The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-19
Yours lfuly,
MARY WARREN MAY.
rut, DOLL,S s,TORY


Helen was seated In n hammock soft
~ singing and talking TO her doll
-'Ol. iaabelie! how wish you could
talk. she exclaimed. and tell me about
yoilr life before you were mine"
II can" pipcd wee voice. which
caused Helen to jump with establishment.
thereby nearly upsetting the hammock.
Can you really she asked, rather
dountfuily.
keep still. for another such jump as that
would take my breath away. and then
wouldn't be able to speak at ALL"
All right" laughed Helen: nov please
begin your story.
Very we'll the doll answered. nov
I'll begin.
Il am French doll, and once stood in
the window Of u large store in Paris.
II was admired by all Who saw me, and
my golden curls and brown eyes.
"One day, when I had been but a short
while in the window, a gentleman bought
me. / was rolled up III paper and given
his arm. where ] at once fell asleep,
Wien l awolse found myself in a
handsomely furnished room.
Wen. Jeanne" said the gentlInan to
little girl of about eight years. how
do you like yoiir doll2"
oh, papa! she IS just lovely" cried
the child, as was placed In her arms. az
VIII call her Therese, and she shall be
my beet doll.
was her favorite. ] soon became very
fond Of her also. for she vas so careful
with me. She never left me on the floor
or stuck pins in me, as many little girls
do their dolls
for two or three years, and then her
father decided to go to America A few
months later we boarded a steamer and
started on our voyage. did not enjoy
it, except when I was on deck with
Jeanne, watching the roaring pillows and
white ships, which looked like mere specks
In the distance.
AT last our voyage came to an end
and we stopped at New York city
Monsieur and Madame Armand liked
the New World very much. but the cli-
mate did not seem to suit Jeanne. She
became SO pale and thin that her parents
were very anxious about her.
They consulted the best physicians in
the city, who did their best to bring back
her health and strength, but without sue
cess, for she grew weaker day by day
until, at last she could no longer walk,
but had to be wheeled about in a chair
She was very sweet and patient and would
sit for hours alone in her chair
She soon grew. SO weak that she could
time then and though l grew tired OF
lying still so long, did not complain, for
loved Jeanne too much for that.
Helen.
No. only a few days." replied the doll
sadly. After her death Madam Armand
put me away in dark. hot closet. where
stayed several years.
had become very tired OF staying
there, when one day the door opened and
Madame Armand took me- out. .Therese,
there's q little Girl across the street who
has no doll, and l am going to take you
to her, she said slowly. II think Jeanne
would like it."
did you like this little girl as much
as you did jeanne" asked Helen again.
"Oh! dear. no." sighed the doll. ''She
was quite nice to me at first, but soon
became very careless and would leave me
around anywhere. Many a time she left
me out-of-doors all night. where the rain
half drowned me, or perhaps throw me
into tho bathtub, where would lay soak
ed for hours.
This treatment as you may imagine, was
very ruinous to. my beauty. In q few
weeks you would hardly have recognized
me as the once beautiful French doll.
My lovely dress was torn and soiled, my
shoes and stockings lost and my golden
curIs matted and tangled.
One day she went on n Visit to the
country, taking me with her. On her way
home I slipped from her arms and fell
on the ground among the bushes.
Days, weeks and months passed away,
and i still lay there. My cheeks were
washed white by frequent rains and my
clothes in rags. My hair was gone, also
the rain had washed 1t away. and some