Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-03-05
DTNAH'S DOLL.


- VI AghhOh SEVEN
Ia one of the courts in the salubrious re.
gion Of Seven Disls a group of ragged un-
kempt children we're happily engaged in
building grotto For the enlightenment OF
those who have never seen one of these curl
Gus structures, it is necessary to explain that
grotto is an artistic arrangement of oyster
shells, stones, bricks, bits of china and glass,
and anything else of an ornamental nature
that can be picked up in the streets. While
1t is in course of erection, the builders way
lay psssers by, and, holding out an oyster
shell, demand, "'Apenny for the grotter,
please ~ This particular grotto was very
hue one. A hollow space had been left un-
dernesth, in which, at dusk, FIRE was to be
lighted; and the feet was expected to be
splendid in the extreme. As the finishing
touches were being put, a cripple boy came
lmping toward the busy group, hugging
something in his arms.
Whats that, Tim = asked little girl
with pale face and melancholy brown eyes
"a doll, said Tim, showing bis treasure
1t was perfect wreck of a doll-wooden,
devoid of arms and legs, and with face that
had once been red aud white, but was now
of uniform yellowish -drab tint. No fea-
lures were discernible except two black dots
where eyes should have been, and these de-
fects gave the poor thing an air of blankness
and utter hopelessness.
How did you get it, Tim 2" asked the lit
tie girl, looking at it wistfully.
1T WAS give me in th'osptal," said Tim,
adding aRgravatingly, You never bad doll,
did you, Dinah p
mo, said Dlnah. II should like to have
that one Boys oughtn't to have dolls, Tim"
Tim clasped the shabby creature tighter,
and looked dehsntly at Dinah, as if daring
her to take it from him. But Dinah had set
her heart upon it and, little and pale and
thin as she was, Dinah had a way of getting
what she wanted.
Tim she said coaxingly, "Tll give you
this for it"
She drew from the pocket of her tattered
gown piece of steel chain, and held it up
before Tins eyes.
"Itl shine up beautiful :" she declared
Look at this bit where I've been a-rubbin'
it. You could wear it in your jacket. 1t I'D
look fine !"
Tins fancy was taken by the bit OF steel
and, fortunately for Dinah, stray sunbeam
just at that moment fell upon it, making il
glitter brightly. So the bargain was con-
cluded. Dlnah handed over the chain, re-
ceived the doll into her longing arms, and
hurried away to be alone with it, her inter
est in the grotto gone.
Dinah lived in Wells Court. According to
her aunt, she had no business to have come
ed her entrance, she must remain, and pay
the heavy penalties for her thoughtlessness-
neglect railing, taunts, and blows. 1t wGs
good thing for Dlnah's young mother and
father that they had been taken early out of
the world that had not been an easy or pleas
ant place to live in, but it was sad for the six
months old morsel of humanity to te left 10
struggle motherless out of babyhood into
childhood. Aunt Liza was a hard. featured,
I -
the news of her sisters death was brought
to her, she went at once, and fetched away
the orphaned baby and, if she did not ex-
actly take it to her heart, she took it to her
home, and treated it little worse than she
would have treated child of her own. Her
home was a room at the top of a atumble-down
| house in Wells Court, a bare and miserable
place enough, but twice as large as the gar
ret in which Dinsh had passed the first few
months OF her existence; and, moreover,
there was twice as wide strip of Ky to be
seen from the window. Dinah, however,
was not old enough to appreciate this advan-
tageous change in her circumstances. Aunt
Liza obtained her livelihood chiefly by max
| ing match boxes. At times, for seven or
| eight weeks together, she had regular EN-
| ploy ment at other times for as many weeks,
| she could get no work at all and, when this
was the state of affairs, poor little Dinah had
a bad time of it. But, like many another
child, she survived hardship and i'll l-treatment,
and, as soon as she was able to totter about
alone, was turned out into the court to make
one OF the colony of children who played
and quarreled, laughed and cried there, and
made themselves tolerably happy, in spite of
| their wretched surroundings. The acquisi-
| tion of the wooden doll was an epoch III Di.
nsh's existence, and brought about a mo-
mentous change in her relations toward Aunt
Liza. 1t is impossible to describe what the
battered old creature became to the child. 1t
rarely left her arms day or night, 1T was jeal-
ously guarded from harm, it had wealth of
tenderness layished upon it.
One autumn afternoon, the children of
Wells Court we're thrown into state of ex-
oitement by the arrival of a barrel-organ,
with a relocated monkey perched upon it.
| As the music was ground out the monkey
danced grotesquely and the children were
soon dancing too, to the merry jingle of
"Weel may the keel row." Some of the un-
| taught ragRmuffins danced with wonderful
grace and conspicuous among them was Di-
nah, her little figure arrayed in a scanty
| brown gown, her long black hair tumbling
over her bare shoulders. The doll had been
consigned to the care of the crippled Tim,
who in his secret heart was as tender over it
a. Dinah herself but, for fear of ridcue,
| he did not like to show his tenderness open
ly. Sometimes he felt that he had made a
poor exchange, though the steel chain did
''shine up beautiful" He wandered away
from the dancers now and gave the dolls
blank yellow face a covert kiss. Unhappiy,
the deed was witnessed by two great boys
who were ssunterinR by; and one of them,
having nothing better to do, snatched the doll
away, and ran OF with it, his companion fol-
lowing, both laughing loudly, and tn mixing
it huge joke.
"Give it to mel" screamed Tim, in an ag-
ony of dsmay. "Give it to me- you wicked
thisves!"
It was of no use, with his crippled foot, to
attempt pursuit He burst into tears, and
turned back to tell Dinsh what had happen
ed. But there was no need. Dinah had seen
it all. Missing Tim, she had stopped in the
nidst of wild jig, and had an1iously come
to look for him and the doll.
"I'll get it, Tim !" she cried, as she rushed
past him, With flaming cheeks and angry eyes.
"Tll make them give it to me !"
Crying Thief thief" at the top of her
voice, she few along the street, until po-
liceman caught her by the arm and stopped
her. At another time, she would have been
scared upon finding herself in the grasp of
this awful parsonage but now she looked
implcringly into his face, and painted out;
They've stolen my doll Lst me go,
! plaaaa I rnnat hava NV doll hack -