CHAPTER XI. NEEDLES AND TONGUES

DEARPOLLY,TheSewingCirclemeetsatourhousethisP.M.Thisisinyourline,sodocomeandhelpmethrough.Ishalldependonyou. Yoursever,FAN. “Badnews,mydear?”askedMissMills,whohadjusthandedthenotetoPollyasshecameinonenoon,afewweeksafterJenny'sarrival. Pollytoldherwhatitwas,adding,“IsupposeIoughttogoandhelpFanny,butIcan'tsayIwantto.ThegirlstalkaboutthingsIhavenothingtodowith,andIdon'tfindtheirgossipveryamusing.I'manoutsider,andtheyonlyacceptmeonFan'saccountsoIsitinacornerandsew,whiletheychatterandlaugh.” “Wouldn'titbeagoodchancetosayawordforJenny?Shewantswork,andtheseyoungladiesprobablyhavequantitiesdonesomewhere.Jennydoesfineworkexquisitely,andbeginstofeelanxioustobeearningsomething.Idon'twanthertofeeldependentandunhappy,andalittlewell-paidsewingwouldbeallsheneedstodonicely.Icangetitforherbyrunningroundtomyfriends,butIreallyhaven'tthetime,tillIgettheMullersoff.Theyarepaupershere,butoutWesttheycantakecareofthemselves,soI'vebeggedthemoneytosendthem,andassoonasIcangetthemsomeclothes,offtheygo.That'sthewaytohelppeoplehelpthemselves,”andMissMillsclashedherbigscissorsenergetically,asshecutoutalittleredflannelshirt. “Iknowitis,andIwanttohelp,butIdon'tknowwheretobegin,”saidPolly,feelingquiteoppressedwiththeimmensityofthework. “Wecan'tanyofusdoallwewouldlike,butwecandoourbestforeverycasethatcomestous,andthathelpsamazingly.BeginwithJenny,mydeartellthosegirlsabouther,andifI'mnotmuchmistaken,youwillfindthemreadytohelp,forhalfthetimeitisn'thardnessofheart,butignoranceorthoughtlessnessonthepartoftherich,thatmakesthemseemsocarelessofthepoor.” “Totellthetruth,I'mafraidofbeinglaughedat,ifItrytotalkseriouslyaboutsuchthingstothegirls,”saidPolly,frankly. “Youbelievethat'suchthings'aretrue?Youaresincereinyourwishtohelpbetterthem,andyourespectthosewhoworkforthatend?” “Yes,Ido.” “Then,mydear,can'tyoubearalittleridiculeforthesakeofagoodcause?Yousaidyesterdaythatyouweregoingtomakeitaprincipleofyourlife,tohelpupyoursexasfarandasfastasyoucould.Itdidmyheartgoodtohearyousayit,forIwassurethatintimeyouwouldkeepyourword.But,Polly,aprinciplethatcan'tbearbeinglaughedat,frownedon,andcold-shouldered,isn'tworthyofthename.” “Iwanttobestrong-mindedintherealsenseoftheword,butIdon'tliketobecalledsobypeoplewhodon'tunderstandmymeaningandIshallbeifItrytomakethegirlsthinksoberlyaboutanythingsensibleorphilanthropic.Theycallmeold-fashionednow,andI'dratherbethoughtthat,thoughitisn'tpleasant,thanbesetdownasarampantwoman'srightsreformer,”saidPolly,inwhosememorymanylaughs,andsnubs,andsarcasmsstilllingered,forgivenbutnotforgotten. “Thisloveandthoughtandcareforthoseweaker,poorer,orworsethanourselves,whichwecallChristiancharity,isaveryoldfashion,mydear.Itbeganeighteenhundredyearsago,andonlythosewhohonestlyfollowthebeautifulexamplesetusthen,learnhowtogetgenuinehappinessoutoflife.I'mnota'rampantwoman'srightsreformer,'”addedMissMills,withasmileatPolly'ssoberface“butIthinkthatwomencandoagreatdealforeachother,iftheywillonlystopfearingwhat'peoplewillthink,'andtakeaheartyinterestinwhateverisgoingtofittheirsistersandthemselvestodeserveandenjoytherightsGodgavethem.Therearesomanywaysinwhichthiscanbedone,thatIwondertheydon'tseeandimprovethem.Idon'taskyoutogoandmakespeeches,onlyafewhavethegiftforthat,butIdowanteverygirlandwomantofeelthisduty,andmakeanylittlesacrificeoftimeorfeelingthatmaybeaskedofthem,becausethereissomuchtodo,andnoonecandoitaswellasourselves,ifweonlythinkso.” “I'lltry!”saidPolly,influencedmorebyherdesiretokeepMissMills'goodopinionthananyloveofself-sacrificeforhersex.Itwasratherahardthingtoaskofashy,sensitivegirl,andthekindoldladyknewit,forinspiteofthegrayhairandwitheredface,herheartwasveryyoung,andherowngirlishtrialsnotforgotten.ButsheknewalsothatPollyhadmoreinfluenceoverothersthansheherselfsuspected,simplybecauseofhercandid,uprightnatureandthatwhileshetriedtohelpothers,shewasservingherselfinawaythatwouldimproveheartandsoulmorethananymeresocialsuccessshemightgainbyfollowingtherulesoffashionablelife,whichdrillthecharacteroutofgirlstilltheyareasmuchalikeaspinsinapaper,andhaveaboutasmuchtruesenseandsentimentintheirlittleheads.TherewasgoodstuffinPolly,unspoiledasyet,andMissMillswasonlyactingoutherprincipleofwomenhelpingeachother.ThewiseoldladysawthatPollyhadreachedthatpointwherethegirlsuddenlybloomsintoawoman,askingsomethingmoresubstantialthanpleasuretosatisfythenewaspirationsthatarebornatimeaspreciousandimportanttotheafter-life,asthehourwhentheappleblossomsfall,andtheyoungfruitwaitsfortheelementstoripenordestroytheharvest. Pollydidnotknowthis,andwasfortunateinpossessingafriendwhoknewwhatinfluenceswouldserveherbest,andwhocouldgiveherwhatallwomenshoulddesiretogiveeachother,theexampleofasweet,goodlife,moreeloquentandpowerfulthananywordsforthisisarightnoonecandenyus. Pollyturnedthematteroverinhermindasshedressed,whileJennyplayedwaitingmaid,littledreamingwhatthisnewfrie