Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-01-03

girl, and the elegant lady chose hide
ous Japanese doll, which had always
been the laughing stock of the shop.
Its so quaint" she said there really
is some character in that!
The pink doll heard her, and nearly
gnashed her teeth with rage
She was tied up in brown paper
parcel, and put head first into the gen
tlemans great coat pocket.
There was situation for young lady
Jack-in- the box was chosen too, that
be might comfort little Roger whose
birthday it was not.
81 am a most wonderful pocket,
said the lining of the coat, beginning to
talk; Il always have a surprise in me
for the young ones. / have heen stdfted
full of oranges. before now. Shall l tell
you about the parcel of cakes that once
lived here-all sisters with round faces
just alike?"
mo, thank you; don't want to hear
any of your vulgar stories" answered
1.-THE doll.
"Oh, 1 could tell you nicer things
than that" went on the pocket; would
MT you like to hear about the fairy-book
who lived here, and who told me all his
tales or about the sailor child who
jumped about and pretended he was at
sea? L can tell you, get amusement
ont of what / see of the world"
"The world" said the doll; "much he
sees of the world in this dark shining
llningw
But this she said to herself, for you
must understand that she was much too
cross and sulky to speak aloud.
The Jack-in-the-box heard all the
tales, and he stored them up to tell
again.
At last they got home to the house, and
this is where my story really should
have begun.
Dorothy's birthday was being carried
out in state.
All her presents were spread out upon
the table-the dolls chair, and peram-
bulator, and cradle, all were there, and
everything was ready for the doll pap
was so bring.
But what a disappointment it was
when the doll was found to care for
none of these hings, to fit into nothin z,
not to bend in the leastl
Jack in-the-box did all he could-he
sprang in and out of his box to make
the children laugh.
But Dorothy was so disappointed, in
fact, she almost cried.
She had blue eyes, had Dorothy, and
shock of aburn hair.
She had pretty dimple in her face
when she laughed, and a pleasant old
| fashioned way about her, although she
was only five.
Most people think would have liked
Dorothy, and she looked like girl who
was fond of dolls.
Yet dolly could not fancy her, be-
cause she had patch at the elbow of
her very worn blue frock.
Tea time at last, and the dolls were
to have feast.
A little dolls tea set was spread out;
at the top of the table was tiny soup
tureen full of custard, and the dishes
were full of chocolate creams, apples
cut up into quarters, aRd mixture of
jam and milk. 1t was a beautiful
feastl
There were something like seventeen
courses.
All the little children sat round and
enjoyed it, and each one had doll on
her knee.
Some of the dolls were old. and their
clothes were good deal too small for
them, but both the children and they
were as merry as merry could be,
"Al this is very common" said the
new doll, turning up her nose; 81 shall
not join this least"
And sure enough, when she was
brought to the table she stuck out as
stiff as post, and Grst leaned back in
her chair looking like positive martyr,
and then suddenly tipped over. unable
to keep up that uncomfortable position
very long, and fell right over into the
soup tureen of custard.
This was toe much for Dorothy.
Dolly had been trying enough before,
but now this last act of ill temper spoilt
ALL
The custard was upset all over the
cloth, and the appearance of the feast
was quite gone.
Dorothy fairly gave way, and did a
thing unheard of in the annals of the
Vernon family-burst into tears on her
birthday.
The childred were all alarmed. Even
Toddie the youngest was shocked.
He said, looking round at the other
children.
"DollOthyS klylng!,
What would have been the end of that
party do not know, only the door open
ed and the household fairy came in-l
mean the dear good aunt, who always
made everything right.
what is the matter?" she said, "cry-
ing on birthday? why, such a thing
was never heard off,
"Oh, auntieP' cried Dorothy, "itS the
dolly! sue is so disagreeable, she won't
do anything she's told. She tumbles off
her chair, and she's too big for her era
die, and altogether she's as obstinate as
she can be-"
LET me see her." said her aunt; "ah,
yes, she is very stiff ! She ought to be
called Sophonisba if she holds herself
like that"
"Whatever is the matter with her
oh yes, see; she has got ever so much
bran inside herl
'She is stuffed so dreadfully tight, and
that is what makes your dolly so very
stiff"
Then auntie sat down, with her neat
little work things, all the children
watching her, and clip, clip, went the
bright scissors. and the filling was let
out at the elbows and knees, and then a
few firm stitches made all right again,
and dolly could bend about as much as
you please.
She could not be stiff any more.
She could curl round comfortably in
her cradle, she could drive out in the
and take the air, she could |
sit up to the table and be sociable with
the other dolls; there was no end to the