The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1888-11-10
A FASHIONABLE DOLL.


Whatever in the world can be the
matter with Flossie, Myrtle" said little
Daisy Walters, despairingly, as she
sat on the back piazza with her chubby
legs hanging over the edge. She
wagged them back and forth, knock
ing her heels until her mother called
out in a nervous tone, eff you don't
stop making that noise, Daisy, shall
go wild.
Daisy stopped, but her little red lips
puckered up, and she had a wee cry,
all alone. Il was too hard to be spoken
to like that, for she loved her mother
dearly, and wouldn't have made her
wild for anything. Presently, how
ever, she thought about her doll again,
and stopped crying z wonder, " she
said again, what can be the matter
with Flossie2"
There didn't seem, to any ordinary
observer, to be anything the matter
with the little one, but Q mothers eye
is not easily deceived. There was
discontented look ON the tiny face,
evident enough after keen scrutiny,
and Daisy had noticed for two days
that Flossie had neglected her meals
and had taken no interest in hkr after
noon toilet.
It was no wonder Daisy was per-
picked. There wasn't another doll in
the whole village that wcs IS well
cared for o. lived as luxufiously as
Flossie. Daisy's big brother Led built
her a complete house, cutting all the
pieces out with his scroll saw and fast
ening t'aenl securely togotl2c.', end the
entire Walters family had combined
in furnishing it as handsomely as the
most exacting doll could wish-at
least Daisy thought so. And the ward
robe that doll had 1t Yves certainly
moro c,1tcneive, so far as the number
of dresses went, than Daisy's own.
Flossie wass no baby 1t was tra-
had been brought from England many
years ago for Daisy's grandmother,
when that good old lady wa5 8 little
girl, and because they ra9eia dolls well
IN those days, and because good New
England people keep their dolls from
one generation to another, Flossie was
still il good order and was Just as
precious as ever. Today, however,
Flossie y7as certainly not like herself.
She siill1cd all the Afternoon, and,
although Daisy took her to the table at
the early tea and filled her plate with
the daintiest morsels there were, she
never once smiled at her little mother,
and when she was put safely to bed
and kissed good night as usual her lips
never moved, nor did she answer even
when Daisy asked if there was any
thing more that could be done for her.
She slept in a beautiful little crib close
beside her mothers trundle bed, and
was covered over with a sillen crazy
quilt that was the very first piece of
real sewing that Daisy ever did She
was usually sound sleeper, and so it
was with considerable surprise, as well
as alarm, that Daisy heard her.
What is it, my darling2 Tell
your own mamma what the matter
is" exclaimed the anxious mother,
jumping out of her own bed and pick
ing the little one up. Is one of 90
Tickle tootsies tummin' froo?p This
she said because it occurred to her
that her darling might be teething,
and she knew that was not only pain
full, but sometimes a little dangerous.
Flossie had never talked before. She
had never even been taught to say
papa" and mamma" as well edu-
Gated dolls always do nowadays; 50 it
was with considerable more surprise
that Daisy heard he talk this time
4 amt bit happy, " she said petu-
lantly. vYou don't do half as much
for me as you ought to, and now it's
coming on for Thanksgiving and the
holidays, and I want so many things y
Daisy almost let her fall Why,
Flossie Myrtle" she said in blank
amazement. ''Why, Flossie Myrtle
Walters, you ungrateful child I'm
sure there never was anybody that
tried harder to be a good mother than
do, and I'm sure i never knew a
dolie that has SO many things as you
have
That's because you never trav-
eled," said wicked Flossie, pouting
until her naturally pretty mouth
looked almost home1y. II had a let
ter from my cousin, Alice Hatherton,
in New York, last week and the things
she told me about that she is going to
have after she is married fairly make
me sick
Married. A doll going to get mar
riedl" gasped Daisy.
Why, certainly said Flossie,
scornfully. How old fashioned you
are. Don't you suppose that in these
modern days dolls grow up and get
married to gentlemen dolls, and go to
housekeeping, and have families, and
keep servants2 Oh it is enough to
make any poor country doll sick with
vexation to hear about such things
and not be able to have any of them
or even to see them"
Perhaps you do not know" said
Flossie Myrtle, breaking of suddenly,
how many kinds of dolls there arc IN
the world and how much has been
done toward improving the social con-
dition of dolls Of the first class.
Indeed | do not, said Daisy, earn
estly. DO your
II know something about Il, said
Tlcssie, though I suppose that living
IN tho country, as we do. am not
thoroughly well posted. I suppose
even you know that there are many
dolls that say papa and mamma and
CRY and shut their eyes, like Nelly Bly,,
when they go to sleep2n
Why, of course know that, said
Daisy. very indignantly. sEvery
little girl knows that # I hadn't
loved you so well I would have had
one Of those long ago, and you are an
ungrateful little thing to talk SO tOl
4rS,47., S.,x,+l la, 35s