Plain Jane | Page 3

thought them very clever, yet?The pig-faced lady was her pet!
[Illustration: "_With propriety_"]
[Illustration: "_A woman saw her tears_"]
Soon it grew dark, and little Jane?Began to feel some drops of rain;?Her gown would spot, if it got wet;?And what a whipping she would get?If kind Mama could ferret out?What her dear child had been about.?If she got wet, they'd ask her "Why?"--?And here poor Jane began to cry.?A woman saw her tears--and saw?The pretty necklace which she wore.?"Come, come!" she said, "my little Miss,?Don't spoil your pretty eyes like this;?If you're afraid of getting wet?Come to my caravan, my pet,?And I'll be proud if Miss will take?A dish of tea and slice of cake."?Jane thought the woman kind and nice,?And so she followed her advice:?But after she had drunk her tea?She felt as drowsy as could be,?And so, although she tried to keep?Awake, she soon was fast asleep.?When she awoke, her head felt fit?To fall to pieces, and to split;?Her necklace and her clothes were gone,?And she had next to nothing on.?Her hair was short, and was--alack!?No longer fair, but bluish black!?And she herself was--only think!?Spotted all over brown and pink!?Too scared to cry, she rose and saw?A giant, dwarf, and several more.?In fact, it soon was pretty plain?These wicked men had stolen Jane,?And meant to use her as a show,?Dressed as a "spotted child," you know.?She struggled hard to be polite;?"Pray, sirs," she asked, "can this be right?"?"You 'old your bloomin' row!" they said,?And rudely cuffed her on the head.
[Illustration: "'_Pray, sirs,' she asked,?'can this be right?_'"]
[Illustration: "_Quite fond of Ann_"]
When Jane's Mama at length returned,?How dreadful was the news she learned!?Her child was gone!--And it was vain?To seek and search and call for Jane!?They hunted for her everywhere--?They even sought her at the fair;?But days went by, and then a week,?So that it seemed no use to seek.?Oddly enough--Mama began?Really to feel quite fond of Ann,?Now that there was no virtuous Jane?To carry tales and to complain.?And Ann felt sorry for her Aunt?Altho' she said: "I really can't?Conceive why it should cause her pain?To lose a little pig like Jane!"?Now that Ann's Aunt was left in peace?She made excuses for her niece;?If she were noisy at her play,?She said, "I like to see her gay."?And if she grew a trifle wild,?She only shook her head and smiled.?When Ann's Papa returned, one day,?And came to fetch his child away,?Mama was grieved to lose her niece,?And proffered her a guinea-piece,?Saying: "You must stay longer, when?You come to visit me again."?Now all this time, poor Jane, we know,?Was made a laughing-stock and show.?They told her, did she dare explain?That she was only little Jane,?And not a spotted girl at all,?They'd beat her till she couldn't crawl.?She had to wait on all the rest,?And had to do her very best;
[Illustration: "_Proffered her a guinea-piece_"]
[Illustration: "_She had to wait on all the rest_"]
So that, she sometimes quite forgot?Whether her back was straight or not!?And even, so the story goes,?Sometimes forgot to point her toes!?Jane found the children in the van?Were infinitely worse than Ann;?They punched her head and tore her hair,?And pinched and nipped her everywhere,?And when she said, "A little child?Ought to be tractable and mild!"?They only made an ugly face,?And pinched her in another place.?After a time this seemed to teach?Jane it was better not to preach:?And even now and then, she would?Forget that she was very good.?She wished it had not been her plan?Always to tell Mama of Ann.?After two months had passed away,?She even might be heard to say?That she had been a spiteful cat?To treat her Cousin Ann like that!?Now Jane's good parents went to stay?With Ann's Papa one autumn day;?And while they both were staying there,?The people held a kind of fair.?"Pray, brother," Jane's Mama began,?"Do let me take your little Ann;?For she would like to see the show."?And he replied, "We all might go."?And so that afternoon they went,?And gravely passed from tent to tent;?And finally, the party stept?Into the tent where freaks where kept.
[Illustration: "_Gravely passed from tent to tent_"]
[Illustration: "_And threw her arms round little Ann_"]
"Look at that child," said one, "I'm sure?Her spots are paint and nothing more."?Cried Ann: "I do not care a fig?For looking at that spotted pig!"?But at her voice, Jane shrieked and ran,?And threw her arms round little Ann.?"Save me! oh, save me!" she did plead;?"I'm not a spotted pig, indeed!"?While her Mama screamed out, "You're not?My Jane!"--and fainted on the spot.?And her Papa desired to know?Who was the master of the show??But he, as afterwards transpired,?Had very modestly retired.?Then everyone had much ado?To bring Jane's fainting mother to:?At last she sat up with a start,?And pressed her darling to her heart.?"My Jane!" she cried, "my Jane!! my Jane!!!"?And seemed inclined to faint again.
[Illustration: "_Fainted on the spot_"]
[Illustration]
When Jane regained her