Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-11-16
Doll Lore.

not MAKE UeT uOIl CIOUUpS, DuJ SIZE
actually puts out her washing! She
knows nothing of the delight of the
dolls laundry-day, with the drying
Lines stretched across the inside of the
high fender, ard the loan Of the private
italian iron with which nurse got up
her caps. If she has any imagination,
and has been given a very splendid
specimen of the modern doll, she is
rather afraid of the brilliant waxen
lady III Worth costume, tied back,
and founced, with piles of golden hair,
and face marvelOuSly nodded to the
last fashionable expression of Irritation
OF eagaa,t5. This is not person to be
Datted off to sleep upon ones pillow,
prOpped up on the table while one is
learning ones lessons, or surreptitious-
iy dipped in the nursery bath. Of
grand dolls of this kind it may fairly
he supposed that they are more blessed
80 the giver than to the receiver, and
shat the former are of the wealthy
Bachelor, god-papa order, whose in
tentions are good, but whose domestic
education is imperfect. They are
beautiful objects in the shop windows,
ard they faithfully represent every
fashion and every folly of the moment.
But what healthily constituted child,
with brains, would really care to have
q model of skating-rink, with two
couples of rinkers, in correct attire
and the dantieSt miniatures of Plimp-
sons skates, moving mechanically over
bbe floor? Such toy has nothing but
lbs cost to recommend it, and the
youthful proprietor who should pull it
80 pieces to see how it was done would
command our approval. Other OBJ
fectiOnable dolls are the fine ladies in
promenade costumes, with realistic, 4"
Tank cheeks, tight mouths, wasp-like
6gures, and languishing eyes, with all
the effects of luster and belladOnna
faithfully presented. Perhaps it would
Doe absurd to talk Of a doll as moral,
Immoral, or immoral agency, but chill
rtren are ut least as well without sug-
gestions Of Nine. Benoiton.
Supposing the .5ia1aetGT to be also an
intending purchaser, his difficulty of
choice will grow with every moment
as he catches sight of the waxen beau
aies which hang, like Bluebeard' S
wives, in corners, who form garlands
of ford cherubs across the window
tops, or peep at him from glass cases
Hith sky blue eyes or bright black
ones, with sweeping lashes, distract
ingly real, and such lovely hair 1t is
brushed back from their snowy tenn
gles in ripping, silken waves, or laid
Sat on their beautifully-shaped heads
In soft little curls; it is braided in
high C0r0nets over the brOWs of the
more intellectual-for there are dolls
Of talent and character among the col
lection, whose bumps have been
s5udied-or it is tied up in irresistible
clubs ''pigtails. The dark-haired
dolls are less costly than the fair
haired, because fair hair (human) is
much dearer than dark; and fair mo-
hair is less successful, though it looks
wonderfully bright and silky too,
spread out on the shoulders of beau
aiful waxen lady in a white dressing
gown, who is contemplating herself in
q. looking glass. If one can get a peep
behind the window one may see scores
OF waKen busts not yet stitched on to
tseir respective bodies, and discern, in
Saal f-opened drawers, hundreds of rosy,
Gimpled limbs-baby hands and feet
which look very funny in their unas-
sociated condition; and one may quick
ly learn to distinguish the composite
doll, whose foundations are laid with
paper and whose wax is merely run"
from the solid person, with no pre-
sense about her, who is all wax. On
a counter, in a small armchair, sits a
aemure WaXen child, with a book on
It's knee, a mechanical finger following
ahe printed line; and close to him lie a
heap OF "nigger" dolls, scantily
clothed in a single garment, but so red
Tipped, smiling, woolly, jolly and nat
Wral that one feels at once those are
abe dolls for ones money and for ones
young friends. They will not want
any clothes, and knocking about will
come quite natural to them. So one
walks Oh with Mumbo in one pocket
and Jumbo in the other, wondering
admiringly at the pitch to which high
art liz dolls has been brought, but q
little doubtful whethey they were not
aleasanter to their possessorS in then
lower estate.
The most intelligent child with
whom tile present writer is acquainted
HAS attached herself with unwaverine
consistency to gutta-percha doll, whose
original costume was exceedingly linn
2ted in extent, and who was intro
duced to her as ''Jemima The youns
AarSOn in Question was not nuita mn +,