Obituary: Jane Withers was the antidote to cuteness

FOR ANY small girl of energy and spirit, to be asked to be ladylike is insufferable. To sit up straight, be demure, wear gloves and speak only when spoken to is pure torture. Fortunately, that was not a difficulty Jane Withers faced. From the age of six she was paid to do things other children were usually spanked for, and she was very good at it. She was sassy, loud, awkward and answered back. She could blow out her cheeks like a puffer fish until her eyes disappeared almost into her head. She could caper like a cow-poke, in raggedy cut-off trousers, and preferred a battered straw hat to a flowery bonnet any day. If provoked she could throw a punch at any boy, or at least give him a good pummelling of fists on his stupid chest. She was not afraid to fall into muck and feathers, and could organise a pretty good brawl.