The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-08
Story of the Sawdust Doll.

Once there was a large Sawdust Doll named
Anne, and she wore blonde wig that some
times came of when she was left too near
the fire. But she had always been a good
DOLL and no amount Of suffering or priva-
ton ever disturbed the dimpled smile on her
crockery face. Among the other dolls Anne
always set the example of large good nature
that nothing could ruff1e.
But one day, while Marian and Louise were
playing with the doll children, Anne caught
the feshy part of her arm on a nail, tear
ing it dreadfully. Sawdust flowed freely and
DR.. Mother had to be called in. She took
several stitches in the would and Anne seemed
much better. But the poor thing had fallen
away terribly from the shock and the sick
ness, although she bore it with the same
sweet smile and gentle good-nature that had
characterized her life from the beginning.
But the accident had told on her. Her flesh
was fiabby and her skin was terribly loose
over her framework, and Marian and Louise
were much concerned lest. she should go into
decline.
One night the children left Anne with her
head lower than her body, and both feet and
arms sprawled out in most distressing way.
Anne tried to get into more comfortable
position, but in vain. After the lights were
put out she became very dizzy and the top
of the room whirled about like Merry Co
Round. Then it was that Mr.. Wseman sud
denly stood at the side of her bed looking
down at her. Mr.. Wiseman, you know, is the
dolls best friend. He is not tall man, but
very broad and thick, looking, in fact some
thing like a Dutchman on whom folding
bed has closed, shutting him up like a con-
certina
Little GIRL" said Mr.. Wiseman, .'you think
you are made Of sawdust, don't your
co. said Anne, 81 know am, because 1
saw it run out of me when my arm was
tored on the NALL
'fNow, don't you worry about that said
Mr.. Wiseman, because we can't always trust
what we see, you know. The facts are, you
are not made of sawdust at all, and can
prove it to you. Something nice in going to
happen to you, little girl.
I'm not little girl sobbed Anne; Pm
only q saWdust doll.
Mr. Wiseman shook his head "a good many
times very rapidly till his mouth, in Anne's
tear-blurred eyes, looked like series CT
parallel lines shaken out of place.
Didn't you know that what you think are
sawdust dolls are really little flesh and blood
girls, and when they what grown-ups call
de- they turn into real babies and grow up
men and women
''No I didn't
Then whered you think all the dolls
go tor
81 didn't know
well, that's it,
The next day Anne told Marian and Louise
all about this. and they We're much inn
pressed and told their mother. who looked
wise and said,
Perhaps.
And that very night Mr.. Wiseman, some-
body-dn fact, nobody seemed to know who
came and carried off Anne and nothing could
be found, but a little pile of sawdust.
But strange as it may seem, that very
night, in the very next house. little flesh
and blood doll was born named Jane, and
Marian and Louise just love that baby like
everything, because the more they think of
it, the more they believe that she is Anne
come again to play with them and to grow
up into a woman.
but perhaps her parents didn't know that it
is really Anne, and Jane seems to have for
gotten.
A ]. Russell