El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-13
WITH A DOLL ON EACH ARM


ing down two whole inches. I'm to
| take dinner in the dining room instead
of having tea in the nursery, and my
hair-oh, do listen, Clorinda-my hair is
going into a plait, a really, really plat,
with a ribbon on the tail of it. No more
troublesome curls to bother with.
Don't you remember how I always
screeched when they wound them over
that old stick and smacked them down
with the brush? You wouldn't know me
after today, 1 don't believe, so perhaps
it's just as we'll we gave each other
up now and forever"
With this tragic remuneration Clorin-
da's owner gathered the plump kid
body into her arms, gave it a spas
modic hug and darted across the room
to where less elegant, but very SYM
pathetic, doll lay huddled in the corner.
"And you, too, lilly; you've got to go,
and the paper dolls'-
A whole box full of gay paper ladies
was tipped over. the we'll handled fig
ures swooped up into one arm, and
with Clorinda, Jane and lilly in the
other their mistress mounted the mar
row flight of steps leading to the attic.
There, under the caves, she poked
d
wooden box. She took the lid off and
laid Clorinda in, Strengthened the blue
dress caressingly about the rigid body
and patted the dimpled hands down on
either side. Clorinda's blue eyes gazed
up appealingly for moment, then, ash
the box was given a slight jolt, their
little click.
in her dainty white party frock with
its futtering ribbons, all the time she
sat in 13-year-old state at the dinner
table and heard her brothers do mock
homage to her teens" and all the
time her guests laughed and frolicked,
while the big cake was cut and the
Is scarlet candles were blown out and
the gifts passed around, Clorinda's mis-
tress felt queer little ache way down
In her heart, a tremulous f1utter in her
throat, when she thought of the poor
little stowaways up among the cob
webs under the attic caves.
An hour or so later the girl whose
doll days were over raised her tousled
head from the pillow.
II just can't stand it," she whisper
ed, land I'm going to do it. no matter
bow scared I get"
Down from her bureau she lifted a
china candlestick, lighted the tiny ia
per, opened her door and peered for
one timid instant into the dark hall.
then hurried toward the attic stairway.
First one bare foot and then the other
hngeringly climbed those twisted
stairs. They creaked, and the candle
sputtered, and the rain tinkling on the
ho. ko1
at all the sort Of shvers q girl of ID
whose doll days were over should
have. But everybody was asleep.
everything was dark. and there might
be mice up there!
Never mind, Clorinda must be res
cued. At last that hateful box was
reached, once again the lid jerked
OF and in the dim candle Light
Clorinda and lilly were dragged from
their cramped resting place. The pa
per dolls could wait until tomorrow,
but back over the stairs these two
precious companions were carried, the
candle showering them with pearly
tears.
Oh, what a GREATNESS trimming
through the hall! What a hasty blow
ing out of the candle, and then what
a scampering into bed with both dear
old doll friends Struggled up beside
her!
isn't this gorgeous, dears? Isn't
this old times? I'm going to keep you
IN the nursery, and you shall watch me
grow up, and whether my hairs curIed
or plated or worn In a fluffy topknot
Hike Aunt Amy's, and even when nv
dresses trail on the ground, I'm going [
TO have you with me-
And then the girl whose doll days
were over f1oated off into dreamlaEd
with stiff little doll body Rugged
tenderly in either arm.-New York
Heyald.