Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-20

How Some Dolls Broke the Law.
At William Hacketts dingy cramped quar-
teIs In London there were three very busy PEG
pie. These were Mrs. Hackett, Miss HackeEt
and Master Hackett. They were working up
stairs in an attic room, sitting about q table on
which were dolls, doll-heads and doll bodies. All
about the room were boxes OF dolls undreSSed.
except for those inevitable little paper cambria
slips " hich seem to embody the only inaliena-
bic right dolls have In this world.
Were the HackettS-MrS., Miss and Master
dressing dolls to help out belated Santa Claus.
No. We're they making dolls? Again. no. They
were unmaking the creatures.
they were ripped open about where their claw
cles would have been IL the dOll-makerS hadn't
lett clayicles out OF the darlingS. When they
were were an ripped and gaping in ghastly way
what would have been their vital organs II IL
hadn't been sawdust. Then the heads and
not, however, with oysters or curry force-meat,
but with costly laces-laceS hit to adorn a
duchess.
MIR. william Hackett was going to emigrate to
America he was going to open toy-ShOp in
the United States, and make his fortune. He
had put his means, the gatherings and savings
OF ahirty years OF work and economy, into fine
laces.
When the Custom House officials boarded the
Incoming steamer, Mr.. Hackett, without heSita-
ton, reported his dolls and toys and stood by
While his wares were ruIamaged so roughly that
Master Hackett, also standing by, thought thai
some OF the doll heads must surely burst open
and let out their secrets. But the Investigation
ended without any cracked skulls; duty was
paid On the dolls, while the laces passed in
nee.
The Hacketts, in good humor took rooms and
again the dolls were beheaded, disemboweled
and reconstructed. The laceS were worked over
and carCed; toy shop was opened, and Master
Hackett instead Of going off to fight the Indians
and to get scalped, was set to keep it, while Miss
Hackett presided over the lace shop. You and
know why her laces could be sold at low prices
low prices being quick sales-thuS Mr.. HackeJt
soon found himself back In London ready to
bring out another lot of immigrated dolls, to
find homes In little Yankee girls hearts, In the
meantime, some things had happened-among
many a little girl was left doll-less and many
boy tOpless. All over the country, from New
England and New York and Ohio, and the great
Northwest and the Pacific coast, while mammas
were boiling and baking, and packing boxes OF
clothing for the burned-out folks, and papas
were giving their checks freely, the dear little
boys and girls were getting tops and dressing
dollies to comfort the burned-out children.
And Santa Claus, you must know, was one of
the heaviest sufferers from the great fire. Thou
sands and thousands of his Christmas toys were
around, the children in the land stood by their
blessed old saint and friend. Many Christmas
box they sent to Chicago for this and that
burned out Sunday-schoo And SO 1t came that
there was Christmas tree for a certain Pres
byterian Sunday school In Chicago, all Of whose
gifts had been sent by children OF nobody KNEW
Mhat-places; that is to say, nobohy knew by the
time the articles had reached the tree.
Among other things on this certain tree was
wonderful dolly, in marvellous dress OF pink
gauZe.
stop crying about my burned-up dolly
why don't you pray to get it," said Patsy
Clark, 1--WE been praying for that picture book
up there ever since l first saw It,"
.tWell WILL" said little Josie.
She put her hands to her eyes, and looking
through her fingers to keep the coveted dolly 10
sight, she said:
NOW lay me down to sleep,
Ipray the Lord my soul to keep;
II should die before wake"
is that the right way? Il pray thee'-Santa
Claus has looked it down." she cried.
A lady had just whispered to Santa Claus.
He was looking straight into Josie's eager
face.
This beautiful doll, " he said, sis for the good
little girl, Josie Hawley."
oh, where was the little girl who had sent
that pretty doll? She ought to have been there
to see Josie's radiant, happy face, as two eager
were aas ,n e out Z receive the beauty
ley was thinking, In responding mood, of her
ruined fortunes, when Josie ran into the room,
crying:
all to pieces in the baf-tub."
'Why, Josie, what have you been doing?" said
mamma Fastening to the bathroom.
- giyed her BAT; her wanted BAT so bad"
said Josie.
There in and on the booraing deep, with
cataract roaring from the open faucet, was the
beautiful dolly, all unpasted. One fair foot and
the fairer head had gone to the bottom of the
tub. The beautiful unglued curls were floating
in a tangled mass on the restless waves.
"And what is this ?" said mamma. as having
rescued the other parts, her hand plunged and
brought up the head. Dripping honiton lace
was hanging from 1t. Ibid anybody ever!"
continued mamma, pulling at the lace, and
drawing out yard after yard.
Further investigation followed; dolly was dis
marvellous anatomical
was revealed. You see how it was, do you not?
1t was one of the Hackett dolls which, by mis-
tt Ike, did not get its lace taken out on its arrival
in America.
OF course, the matter couldn't be kept out of
the papers; it was published far and wide. l
presume you read an account of 1t. Some Gus
tom house officers did, and the Jackets did not.
They took London paper, setting 1t down that
American newspapers were sensational and I'M
reliable. The custom house folks had their ex-
PLANTATION about the lace-stuffed doll; the lace
their memories tablets, beware of dolls l' Mr.
Hackett was coming on a second venture while
this inscription was fresh on the tablets.
When his dolls were exposed for inspection,
the investigator took one In his hand. 1t was q
beautiful creature with long Saxon curls, black
eyes, bright cheeks and rosebud mouth
There is surely not little girl In all the world
who could have looked at it without q flutter
What do you think that hard-hearted officer did?
He took the head In his right hand, the bright
face against his great PALM while the left
SlaSpeu Inc earring just Over Une llttlo leart, II
there had been heart in Its body. He laid the
neck across the b0x's edge and broke the pretty
head off. so that 1t would have bothered Master
EackeJt, expert that he was, to reconstruct that
doll
Doubtless there never was another lot of dolls
that paid higher fee than Mr.. Hackett's for
admission into our country.-IIS. Nicholas.
Signs and POrtents.
When the crescent OF the young moon rests
supinely, It's horns in air, 1t is a sign Of dry
weather, because in this position it holds all the
water, thus preventing its fall to the earth.
This is also sign OF wet weather, the eXplana-
ton in this case being that a waterful moon is
emblematic OF water-Soaked earth. Don't
forget this sign of the new moon. 1t Is rarely
you VIII md one SO mpartially accommodating.
ally liar. 1t is so much easier to detach one
leaf from f1ve-leaved stalk than to hunt for one
with four that the temptation to mendacity Is
too much for average clay.
When mouse gnawS q hole In O gown some