Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-12-27
1t wouldn't matter" exclaimed the

1T wouldn't matter" exclaimed tn,
child.
"Well, then" John united tn,
string, glanced at the contents, but
amusement It was not his doll. Wha
ne held concealed, for he had run nov
into corner of the room, was the per
sonltication of beauty, French doll
one OF those only the most elegant chill
dren deign to play with. A doll Of
Paris make, in all the supple grace of 9
KID epldermis and with a couture OF
elaborate character. A doll such as
finds its way to South America, which
dressed in silk and decked with gems
Indians and negroes worship at then
teso. John even dared to exert q gen.
tie pressure on the bosom and back OF
the doll, but no rough sound came. II
struck him that such superlative dolls
must be necessarily soulless images
mere tulips, in fact, wanting perfume
They are more daintily pretty, but
dumb and voiceless. There was no
room in them for anything more. All
had to be sacrificed to outward appear
ances. Fortunately the child knew
nothing of what was passing in the
mans mind. "My little GIRL" said he,
"you know now, at least, that I have
som ething for you. You must be salts
fed with an outside look now Go
finish your dress, and, if indeed to-mor-
row is Christmas, I think you may
count on some kind of q doll"
All right. I am so glad. Please kiss
me. May tell mother"
Yes-now clear out. John Austin
passed his hands through his short
gray hair, and was dazed for moment,
then looked at the paper which envel-
oped the doll. 1t bore an address,
somewhere up one of the avenues.
cts a longish walk for man who has
only breakfasted-but think of the dis
appointment in store for that gentle
mans daughter" and with this John
hurried out, bent on the interchange.
Of course it was a fine house in the
vestibule of which John Austin stood in
about an hour and half afterWard.
Cali right" said the man-servant,
Leave your bundle"
"But it amt all right. Your master
took my package and left his in it's
place. do not wasn't to trouble him,
but only ask him to give me back my
own. He will understand all about it. !"
John Austin may not have been said
to have been forced to cool his heels
very long in the vestibule, for tired out
with his long walk, he sank into a hall
chair and the surroundings were SO
warm and comfortable that he awoke
from doze, when voice said: "Quite
curious, indeed. MY fault entirely.
See here, my good man, I must posi-
lively have made away with your pack
age, but exactly how, or under what
circumstances, am completely in the
dark about. Would you kindly inform
me? Yes, think this is my doll. I
am quite decided on this point, and
this ought to be yours. My wife laugh
ed in quite an astounding way when I
displayed what, if I may be allowed to
designate it, not being familiar with the
subject, is rather a substantial and
solid piece of work in the doll way
quite lasting, in fact. But notwith-
standing its comparative excellence, [
am rather inclined to think my little
girl might not have cherished your doll
as it deserved" Here the master of
the house put on pair of eyeglasses
and looked at both dolls critically, and
then at John Austin. ct am exceed
ingly obliged to you for your kindness
and the trouble you must have taken
about this trife, for we were in the
very act of sending out for another
doll-more dolls, in fact. But, as 1
was saying, might request some clue
as to how this quite ludicrous, may I
say ridiculous, interchange was &C
complished? Ny curiosity is quite
aroused"
John Austin was on the point of tell
ing him the prettiest of Perrault's
stories, and would have embroidered
into the theme the Arabian Nights, for
he felt he might have an audience; but
he checked himself and only said, 81
was disappointed shipping clerk to-
day.; I was one of the unlucky, not
wanted. You must have put your doll
on the table, and, as you left first, you
took mine"
"Bless me It must be exactly as
you state it. You will excuse the alb
surd blunder on my part. / have not
the faintest recollection of ever having
seen you before. All indeed we
wanted a shipping clerk, did we?"
" I suppose So" said John bluntly.
"You look tired, will you not take
glass of wine? Would you allow me to
offer you some slight pecuniary re"
John covered his face with his hands
perhaps an empty stomach had made
him weak-for there was a tear there.
He had never been so poor and
wretched before; but yet he could
never receive penny he had not
bravely earned. II am sorry, my
good man. meant no ofense. Was
this doll for your own child !"
" No, sir; 1 have no Children
You do not seem very we'll off in
the way this world goes. Was the stu
alton you sought for q necessity? 2"
John Austin had he had grain of
sense, would have stated that for him
it was q place at once Or starvation.
But he did no such a thing; he simply
took the profered glass of wine, bowed
to the master of the house and kept
his peace. He was about going when
the gentleman said, "You are sure you
have the right doll ="