The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-10-08

How Some Dolls Broke the Law.
At William Hacketts dingy, cramped
quarters in London there were three
very busy people. These were Mrs.
Hackett, Miss Hackett, and Master
Hackett. They were working upstairs
in an attic room, sitting about table on
which there were dolls, doll-heads, doll
bodies. All about the room were boxes
of dolls, undressed except for those in
seem to embody the only inalienable
right that dolls have in this world.
Were the Hacketts-Mrs., Miss and
Master-dressing dolls to help out be-
lated Santa Claus? No. We're they
making dons? Again, no. They were
unmaxing the creatures.
First, the lovely dears were beheaded.
Then they were ripped open about
where their clavicles would have been if
the doll-makers hadn't left the clavicles
out of the darlings. When they were
all ripped, and gaping m a CHASTITY way
from shoulder TO shoulder, they were
emptied of what would have been ;lleir
vital organs if it hadn't been sawdust.
Then the heads and bodies were stuffed
hike Thanksgiving turkey, not, however,
with oysters or curry force-meat, but
with costly laces-laces fit to adorn a
Duchess.
Mr.. William Hackett was going to
emigrate to America He was going to
open toy shop and a lace shop in the
United States, and make his fortune
He had put his means, the gatherings
and savings of thirty years of work aud
economy, into fine laces.
When the Custom House officials
boarded the incoming steamer, Mr..
Hackett, without hesitation, reported his
dolls and toys, and stood by while his
wares were rummaged so roughly that
Master Hackett, also standing by,
thought that 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 free.
The Hacketts, in good humor, took
rooms, and again the dolls were behead-
ed, disemboweled, and reconstructed.
The laces were worked over and carded I;
toy-shop was opened, and Master
Indians and to ret 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 bring quick sales-thus Mr..
Haclzett soon found himself back in
London, ready to bring out another
lotof immiGautdolls to find homes in lit
tie Yankee girls hearts. In the meantime
some things had appened-among 9TH
ers. the Chicago fire. BY this, many
and many little girl was left doll-less,
and many n boy top-less. All over the
country, from New England, and New
York, and Ohio, and the great North
west, and the Pacific coast, while man.
mas were boiling, and baking, and pack
iDg boxes of clothing fer the burnt-out
folks, and papas were giving their
checks freely, the dear little boys and
girls were getting tops and dressing dol
lies to comfort the burnt-out children.
And Santa Claus, you must know, was
one of the heaviest sufferers from the
great fire. Thousands and thousands
OF his Christmas toys were DESTROYED
But when the great holiday came 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 burnt-out Sunday school.
And so it came that there was a Christ
mas-tree for a certain Presbyterian Sun
day school in Chicago, all of whose
gifts had been sent by children of no
body-knew-what places that is to say
nobody knew by the time the articles
had reached the tree.
Among other things on this certain
tree was wonderful dolly, in a marvel
tNus dress of pink gauze.
eff 1 could have that" said Josie
Hawley, "rd stop crying about my
burnt-up dolly"
"Why don't ven pray to get it ?" SAID
Patsy Clark. I've been praying fol
that picture-book up there ever since
first saw it,
"Well, I viii, said little Josie.
She put her hands up to her eyes
and, looking through hei fingers to keeI
the coveted dolly in sight, she said
Snow Inv me down 10 sleep,
j pray the Lord my soul tn keep;
If an aid die before wake
els that the ripht way? Il pra,
fhe - Santa Claus has looked i
down ~ she cried.
A lady he'd Just whispered to Santi
Clans. He was looking straight int
.Josies eager face.
"This beautiful doll" he said, "i
for the good little girl, Josie Hawley."
Oh where was Che little girl who ba1
sent that pretty doll She ought b
have been there TO see Josie's radiant
happy face, as two eager arms wor
reached ont to receive the beauty.
One day, in the following January