The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-11-14

IL wv IL Blu NlANh dlOAhs III hOA
excitement 1T will be the best kind
of fun"
She rang bell on table near her,
and when the servant appeared, as
tonished her very much by asking her
to 90 over to the summer-house and
bring away all Emma AIMS dolls.
Il want to take their measures for
some new clothes, Jane" she said, as
the girl hesitated, land you mustn't
say word about it to Emma Ann.
Jane was interested at once, and in
less than three minutes Emma AIMS
treasured family lay in Milly's lap.
Such clothes as they had on! One
dress was of bed ticking, another of
piece of coarse bagging; ragged dish
towel did duty as shawl, and piece
of an old sheet was all that covered
| big rubber doll minus an arm and
nose. One young lady was tittingly at
tired for warm weather in a costume
consisting of faded green gauze veil.
There was plenty of time to take all
necessary measurements and restore
the dolls to their places in the summer
house before Emma Ann returned, and
she saw no reason to suspect that they
had all been on a journey during her
absence.
Milly found in the "bundle drawer"
all the pretty silk, satin and muslin
pieces she wanted, and her mother con-
tributed some morocco for shoes and
several yards of narrow lace.
How Milly sewed that afternoon!
She had frequently dressed dolls for
fairs, and understood the work thor
oughly. She found sashes in her rib
bon-box, and ripped to pieces an old
straw bonnet to make little hats. The
first dress she made was of blue gauze,
and she took from her box of embroid-
cry materials enough silver braid an
inch wide for girdle. The time
passed so rapidly, now that she was in
terested and busy, that it was seven
o'clock before she was aware of it and
half the picnic party passed by before
she had given even one thought to their
return.
Half dozen girls came in to see her
the next morning to tell her OF the
events of the previous day, and were
very much surprised to find her SC
cheerful and busy.
But their surprise ceased when she
told them what she was doing for EN-
ma Ann.
Of course they were interested at
once, and very naturally they wanted
to help, SO as to have a right to share
in the little black girls pleasure. And
so, in less than half an hour there were
seven pairs of busy hands instead of
only one.
Milly's mother gave the whole party
nice lunch at one o'clock, but there
was very little time spent over it, so
anxious were the girls to get at their
work again. And so untiring was their
industry that by five o'clock every one
of Emma AIMS dolls was provided
with complete outfit
Emma Ann, unconscious that there
: were fairies working for her, was giving
her family a meager supper before put
ting them to bed.
"How are we going to get her away
from them?" asked Dolly Prentiss, anX-
iously. Il am just crazy to hear what
she'll say when she sees them all
dressed up"
"Suppose have Jane send her on
an errand to the store?" said Milly's
, mother. "She is an obliging little
, thing, and is always ready to run on er-
rands for any one.
The girls agreed that this was very
bright idea, and they had the satisfac-
ton presently of seeing little Emma
/ Ann go out of the gate and down the
J street. clutchng tightly in one hand
the memoranda Jane had given her for
l the grocer
She had scarcely turned the corner
before Dolly was over the hedge and in
the summer-house, gathering the dolls
: in her arms
Hurry! hurry! hurry!' she cried, as
5 she entered the sitting-room again, all
@ out OF breath, and flushed with excite
ment there's no time to lose"
There was great anxiety for fear the
Y dolls would not be dressed and in their
t places again before Emma Ann re-
Y turned, but this was needless, for she
Y was absent nearly half an hour.
She gave Jane the art Giles she had
n brought, and then turned her steps at
Y once toward the summcr-house, evil
IL IDENTITY intending to complete the task
n of putting her family to bed,
1t The girls, peeping through the Stats
of the sitting-roOm window blinds, saw
d her pause on the steps, and raise both
e hands in astonishmenL
"De lan's sakes" she calculated, and
s. too much surprised to stand, fell in a
/ little heap on the summer-house floor.
5. When she had recovered little, she
, carefully examined each doll in turn,
le her face expressing the liveliest salts
s faction and curiosity, Then suddenly
le she sprang to her feet and went spin
* ming around like a little teetotum.
" ''De fairy! dat's it! | was wishin
1T she come along heah, an she's done
r, come while Use away. De Ian! da
u muster been a pow'ful fine wan ter pu
sech cloes on my chillenSn'
y She laughed, sapg and danced in tn,
o. widest excitement, then, breathless
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