CHAPTER XI. NEEDLES AND TONGUES

e,sayingwithanAprilface,“There,takethatIneverhaveanymoney,somehowitwon'tstaywithme,butIcan'tlettheplatepassmethistime.” WhenFannybroughtthecontributionstoPolly,shejustgathereditupinhertwohandswithsuchaglad,gratefulface,thegirlswishedtheyhadhadmoretogive. “Ican'tthankyouenough,”shesaid,withaneloquentlittlechokeinhervoice.“ThiswillhelpJennyverymuchbutthewayinwhichitwasdonewilldohermoregoodthandoublethemoney,becauseitwillprovetoherthatsheisn'twithoutfriends,andmakeherfeelthatthereisaplaceintheworldforher.Letherworkforyouinreturnforthisshedon'taskalms,sheonlywantsemploymentandalittlekindness,andthebestcharitywecanbestowistoseethatshehasboth.” “I'llgiveherasmuchsewingasshewants,andshecanstayatourhousewhileshedoesit,ifsheneedsahome,”saidTrix,inaspasmofbenevolence. “Shedoesn'tneedahome,thankyouMissMillshasgivenhalfofhers,andconsidersJaneherchild,”answeredPolly,withproudsatisfactioninthefact. “Whatanolddear!”criedBelle. “Iwanttoknowher.MayI?”whisperedEmma. “Oh,yesI'mgladtomakeherknowntoanyone.Sheisaquietlittleoldlady,butshedoesoneheapsofgood,andshowsyouhowtobecharitableinthewisestway.” “Dotellusaboutit.I'msureIwanttodomyduty,butit'ssuchamuddle,Idon'tknowhow,”saidBelle. Then,quitenaturally,theconversationfelluponthegreatworkthatnoneshouldbetoobusytothinkof,andwhichfewaretooyoungortoopoortohelponwiththeirmite.Thefacesgrewmoreearnest,thefingersflewfaster,asthequickyoungheartsandbrainstookinthenewfacts,ideas,andplansthatgrewoutofthetruestories,thesensiblehints,thesuccessfuleffortswhichPollytoldthem,freshfromthelipsofMissMillsfor,oflate,Pollyhadtalkedmuchwiththegoodlady,andlearnedquicklythelessonsherunselfishlifeconveyed.Thegirlsfoundthismoreinterestingthangossip,partlyowingtoitsnovelty,doubtlessbuttheenthusiasmwassincerewhileitlasted,anddidthemgood.Manyofthemforgotallaboutitinaweek,butPolly'seffortwasnotlost,forEmma,Belle,andFannyremainedfirmfriendstoJane,sokindlyhelpingherthatthepoorchildfeltasifshehadindeedbeenbornagain,intoanewandhappyworld. NottilllongafterwarddidPollyseehowmuchgoodthislittleefforthaddoneher,forthefirstsmallsacrificeofthissortleadsthewaytoothers,andasinglehand'sturngivenheartilytotheworld'sgreatworkhelpsoneamazinglywithone'sownsmalltasks.Pollyfoundthisoutasherlifeslowlygreweasierandbrighter,andthebeautifullawofcompensationgaveherbetterpurposesandpleasuresthananyshehadlost.Theparentsofsomeofherpupilswerepersonsofrealrefinement,andsucharealwaysquicktoperceivethemarksofcultureinothers,nomatterwheretheyfindthem.These,attractedfirstbyPolly'scheerfulface,modestmanners,andfaithfulwork,soonfoundinhersomethingmorethanagoodteachertheyfoundarealtalentformusic,aneagerdesireforhelpfulopportunities,andaheartgratefulforthekindlysympathythatmakesroughplacessmooth.Fortunatelythosewhohavetheskilltodetectthesetraitsalsopossessthespirittoappreciateandoftenthepowertoserveanddevelopthem.Inwayssodelicatethatthemostsensitivepridecouldnotresentthefavor,thesetruegentlefolkshowedPollytheirrespectandregard,putmanypleasuresinherway,andwhentheypaidherforherwork,gaveheralsotheheartythanksthattakesawayallsenseofdegradationevenfromthehumblestservice,formoneysoearnedandpaidsweetensthedailybreaditbuys,andmakesthemutualobligationamutualbenefitandpleasure. AfewsuchpatronsdidmuchforPolly,andthemusicshegavethemhadanundertoneofgratitudethatleftblitheechoesinthosegreathouses,whichmoneycouldnotbuy. Then,asherbutterflyacquaintancesdesertedher,shefoundherwayintoahiveoffriendlybees,whowelcomedher,andshowedherhowtofindthehoneythatkeepslifesweetandwholesome.ThroughMissMills,whowasthecounsellorandcomforterofseveral,Pollycametoknowalittlesisterhoodofbusy,happy,independentgirls,whoeachhadapurposetoexecute,atalenttodevelop,anambitiontoachieve,andbroughttotheworkpatienceandperseverance,hopeandcourage.HerePollyfoundherplaceatonce,forinthislittleworldloveandlibertyprevailedtalent,energy,andcharactertookthefirstrankmoney,fashion,andpositionwereliterallynowhereforhere,asinthebigworldoutside,geniusseemedtoblossombestwhenpovertywasheadgardener.Youngteachers,doingmuchworkforlittlepayyoungartists,tryingtopencil,paint,orcarvetheirwaytoRomeyoungwriters,burningtodistinguishthemselvesyoungsingers,dreamingoftriumphs,greatasthoseofJennyLindandsomewhotriedtoconquerindependence,armedonlywithaneedle,likepoorJane.AllthesehelpedPollyasunconsciouslyasshehelpedthem,forpurposeandprinciplearethebestteacherswecanhave,andthewantofthemmakeshalfthewomenofAmericawhattheyare,restless,aimless,frivolous,andsick. Tooutsidersthatwasaveryhard-workinganduneventfulwintertoPolly.Shethoughtsoherselfbutasspringcameon,theseedofnewvirtues,plantedinthewintertime,andripenedbythesunshineofendeavor,begantobudinPolly'snature,betrayingtheirpresencetoothersbytheaddedstrengthandsweetnessofhercharacter,longbeforesheherselfdiscoveredtheseMayflowersthathadblossomedforherunderneaththesnow.