Show home edu education cation the childs first school is the family ammy F am my froebel GERTIE GOES TO A PARTY by kathleen beckman in just one week mary would have her birthday party how many may I 1 invite mother she asked eagerly how many would you like to invite questioned her mother oh all the girls who were in in my class at school I 1 guess except gertie I 1 dont like her if you invite all the girls of your class but one it would make that one girl feel very unhappy 7 it said her mother well nobody likes her stated mary and its summer now 21 why dont they like gertie asked her mother 1 well of course she cant help bei being n poor but she wears dirty lothes and her hair bair look nice she lives in that old house on bend street where they dont have any curtains that may be dear said her mother but no matter what she Is is like it would be very unkind to invite every civery one in the class but gertie if you decide on a small party and ask only a few girls you need not invite her but if you have a big party for your class you must include every one you may think about it and let me know tomorrow what you decide As mary had set her heart on having a large party she finally decided to invite gertie the day of the party arrived marys mother had bad made a very large cake with seven candles on it and a great deal of ice cream all the littile girls except gertie came dressed in gay party frocks gerties dress was a much rum pled rayon affair and she wore high heeled shoes a couple of sizes too large for her but this was her first party and she had come determined ter mined to have a good time she kasnot a bashful child but bilt rather forward with affected unnatural manners that had been adopted for this special occasion and she was blissfully happy the children played games out on the lawn under the trees and after the games were over t they h ey sat around the table when mary started to light the candles on her cake little giggles came from gertie who then began bega n eating her ice cream before the lighting was finished but no one seemed to notice this and it was a gay party gertie did not join in the talking for she was too busy with her ice cream and the large pieces of cake to which she helped herself repeatedly As the servings were generous several of the girls could eat only a part of their ice cream after they left the table gertie remained and slid around from chair to chair finishing all that was left marys mother thinking all the children were out on the lawn playing came in and found gertie all alone ive had a swell time tha child said 1 I guess ill go home now dont you want to go out and play with the other girls asked marys mother oh no I 1 think ill go home gerties voice was high pitched and shrill but joyful marys mother went to get gerties hat and also went into the kitchen and filled a bag with nuts and oranges these she gave to gertie saying take them home to your brothers and sisters sister 3 then gertie ran off with her high heels clicking and her thin face wreathed in smiles mother said mary later im so glad I 1 invited gertie she had such a good time and I 1 never did see anyone eat so much cake I 1 guess she liked my party |