The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-06-05

in carrying it about where other
mothers of dolls may envy and ad-
mire.
Any day and every day one may
see any number of these overdressed
little girl-dolls in public places. They
are in the theaters, on the streets. in
the stores, and in the public convey
ances, dressed in voluminous cloaks
of silk, velvet, or wool, with sleeves
so large that any real use of the arms
is precluded, wearing enormous and
unwieldy hats, which are tied under
the chin with great bows of ribbon,
and further bedecked in dainty furs,
kid gloves, and bits of jewelry. The
little human doll is dressed and taken
abroad that strangers may nudge
each other and say or look, "See that
pretty little girl Isn't she cuteW
that acquaintance may exclaim,
"What dear little girl you have!
where did you get that lovely coat"
that friends may say, my dear,
how exquisitely you do dress
Gladys!" And so poor Gladys, not
for her own interest, pleasure, or we'll
being, but to crafty her mothers
pride, and sometimes vanity, spends
hours, which should be given to
wholesome, happy, childlike play in a
child's world, as beautifully dressed
doll in far from judicious grown-up
world of hurry, noise, excitement and
hattery. She does not rebel at this,
poor little Gladys! She seldom even
protests, for she early learns to love
the excitement Of the city, with its
Overwhelmingly delightful panorama
of theaters, shops, toy departments.
sodafountains and candy-stores. She
likes to hear her mothers friends say
how sweet and pretty she is, and how
beautifully her hair curls. The dis
comfort of the yards of dry goods, of
the huge sleeves and top-heavy hat,
is lost sight of in the thought that
she looks "too dear for anything"
and that her coat is $50 stylish
| do not think | am overdrawing
the picture. It is familiar one in
all large cities, whose streets are al
so full of cheap limitations of the
same sort of finery on the children
of poor and hard working people.
1t always seems to me, however, as
if sort of mother-love lay behind
the adornment of the little Gusta-
vas. Norahs, and Gretchens, with
their clumsy plush bonnets and
cheap lace collars-a mother love,
which. initiating that which it sees in
the higher walks of life, feels that it
is doing its best for the children, that
best often necessarily meaning self
sacrifice.
The stiff-legged little boy-doll, in
his many buttoned leather leggings,
huge collar, and yards of necktie, is
is not seen on the streets SO COM
monty as the girl-doll, probably be-
cause he, with his sturdier and grow.
ing man-nature, rebels more vigor-
ously against being dressed up, and
because he will not be compensated
even by box of HeyIer's best for
long hours spent on the street cars
and before counters.
When these same children are a
few years older, when they are nc
longer "cute" and perfectly dear, u
when the boyis too large for leggings
and the girls front teeth are missing
they will not be seen downtown" SC
often. The city's museums, art gal
leries, panoramas, and flower shows
will call for them in vain, as will
Stoddard's lectures, Thomas's con-
certs, and the many special exhibits
which could teach them SO much
under a sympathetic leadership.