Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-07-20
A Live Doll Show,

1 saw live doll show last winter
fourteen live dolls. and nurse al
dressed up with white apron and cap
At least, she called them dolls. ant
they behaved very much like dolls
moving only at her touch. They had
evidently been taught that "childrer
should be seen and not heard" al
but the "squeaking" doll and the
''proverb grandma" which will be
described i'll their turn. The exhibi
tion was gotten up by girls cluh
that was organized for ''swee,
charity's' sake. The G. w. b. M.
ladies were giving social, and one
room had been converted into nurt
sery for the dolls. They charged five
cents admission, and they intended
to spend the money in making some
body happier at Christmas.
The most of the dolls were jointed
and, when the nurse pressed a spring
in the back of their necks, they would
A lady standing by one said that
she thought people made courtesies
with their bodies.
'Ohl but dolls do not, you know"
answered the nurse.
And, sure enough, they don't.
The biggest doll of all was rag
baby, which was thrown carelessly in
rocking chair. She behaved beauti
tifully, though every one who passed
her took hold of her head to see if she
was iointed. and they would ask i,
she was filed with sawdust. She
never once smiled, till little boy, ir
passing out, said, "Good night, Miss
Rag" All the dolls laughed at that.
But they all did splendidly, and ]
know the nurse was proud of them.
There were three paper dolls, Tina,
Tess and Tot, dressed in plated wall
paper dresses and quaint paper hats.
Their arms only were joipted. The
china doll wore dark dress and e
white apron.
The little Esquimau, when wound
up, would stump across the floor.
| Then the nurse would turn her round
wind her up again, and she would tro'
back. She was dressed in white furry.
looking stuff.
The young-lady doll wore her big
sisters dress. and looked quite stylish
The Scotch lassie was equipped fol
sport, dressed in plaid, with hel
skates slung over her shoulder.
A man offered the nurse ten cents
for the "squeaking' doll. Wher
pressed in the chest, she would say
''Papa' or mamma" in squeaky
voice, very much like doll Poo,
thing! Every one wanted to hear hei
''say it over and over again. She,
the nurse said, was present from
Mrs. Mckinley
"Pocahontas' was like veritable
Indian, with her red (candy painted
cheeks and long straight black hair.
She sat on the floor beside japanese
lady, who wore a gay-fowered dresi
and ca =. ed Japanese umbrella.
A sweet-faced nun, ''Sister Marguer'
ite." stood guard by high chair il
which sat curly haired baby doll.
The ''baby" was jointed, and could
make her little curtsy, like the others
They were all remarkably polite dolls.
owing, perhaps, to the presence of the
''proverb grandma. When wount
up, she would jerk out, in slow sue
cession, these three proverbs: "Penny
wise, pound-foolish, '.Spare-rod,
spoil child" and Calls well-'t- ends
we'll +"
The ''proverb grandma" is the min
ister's daughter, and when the nurse,
in describing her. said she was very
energetic, her papa said: ''What'i
that you say? Active is she?" Their
everybody laughed.
Quite jolly lot of dolls they were
who were transformed in trice into
fourteen hungry girls as they were
invited to the dining room.
Their tongues were soon loosened
and in a few minutes they went home,
happy that they had given others
pleasure. Sunday School Times.