Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-16

is likely to forget that she was a doll and
accept her as a tragic little human being,
for whom every sympathy is aroused.
Violet was little Emma's favorite of all
her doll family and was cherished with utter
devotion until the fond small mother
reached the age Of II. Violet entered this
life in the kid and sawdust state and was
a charming type OF her race. Her Joint.
were wire-hinged, her wig was a beauty and
during the years OF her close companion-
ship with Mistress Emma she grew steadily
thinner and shabbier, while her devoted
owner grew taller and lovelier to look upon.
! Vlolets loss of looks never cooled in the
heart her young mothers love and nothing
ever parted them until it was decided that
the dolls and Miss Emma should live with
that young lady's grandmother. 1t was then
that an intimate friend Of the Eames family
undertook to prepare the little girl for her
journey and feeling neither interest in nor
sympathy with the sentiments and associ-
atoms that united the ardent child and the
forlorn little doll, she quietly threy Violet
away.
To this day Madam Eames frankly con-
fesses she has never forgiven this deed, nor
mas she ever been willing to meet again
the prepertrator of so stupid and unkind an
act. The loss of Violet was for a long time
a poignant grief, beyond the reach Of con-
ISOLATION, and to this day not only is Violet
remembered with great tenderness. but
happily would the prima donna pay down a
Dig, round sum If the shabby little kid doll
could be restored to her.
Mrs. Stuart Not IA Doll Lover.
In sharp contrast to this pretty testl-
mony of the affection possible between a
doll and its owner is the admission of Mrs.
Ruth McEnery Stuart that dolls and the
pastimes they evoke played but slight parts
IN her childish days. 1t is just a trihe
astonishing. the author herself confesses. to
ind that a writer who makes purely m
aginary people live and move and have their
being, saying Of her dolls:
Il was never what might be called n
doll lover. ! ceased playing with dolls when
l was a very smill girl, and possessed all
Sorts and conditions OF them from porcelain
dolls, with glossy black china curls and star-
ing blue eyes, to fine ladies with bisuue
heads and even paper dolls. | daresay
was fond OF them in a casual fashion. when
they were very new, but | always held them
at arms length, figuratively speaking at
ieast' Tor after all they were cold,
i'respohslNe cheats, not half so fine
as a black baby or even a bird
or kitten. Still there we're times When we
played dolls and our shop dolls were pleased
tfen to sit up and stare at professions or
coTn-silk babies whom we would bring tn
call upon them. Every country child know,
what a corn-sllk baby Is, and though I
thought them pretty wabbly and feature.
less they were alive and growing, and haa
TO my mind a wOrthiness not attained by
their sawdust filled betters. am sorry nv
dolls were so little remarkable. They mus,
nave been happy, for to tie best of my
knowledge and belief they had no history.
what Mrs. WiEEin Says.
lhls is what Kate Douglas Wiggin tells OF
her dolls and, as may be expected. her con-
iessIons are both interesting and Character
only one doll | ever had affection for.
ana have preserved her to this day. GRAY
cotton gown trimmed with Turkey red.
dolls didn't dress in the fashion then. thank
goodness') 1t would seem that my feeling
'or her was not very profound, for | cannot,
her name. though her face is as
wen known to ne as my mothers. Browa
mar and unexpected blue eyes constituted
her charm. | was much fonder OF paper
loiIs' had a doll house, and my sister says
was a very Turk in all matters connected
win II; that when she recalls my selhshness.
and violence-manifested when.
eYer she wanted to play with it, she maryeIs
mat have ever grown up into a decen,