The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-01-19
A Doll Party.

All were evidently waiting sum-
mons to the festive board, but such
was the perfect breeding of these
dolls that not a single eye out OF the
whole twenty seven turned for a mo-
ment toward the table, or so much
as winked, as they lay in rows,
gazing in admiration at Belinda.
Dutch Tom had lost one of the black
beads from his worsted countenance.
And Belinda, unable to repress the
Joy and pride which swelled her saw
dust bosom till the seams gaped,
gave an occasional bounce as the
wind waved her yellow skirts or
made the blue boots dance a sort of
Jig upon the floor. Hanging was
evidently not a painful operation,
for she smiled contentedly and look
ed as if the red ribbon around her
neck was not uncOmfortably tight;
therefore, if slow sutfocatiOD suited
her, who else had any right to COM
plainf So a pleasing silence pre-
vailed, not even broken by n snore
from Dinah, the top of whose hood
alone was visible above the coverlet,
or a cry from baby Jane, though her
bare feet stuck out in way that
would have produced shrieks from a
less well trained infant.
Presently voices were heard APP
preaching, and through the arch
which led to side path came two
little girls, one carrying small
pitcher, the other proudly bearing "a
basket covered with napkin. They
looked like twins, but they were not,
for Bah was year Older than Betty,
though only an inch taller. Both of
them had on brown calico frUcks,
much the worse for weeks wear.
but clean pink pinafores, Ill honor OF
the occasion, made up for that, as
well as the gray stockings and heavy
boots. Both had round, rosy faces,
rather sunburnt, pug noses some
what freckled, merry blue eyes and
braided tails of hair hanging down
their backs like those OF the dear
little Kenwigses.
Don't they look sweet" cried
Bah, gazing with maternal pride Oh
the left hand row of dolls, who APP
propriately might have sung out in
chorus, :" We are seven"
"Very nice; but my Belinda beats
them all. do think that she is the
splendidcst child that ever was! y
And Betty sat down the basket to
run and embrace the suspended d;,r-
ling, just then throwing up her heels
with joyful abandon.
..fhe cake can be cooling while
we find the children. 1t does smell
perfectly delicious!" said Bah, lift
ing the napkin aud fondly regarding
the little round loaf that lay inside.
Leave some smell for me-" cried
Betty, rushing up to get her share OF
tine spicy fragrance.
The pug-noses shifted it up luxu-
riousIy, and the bright eyes Toasted
upon the loneliness of the cake, SO
brown and shiny, with atipsy b, for
Betty, staggering down one side, in
stead of sitting properly on top.
4
minute, and it baked 50 hard that
couldn't pull it OF. We can give
that piece to Belinda, 50 it's just AS
WE'LL" observed Betty, as her child
was queen of the revel.
Let's set them round, so they can
see, too,7 proposed Bah, going, with
u hop, skip and jump, to collect her
family.
Betty agreed, and for several min
utes both were absorbed in seating
their dolls about the table, for some
of the dear things were SO limp they
wouldn't sit up, and others SO stiff
they wouldn't sit down, and all sorts
of seats had to be cOntrived to suit
the peculiarities of their spines.
This tremendous task accomplished,
the fond mammas stepped back tn
enjoy the spectacle, which, | assure
you, was an impressive one. Miss
Belinda sat at the head with great
dignity, her hands genteelly holding
a pink cambria handkerchief in her
lap. Josephus, her cousin, took the
foot, elegantly arrayed in a new suit
OF purple and green gingham, with
his speaking cOuntenance much OBJ
secured by "a straw hat several sizes
too large for him, while on either
side sat guests of every size, COM
plexion and costume, producing q
very gay effect, Is all were dressed
with a noble disregard Of fashion,
Louisa NJ. Alcott, in st. Nicholas.
A little girl reading the History OF