Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-16
DOLLS OF FAMOUS WOMEN
Rag, Wax, Wood and China Relics of
Bygone Years.
BABY LOVES OF THE LONG AGO
Doll Day RecOlIectiOns of Eight Nota-
bic MOIders of
C~harncter-A Singular
Exception.
" LOVES OF THE LONG AGO

There was only one out OF eight leading
American women recently interviewed who
confessed that dolls had played no part in
her childish life and love of them had
found no place in her particularly warm and
tender heart. 1t Is no less interesting a
person than Miss Clara Barton, who ad-
mltted that she had nothing to add to the
store of doll lore for the simple reason
that she never had a doll.
II never played with dolls, consequently
| have no experiences to offer" writes Miss
Barton, and in explanation adds: Il sup
pose the tastes of children are to some
extent educational and as mine were never
educated along that line | consequently
did not develop in that direction" For all
this paucity of doll affection in her youth
Miss Barton very clearly makes it under
stood that the lack of mimic babies never
saddened in the least her play days.
Please don't receive the impression from
my do~ll-less state" she cheerfully insists,
that | lacked an abundance of wholesome
amusement, for | remember my childhood
with grateful tenderness. 1t no doubt con-
tributed in some degree to the life that has
followed, as l am sure is the case with the
little premature mother who loves and
nurses her family Of dolls"
hIsS h~htnOnys tlOtn names.
A very genuine doll lover indeed was Miss
Susan B. Anthony, in fact any good bit of
promising material that came into her hands
in the nursery days was apt, sooner or later,
to be folded into an imitation of a portable
infant and coddled and cosseted with flatter-
ing care,
MY earliest recollection Of dolls" replied
this leader Of her sex, lis a simple rag
bghy mazda nf a htt NJ pIoth and fo11ad opJ
pinned to have the appearance OF a head.
These primitive treasures were made in
the twinkling OF an eye by my mother and
very often the little blanket from the crib
or my mothers own gay-colored shoulder
shawl was literally pressed into duty. Those
were my first dolls and I'll venture to say
that We three sisters and playmates, Guelma,
Susan and Hannah, were Just as happy
with orr impromptu babies as are any three
little women of today with their full-grown
wax beauties, dressed in the highest Paris
fashions. Later on in life my doll was a
less elementary creature. She had a head
and bust made OF cloth stuffed very hard
with sawdust or wool, and eyes. nose and
mouth were draw out In pen and ink on
the face. This may seem a great improve
ment, but, now | come TO think Of II, | al
ways liked my shawl or blanket charge
pest ana cannot recall any greater happiness
that these highly improved babies gave me-
Stat Children.
1t was Mrs. Amelia Barr who, OF all the
literary women appealed to, confessed the
influence OF doll character on her
childish days, and her love went out to a
strange assortment OF inanimate playmates.
The dolls most in use when was a
child in Yorkshire and Lancashire" writes
the popular novelist, were wooden ones:
a round head, square body, legs and arms of
thin Stats OF wood. fastened to the body
with wire, thus making the limbs flexible
and movable. They varied in size as in
price. some being only a halfpenny. others
Il halfpennies. The faces OF every one we're
painted with wildly red cheeks and lips
and intensely black or brown hair and eyes.
| possessed a number OF all sizes and don't
think | used them in the ordinary way. |
valued them as entities for represent