American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-05-22
MYBIRTH-DAY.

I'M the mother OF SIX children, anC
they are all dolls. Polly is the oldest. ]
can't tell how old she is; but she must
be dreadful long Lived, for can't remem
Der the time when she wasn't born. She's
got a cloth face and it's real nice; fol
when it gets soiled mamma puts on q
clean rag, and then she is as good as
new. Why, you wouldn't believe how
many skins she's got. Will says no doc
tor living could find the true one; but
think it's beautiful that she can go on
having a new skin every time she needs
one. Then there's Capt. Jinks. You've
heard of him; but, after all, there's
something more about him than there is
in the song. On his last muster day his
horse got SO lively from the corn and
beans he'd eaten that he ran away with
the poor Captain and tried to jump over
a fence, when he stumbled and threw
his master over his head, andso his leg
was broken. Then it had to come off;
and he'd got lovely scar over his left
eye, too. So you may be sure he is a
great hero. Then there's my Paris doll
Marie, that Aunt Lucy sent me last
Christmas; but she's so nice 1 never
best dress and my hair crin,Ped. won't
say anything about the others, for there
amt anything particular to say. They
are common kind of children; not a Pc
culiar one among 'em.
Well, while ago when the coasting
was good, was just crazy to be q boy,
SO could coast with the other chaps,
and used to go with my Will and Rob
every Saturday and Wednesday after
noon to the Common and stand outside
the rope and wish and wish could, but
you know 1 couldn't; and 1 forgot all
about my family of children and kept
them in bed days and days; and that
made me sorry when did remember
them, so thought wouldn't remember
any more than could help; but 1 had
to. One Wednesday afternoon, when it
was so drizzly that we all had to stay in
the house, heard the boys laughing and
shouting upstairs in the play-room, SO 1
thought would 60 up and have some
door they ran out of the other, giggling
like everything and saw my six chill
dren, every one with black cap over it's
face, hanging by its neck to the chande
lier. Even dear Capt. links was there,
with his one poor leg dangling in the air.
/ don't suppose you know how felt, be-
cause you never were the mother of six
dolls and saw 'em all hanging by the
neck till they were dead can't tell
you how mad it made me. Mamma says
that's dreadful word for little girl to
other that tells how felt. 1 know if
could only have got my hands on Bob
and Will should have done something
dreadful. But they knew it, SO they
kept out of sight, and l got tired hunt
ing for 'em.
Well, after had cried "a little weep"
got on the top of the table, with my
penknife, and cut all the children down
and laid them side by side. Then / took
off the black caps and found they were
all right Even Marie hadn't lost one
kink in her curly hair, and Capt. Jinks'
scar was just as splendid as ever. But
anyway they were dead, as they ought to
be, for they'd been hung so made up my
mind to have n big funeral on the spot,
and went downstairs and told mammal
wanted her and auntic 10 come to my
funeral right away. She WAS dreadfully
scared, and asked me what meant; SO i
told her all about it. Well, she went
back with me to the play-room, and
when she saw how natural the children
all looked she tried to persuade me to
give up the funeral and let them go on
living a while longer. But no, wouldn't
consent; they'd been hung, and ought 10
have a burial. Then mamma took me to
the window and showed me how all the
earth was covered with snow, and adj
vised me to wait until spring for the
funeral; SO l said i would IL she would
take care of the children till then. As
for Rob and Will, didn't mean to speak
with them again that day, but it wasn't
a bit jolly keeping up my spunk all
alone, and they having such good time
playing horse, so when they asked me ii
l didn't want to be their little puppy,
and run behind, l said yes! and began
to yclp like everything. Aunt,e asked
man M if it wasn't strange that l could
forgive and forget so soon, and
mamma said it would be if | didn't
belong to the sex; and l can't think
what she meant can you?
Last week had my birthday. have
one every spring; but this WAS differ
ent kind from any ever had before. 1t
was doll masquerade. The girls
brought their dolls masked, just like
grown-up folks when they have a mas
querade, and used my own tea set.
couldn't invite but five little girls, for l
haven't but six cups and six everything
mode up my mind wouldn't have one
single boy, because they don't make be
lieve one bit good. Why, Rob and VIII
always drink whole cup of tea at one
gulp, and keep me filling their cups all
the time, so don't set any myself; be-
sides remembered that hanging ousi-
ness, and thought it would serve them
let hax- of,