"I DON'T CARE !"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 153, 30 June 1944, Page 3

"I DON'T CARE !"

By BERNICE MOORE (12) Beverly was by nature a nice child but she had an annoying habit of saying "I don't care.'" to almost anything. One day Beverly was walking through the fields on her way home from school when she came face to face with a tiny man. "Let me introduce myself," he said. "I'm Sneaky, and I come from Silly Words town." "I'm Beverly Jenson and I live in Sally's Square," said the little girl. "I don't care!" said Sneaky rudely. "You are horrid!" she cried. "I don't care!" he said again. Suddenly he flew up and pulled her hair. "You hurt me!" Beverly wailed. "I don't care!" repeated the little man coldly. Thev walked in silence, till suddenly Beverly looked up in astonishment, for from "everywhere came little -men all looking exceedingly untidy. They closed in oil every side and Beverly found she was being carried roughly towards a ramshackle town a short distance away. To everything she said they answered "I don't" care!" Before she had recovered from her surprise they had arrived at a tiny house and were knocking loudly on the front door. It was opened by a little lady only six inches in height. "Oh, we were expecting you," she said, motioning them inside. , , , J She led Beverly mto a darkened bedroom. In the big bed lay a little girl the same age as Beverly. She was as white as the very sheets upon which she lay. "Hello!" she said weakly. "Have you come to play with me?" "X—l mean yes," said Beverly, rather embarrassed. "Can you get up presently?" Beverly a=ked by way of conversation. "No, I'm sorry, my back is in plaster and I cannot move," said the other. Soon thev were making friends with each other and they spent a happy afternoon till at half-past four Beverly made her way home. . t That evening Beverly was very quiet and her mother thought she was ill until her daughter asked her if she could go and visit Mary the following afternoon. Her mother, after hearing the story, agreed. Now Beverly visits Mary every day. and not once have I heard her say "I don't care!" again.