The morning call., 1892-03-19

doll had produced great sensation. All the
children wished to see il, and Sunday most
of the little girls came 10 admire the marvel
Gus toy.
To 60 TO see the little girl from Paris and
hear her doll talk had become sort OF fete,
and then Mini was so sweet, 50 caressing to
all who showed friendship for her or VINO
loved her doh that she had become the Idol
Of the whole village.
The vicar came to relate to her beautiful
stories Of heaven, where there lived a
mamma margelously beautiful and ador-
ably good.
The 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 dOlls-dolls
of wood, of cardboard, of rags; but she
thought them NIL charming, aud talked TO
them in the most delightful manner, ana as
if they could understand her. and replied 10
her.
The 18th OF August was the dolls birth
day. and all the little girls came with their
dolls and brought tile doll Mini bouquet
and one for the real Mini What a merry
day it was for them all
The bed was covered with flowers, and
the doll was so happy that she said again
and again, Mamma
Alas. the care of Mother Gerard, the love
and caTesses Of all, the healthful air of the
country had been able only to prolong the
were not able 10 cure her.
They began 10 count the weeks, then the
days that she could be with them.
''She is very i'll. mammals Mini" she
said, caressing the doll. ''She suffers
greatly there" she said, 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. The sound came feebly aud
weakly artculated, Mammal"
The chid repeated Mamma" with
voice still more feeble, and fell back on her
pillow, but stu ciasping her doll.
She was dead.
And singular as it may seem, the spring in
the doll was broken; the doll, too, was
dead
During all the next day the two Minis the
two little dead bodies, were left with uncov-
cred faces, surrounded with the last flowers
Of autumn, hite and yellow, mingled with
branches of red leaves.
When they dressed little Mini for the last
time they found that they would have 10 use
much force to take the doh from her grasp.
Mother Gerard would not permit it. 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 coffin with all that belonged to them
dresses and bOnnets, little shoes and stock
lngS, and plaYthlngS OF all sorts.
Then upOn the bier, cpred by the
strongest liltle girls of the village-aias! 1t
was not very heavy-theV put all the
flowers they could find and il WIS the
strangest funeral that one could imagine
All tie little girls of the school marched b.
hind, two by two, holding their dolls; and
on the way they were joined by others, and
each new arrival had her doll. Those VINO
had two dolls gave one to those who had
none. All the dolls were dressed in their
finest clothes.
When they arrived at the cemetery the
children formed circle around tie grave,
with their dolls in their arms. ana listened
to the last prayer for poor Mini. Among
the children who had come to bid a last
farewell TO their little friend and tie talk
iDg-doll- fer they regretted the wonderful
doll quite as much as they did Nni--there
was one who bad been particular fayorite
Of the little invalid.
1t was a sickly little cripple, nearly her
own age, with a sorr0wful. pale lace. She
almost adOred the dol, and when Mini per-
mtted her to rock it she was perfectly happy.
She, like the others, had doll which She
loved devotedly.
No one can know what thought passed
through that little brain, but at the moment
that the sexton threw the first spadeful of
earth upon tie coffiu she kissed her doll con-
yuislyely and threw it into the grave. say
ing, go with Nini!'
This inpulsiye act so impressed the other
children that one after another followed her
example.
Twas a touching spectacle.
go with Mini" eacn little one repeated
in letting her doll fall into the grave.
Only one drew back unable to make the
sacrifice. She was years old, perhaps
the daughter of poor woman. Her doll
was OF cardboard, Old, dirty and worn, and
had lost one arm. She elasped it in her
arms and sobbingly said: No, not in the
hole not in the hole. my Mini! She would
be coldv
The return to ths village was, perhaps,
sadder than the walk 10 the grave
The next day the vicar went to Neville
and brought back with him fifteen new dolls
and gave them to the children in the name
Of the two Minis.
In this village for many years after a doll
vas called Mini In remembrance of the
one which was buried.-Translated from