Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-05-29

mOlncf Ol nef dOll. she IaNlsue0 upon
it all the love that she formerly had
for her mother. She was unwilling to
be separated from it even at night, and
the poor little brain had conceived a
singular idea-it was that she was not
sick, but that it was the doll, her dear
Mini"
She has coughed all night" she
would say to Mother Gerard when she
had passed a restless night herself.
"You suffer, my dear Mini, but | will
cure you. We will cure her, nurse,
will we notp How feeble her voice is, :"
she would add in listening to the weak
SOUND wnlcn the doll made, because
the pressure upon the spring grew
weaker as the little hands grew thin
ner.
Hour by hour she would tell her own
suffering but always attributing them
to the doll At times she would yield
to an indefinite despair. She did not
know what death meant, but she would
cry out with indescribable anguish:
NO, do not want you to die, even to
90 TO heaven"
She never spoke Of her mother to the
nurse, but sometimes when she thought
herself alone they would hear her muir
muir to her doll, "If mamma would
come back Mini would be well"
In the village the arrival of the talk
ing doll had produced a great seusa-
ton. All the children wished to see
it, and Sunday most of the little girls
came to admire the marvellous toy.
TO 20 to see the little girl from Paris
and hear her doll talk had become a
sort Of fete and then, Mini was 50
sweet, so caressing to all who showed
friendship for her or who loved her
doll that she had become the idol Of the
whole village.
The vicar came to relate to her beau
tiful stories Of heaven. where lived a
mamma marvelousIy beautiful and
adorably good.
Tie good sister who had charge of
the village school brought her little
images Of saints and angels.
One Of Minis greatest pleasures was
to see all little friends come with their
dols-dolls of wood, dolls of card
board Of rags; but she thought them
all charming and talked to thom "a
the most delightful manner and as il
they could understand her and replied
to her.
The 18th Of August was the dolls
birthday, and all the little girls came
with their dolls and brought the dol
Mini a bouquet. aud one also for the
real Mini What merry day it was
for them ALL
The bed was covered with flowers,
and the doll was so happy that she said
again aud again Mammal!
Alasi the care of Mother Gerard tho
love and caresses of all, the healthful
air of the country had been able only
to prolong the days OF the little suffer
er, but altogether were not able to cure
her.
They began to count the weeks,
then TIE days, that she could be with
thcm
she is very i'll, mammals Mini" she
said, earcssing the doll. She suffers
greatly there added she, touching the
dolls chest.
One evening she sat up suddenly,
seized her doll in both arms, looked at
it with yearning, shining eyes, and
tried to press the spring. Tie sound
came fcebly, aud weakly arh2ulatod
Mammal
The child repeated Mamma, with
voice still more feeble aud fell back
on her pillow, but still clasping her
doll
She was dead.
And, singular as it may seem, the
spring in the doll was broken aud the
doll, too, was dead
Duringall the next day the two Minis.
the two little dead bodies, were left
with uncovered faces, surrounded with
the last flowers of autumn, white and
yellow, mingled with branches of red
leaves.
When they dressed little Mini for the
last time they found they would have
TO use much force TO take the doh from
her grasp. Mother Gerard would not
permit il. She kissed the child once
more, and without trying to account
for the strange impulse she kissed the
doll also. Both were put into the COT
fin with all that beionged to them
dresses and bonnets, little shoes and
stockings, and playthings of all sorts.
Then upon the bier. carried by the
strongest little girls Of the village
alas twas not very heavy they put
all the flowers they could Gnd and IL
was tine strongest funeral that one could
imagine All the little girls OF the
school marched behind, two by two,
holding their dolls, and on the way
they were joined 10y others, and each
new arrival had her doll. Those who
had two dolls gave one to those who
had none An the dolls were dressed
i'm their finest clothes
When they arrived ut the cemetery
tine children formed a circle around
The grave, with their dolls i'm their
arms, and listened to tho last prayer
for poor Mini. Among the children
who had come 10 bid q last farewell to
their little friend and the talking doll
for they regretted The wonderful doll
quite rs muea as they did Niui there
was one who had been particular iay-
orite of thclitIe invalid.
twas sighy lttle cripple, nearly
her own age, with q sorroVlul, pale
face Shc almost a5orod The dolL and
when Nul permitted her TO rock it she