The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-24


now her pink gingham is most up to her
knees, had to buy her this new, so she'd
look decent to 10 to school. Jane como
here a minute"
Jane was out on the doorstep making
crochetsd trimming; she did not seem to
hear.
.'Jane," her mother called again.
Then Jane came in, heaitatingly. Her
small head, with it's mat of fair braids,
dropped fo~rlornly, her slender shoulders
were bent. She pulled do wn her pink skirt
n%ervously, trying to make it longer.
sStand up here side Of mo-" ordered her
mother. II want Mrs. Mason to see how
much taller you be-"
James pretty young face flushed pink.
She stood beside her mother, and the tears
started in her eyes, although she tried to
smile.
"There, you see she's a good half head
taller said her mother.
"You can't get through the door If you
don't stop pretty eoon, Jane" laughed
Mrs. Mason, who was visiting the Wards.
II never see such a sight. An she amt
over LAP"
..she amt Is till next month"; . replied
Mrs. Ward. "An' if she don't git her
growth till she's Is, I don't know where
she'll be. Her father tells her he's goin'
to hire her out by an by for . telegraph
POLE"
Jane laughed feebly when her mother and
Mrs. Ward did. Then she stole back to
the doorstep, and the tears rolled down
her cheeks and she made a mistake in her
edcirp. II was nearly time for her to start
for school. Presently her mother can
with her dinner-pail. Here's your din
ner." said she. You'd better start before
long, 80 as not to hurry. It's a pretty warm
mornin'."
s.Yes'm,' said Jane. She kept her face
turned away from her mother 80 her tear
stained eyes should not be noticed. Before
she went into the house to get her hat and
her school books she ran across the yard
to the we'll and put some water on her eyes
while she pretended to be drinking out OF
the tin dipper.
''You shall have your new dress to wear
Tomorrow said Ter mother as she finally
started with her school-books under her
arm and tho dinner-pail swinging: "You
shan't wear that short thing again."
she went out of the yard; she even stopped
a little to make it look longer. Nobody
knew how sore James heart was over her
height. She had q mile to walk to school.
and she never thought of anything else all
the way. She had lone all her arithmetic
examples and learned to bound the coun-
tries of South America. go her mind was
quite free from personal Worries. Az she
went on she kept looking up at the green
branches of the trees beside the road. Once
in a while she reached up and tried to touch
one. When she could her heart sank.
.'There amt another girl in school could"
she reflected. miserably.
Praaentlv abe came to q large white house.
with a crabapple tree in the front yard.
Mary Eta and maria Starr lived there, and
abe saw the futter Of their blue dresses at
the cato. They were waiting for her.
"Hnllo!'' said Mary Eta, as Jane drew
near.
.Hullo!" responded Jane, trying to make
her voice cheerful. =.
Maria was eating a o%ralbapple and did not
saw "hullo!" but presently both she n her
sister stared wonderinglv at Jane.
whats the matter?" asked Mary Eta
finally.
..Nothin's the matter"
eyes there is, too. You've been cryin',''
Jane said nothing.
Maria offered her q crabApple. Jane
shook her head At it impatiently.
"See's mad said Maria, who was quick
tempered herself.
81 amt" returned Jane.
eyes, You are. Come, Mary Eta; I amt
COIN to walk with her"
But Mary Eta fingered. whats the
matter?" she asked again. quite lovingly.
.Nothin's the matter. I wish you'd let
me alone" cried Jane, with a burst of tears.
That was enough. Mary Eta and Maria
both hurried up the road, with curt switches
of their blue etarched skirts. and Jane
plodded miserably on behind. She was no
older than the Starr girls, but She was head
and shoulders above them, and she had to