The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-30
MILLY' S BOX

1t suddenly became the fashion among
to take their paper dolls to school. All,
with one exception, appeared regularly
every morning with a bag OF books on
one arm and box of paper dolls under
woman with great many short curls and
a pair of keen, black eyes, who kept
small stationery store i'll the village,
found it necessary to make large and fire.
quent additions to her paper doll stock,
SO great became the demand. Little
Milly Harrison never had any pennies to
spend, and, Of course, never went into
Miss Banning's store, She fingered at
the window sometimes when passing by,
but, if she CHANGED to see any one she
knew, always hurried away as fast as her
feet could carry her.
The children of Violet Hill school did
not have much to do with Milly. She
was such shy little thing, and seemed
so terribly conscious of the scantiness Of
her skirts and the shabbiness of her
shoes tina, she was left very much to her
self.
At recess and at noon, she would sit
under a big butternut tree which stood
by itself at some distance from the school
house, and watch the other little girls
open their paper doll boxes; but she
never spoke to them or asked to be allow
ed nearer view. She knew every one
of the dolls by name, however, as we'll as
their owners did; and her eyes would
shine and her cheeks flush with delight
whenever she saw new one.
One day just after the scholars had been
called in from recess, it began TO rain.
G eat drops dashed against the windows;
and the thunder was so loud and pro-
longed that some of the smaller girls hid
their faces on their desks and cried.
In the midst of il Milly started up from
her seat. Her cheeks were pale and she
was trembling all over.
80 Maud" she cried, turning to lit
tie girl in the seat behind her, and for
getting her shyness in the great excite
ment which possessed her, "your dollsl
Your lovely dolls! You left them out in
the fence corner by the old peach tree. y
Never mind! 1 can't help it now"
said Maud. "Oh, just hear thatl" as a
terrific peal of thunder resounded through
che heavens.
Milly was as much afraid Of thunder
and lightning as any one, but she did
not stop to think of that now. AS Maud
ceased speaking, she darted from her
seat and had rushed down the aisle and
was out in the storm before any one real
lied her intention.
She was back again within two min
utes, breathless, and soaked to the skin;
but she had brought the dolls.
aim afraid 1 was little too late, u
she stammered, as she laid them on
Maud's desk; but went as fast as
could. I'm SO sorry L didn't think of
them before"
Maud gave one look at the dolls and
then swept them to the floor.
"Fhey're all spoiled" she said fret
fully. 81 don't want them now" And
she began to cry.
"Don't cry" said Annie Day. "You
know your mamma will give you money
to buy more, and you can have all new
ones" And, comforted by this thought
Maud dried her tears and fretted no more
over her loss.
The teacher dismissed the school as
soon as the storm was over, and told
Milly, who was shivering with cold, tC
run home at once. But for some reason
Of which she did not speak, the child did
not obey the injunction. She fingered
in the coat and hat closet until nearly
every one had left the building; and when
she ran out at last she carried something
wrapped up in one corner of her little
failed shawl.
The next morning she, too, appeared al
school with a box, which she put in hel
desk with the most loving care.
Il wonder if she has really bought
some paper dolls at last" said Maud