Mary Jane Her Visit by Clara Ingram Judson

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And finally it came time to pack the trunks and start for home.

Mary Jane had hard work deciding what to put in, just as she had had
when she packed to come. She wanted to take all the burr houses and
green apple dolls they had made; and the ducks and a lot of corn and
apples for Doris. She finally agreed that she would leave out all the
other things if she could take _one_ house of burrs and _one_ green
apple doll just to show how they were made and then a nice box of red
cheeked eating apples to give to her little friend.

It was decided to go home by the day trip. The journey was shorter
that way and Alice begged to go at a time when they might eat in the
diner. So they took the train at nine in the morning and would reach
home in time for dinner that night.

Mary Jane found it very hard to say good-by to Grandmother and
Grandfather. She had learned to love them dearly and they had been so
good and kind and thoughtful to her she would never, as long as she
lived, forget the happy days she had spent with them. But, nice as it
was to go away to visit, it was nicer still to be going home. Home to
her own dolls and toys and friends and duties--everything that Mary
Jane loved--that is, most everything, for it was hard to leave the lamb
and the duck now grown so big and interesting and the baby mice--the
new baby mice that had come to the barn loft family.

She waved good-by to her Grandmother and Grandfather as long as she
could see them--which wasn't very long for the train pulled away so
quickly from the little station where the Merrills got on; and then she
turned to her mother and said, "now let's talk about something quick."

"Very well," said Mrs. Merrill, "I was just wanting to do that. Let's
talk about what you are going to do this winter."

"Do this winter?" exclaimed Mary Jane in surprise, "I'm going to do
just like I always do. I'm going to play with my dolls and play with
Doris and sometimes with Junior and help you and everything like I do,
Mother."

"Think so, dear?" asked Mrs. Merrill, "how old are you?"

"I'm five," answered Mary Jane in surprise.

"Five and a little more than a quarter," corrected Mrs. Merrill, "and
seems to me that's big enough to be going to kindergarten. What do you
think?"

"Oh, is it, Mother?" exclaimed Mary Jane happily, "am I really big
enough?"

"I'm afraid my little girl is growing up," said Mrs. Merrill with half
a sigh, "and that she ought to go to school. What do you think,
Father?"

"I think she'll like it and that she ought to go," said Mr. Merrill
promptly; "suppose we start her the first of October?"

So it was settled that Mary Jane was to go to kindergarten. They made
plans and talked till the porter came through the car and called,
"First call for luncheon! First call for luncheon! Diner in the rear
of the train!" And then they all went through the train to the diner
and Mary Jane ate her first meal on the train.

And if you want to know about what Mary Jane did after she got home
from her summer trip; and about all the fun and good times she had
after she started to kindergarten, you must read--

MARY JANE IN KINDERGARTEN

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