,frightened,andcouldseenorefugefromthebig,badworldbuttogetoutofitwhileshewasn'tafraidtodie.Averyoldstory,mydear,newanddreadfulasitseemstoyou,andIthinkitwon'tdoyouanyharmtoseeandhelpthislittlegirl,whohasgonethroughdarkplacesthatyouareneverliketoknow.” “Iwillindeed,IwilldoallIcan!Whereisshenow?”askedPolly,touchedtotheheartbythestory,sosimpleyetsosad. “There,”andMissMillspointedtothedoorofherownlittlebedroom.“Shewaswellenoughtobemovedto-night,soIbroughtherhomeandlaidhersafelyinmybed.Poorlittlesoul!shelookedaboutherforaminute,thenthelostlookwentaway,andshegaveagreatsigh,andtookmyhandinbothherthinbitsofones,andsaid,'O,ma'am,IfeelasifI'dbeenbornintoanewworld.Helpmetobeginagain,andI'lldobetter.'SoItoldhershewasmychildnow,andmightresthere,sureofahomeaslongasIhadone.” AsMissMillsspokeinhermotherlytone,andcastaproudandhappylooktowardthewarmandquietnestinwhichshehadshelteredthisfriendlesslittlesparrow,feelingsurethatGodmeanthertokeepitfromfallingtotheground,Pollyputbotharmsaboutherneck,andkissedherwitheredcheekwithasmuchlovingreverenceasifshehadbeenasplendidsaint,forinthelikenessofthisplainoldmaidshesawthelovelycharitythatblessesandsavestheworld. “Howgoodyouare!DearMissMills,tellmewhattodo,letmehelpyou,I'mreadyforanything,”saidPolly,veryhumbly,forherowntroubleslookedsosmallandfoolishbesidethesternhardshipswhichhadnearlyhadsotragicalanend,thatshefeltheartilyashamedofherself,andquiteburnedtoatoneforthem. Miss,Millsstoppedtostrokethefreshcheekopposite,tosmile,andsay,“Then,Polly,IthinkI'llaskyoutogoin