Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-06-01
M anda Jaue.r

'None of us liked 'Manda Jane; we all
said 50 the first day she came to school.
Her dress was sort of old-faShioned. and
too long for her; but it wasn't just how
she looked that was the matter. | guess
we thought there We're enough of us
without her, and we didn't want any
more. You see, there were nine of us
girls who brought our dinners-just
enough for the three piayhouses out I'M
der the trees, and. besides. we all knew
each other. and it's so much trouble to
get acquainted with strangers
We'll. We don't need to have her.
said Della Kelly. 1--WE didn't ask her
to come tn our school. and we can go on
just the Same'S if she wasn't here
So when noontime came. and the teach
or and the other children went home, we
hurried off and left Manda Jane to her
self. She looked up as if she expected
we'd ask her to come. too. but we didn't.
and after Il few minutes she sat down on
the steps and opened her basket She
couldn't help seeing her while we played.
Little Kitty-She'S always SO tender
hearted-wanted to ask her to come.
Whose playhouse can she have part
of them" asked Maria. There are only
three places. and it'll make one of EN-
all crowded up to have four girls in it.
Well. none of us wanted her, and Kit
ty couldn't do anything without the rest
of us. though she looked sorry That's
the way it went for four or five days
We found 'Manda Jane knew as much
about her lessons as any of us, though
her dresses were too long. and the other
children liked her in games ut recess: but
we girls wouldn't pay her any attention
Our sChOolhouse is in the country. i'll 4
nice. woody place, and so we thought
Manda Jane was going to look for wild
flowers when she didn stop on the steps
one day, but walked right past where
we were farther in the grove By and
by, We saw her moving about, as busy
as she could be- as if she was making
Il playhouse all by herself.
Il think that would be awfully lone
some" said Kitty. aud | think we all
felt a little sorry and sort of mean, only
we wouldn't say SO
The next day Manda Jane hurried off
just the same way. and the day after
that. too. and we could see her flying
about and fixing something. We pretend
I'll we didn't care what it was, but really
We could hardly play at all for watch
ing her. But the next noon, when we
were getting ready to go for our baskets,
she stopped us.
There's new store started down near
where you folks keep house" she said
land if YOU want tea. sugar, soap. or-or
anything. the woman that keeps it'll give
good measure and sell cheap
Store" we all said ut once.
She was leaning against the teachers
table her eyes all twinkly and laughing
and she looked almost pretty-ever 81
much pretfier than Maria. who jumped
upon the table beside her.
''IeS: I've started store" she said
and l should think you houSekeepers
would need 10 buy lots Of things"
We began To crowd around her. hut she
wouldn't tell It's much. only tot"come and
see, aud W. didn't wait to have her ask
Us twice. She had fixed up the prettiest
place with moss and green branches.
There WAS a nice. smooth stump for n
counter and scales made of strings and
birchbark: there was white sand for Sug-
ar and pebbles Tor coffee, and she had
made cunning little paper bags to nut
things in. Oh. il was such fun We
bought and bought, and she gave us some
real gingerbread--Such good gingerbread
that her grandmother madc-lbpcauSe she