St. Landry democrat., 1885-11-14
YOUTHS DEPARTMENT.
n FAIRY.
The Wonderful Transformation Which
Came to Emma AIMS Doll Babies.

1880
thought she had every reason to feel
that fate was treating her very cruelty
for a misstep on the stairs when going
down to breakfast the day before had
resulted in a sprained ankle, and OF
course she couldn't go to the Grove
Hill picnic. The doctor had said that
she must lie still for several days, and
that it might be aweek before she could
30 about again as usual.
Il don't know how | am going to get
through this day." she said to her
mother. 'Ive read everything in the
house that's at all interesting, and I
don't feel like working on my embroid-
cry"
II would sit with you if | could spare
the time,' y said her mother, ''but | must
preserve those cherries 1 bought yester-
iay. 1t won't do to keep them any
longer. You'll have to amuse yourself
as best YOU a until | am through
She left the room, and Milly lag back
on her cushions and tried to imagine
what was going on at Grove Hill:
"Oh, / WiSb [ could have gone"
sighed poor Milly, and the tears were
beginning to gather in her eyes again,
when the sound of Emma AIMS sing
ing gave a new direction to her
thoughts.
Emma Ann was a little black girl who
lived close by. Her mother went out
by the day to wash and iron, and Emma
Ann minded the house, a little di-
lapidated wooden building very much
in need of paint and q new chimney.
Emma AIMS voice was shrill, and by
40 means pleasing. She was singing
"Over Jordan" to her family of
dolls, who were being arrayed for the
day in the garments they had cast
aside OH retiring to bed the previous
night, and she gave them the benefit
of all the voice she had. There were
six dolls, all more or less damaged by
wear and tear, and a crooked-neck
squash with a piece Of calico about it,
which always occupied a remote
orner, and acted the part of q servant.
Emma Ann was very attentive and con-
siderate with the dolls, but the poor
SQUASH was treated with no ceremony
whatever.
Milly had never taken any interest
in the little black girl, and now, feel
ing cross and disappointed, she allowed
herself to become irritated by the shrill
melody.
"TYe half a mind to call to her to
stop she thought, angrily; but be-
fore she had time to do so, Emma Ann
stopped suddenly of her own accord.
Miuy sat up and looked out of the
window. Emma Ann had put the dolls
in a row, and taken from the rustic
seat a dilapidated book in which she
was evidently searching for something.
She was a funny-looking little girl,
with a very black face. and a wide
mouth. Her hair, tightly braided,
stood out in stiff little horns all over
her head, and her dress was one which
had once belonged to her mother, who
weighed nearly two hundred pounds.
The skirt had been cut off until it fell
only to Emma AIMS knees, and the
sleeves were turned up to her shout,
ders, but the waist was as large as
ever, and hung in folds about the small
figure. The mother promised regular
" every morning that she would ''fz
over dat dere body when she done
found time but Emma Ann feared,
with good reason, that the time would
never be found.
"Such dolls!" thought Milly, mental.
~ comparing the members of Emma
AIMS household to the wax beauties
which had amused her own childhood.
sand the clothes look as if Emma AnI
had made them herself, which was, II
truth, the case.
"Now Tse ready to read ter yo','
said the little black girl, addressing heI
family in the most afectionate. tones
''Dere's a heap mo- OBJ dat book I was
readin' ter yo' yistiddy. Heah's Ok
place | lef' of. Now pay 'tention N
doan let me hear no fussin
She bent over the book SO closely
that the little horns on her head almos
touched it, and began to read slowly
and laboriously, spelling out faithfully
every word of more than four letters.
"'How can I go the palace il
those rags" said Olga. The fair!
waved her magic wand, the rags fel
rom-Olga-and-she stood rob-ed il
gold and--blue-a silver gir-dle abou
her waist
At this point the reader paused, AMI
fived her eyes with cold severity on ont
of the dolls.
What's dat yo's saying ter yo's sis
ter, Maud Eveline? Doan go ter givin
her no foolish notions bout her c1o'es
Dey's all yo' po' nanny kin buy TO
yo', an yo' oughter be glad yo' dom
got any tall. But eff dat fairy we
been readin' bout would jess come
long heah, some day, / reckon we'd a.
de loan OBJ dat wan TO- few minutes
Milly couldn't help laughing on
loud; but Emma Ann didn't hear her
SO deeply was she absorbed in her fam
lily.
Nov, Use got ter go ter carry