New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-01-21
WHY DO THEY LOVE RAG Do1LsY
a Little Stun Child Enlightens Seeker
After Truth-Doings in Doll Land.
ny do little girls love rag dolls?

Why do little girls love rag dolls?
Many people have asked themselves that ques-
ZION. but Few have ever found satisfactory an
answer as Miss Marjorie Dawson, who yesterday
afternoon entertained about four hundred children
belonging to st. Georges Sunday School and their
mothers with news Of What Happens in Doll
A-and'-rag doll land included
Miss Dawson has every right to pose as the
only person in the world who knows why; and
what makes her such authority on the psyche
logical attachment existing between this particular
species OF doll and the Very Young Person is that
sho had the inspiration to make rag doll once
and try it on live little girl
This was how it happened:
When began to look into dolloIogy," said
Miss Dawson "of course read all the articles
on dolls 1 could find. And, If you'll believe me-
they We're all written by men. There hasn't been
an article written by till within the last
five years. Well. they couldn't any of them tell
me why little girls love rag doIls-not one of them
So what do you suppose did? Why made a
rag doll myself. and took the doll and went down
to very poor part Of London. and I walked
and I walked and kept walking till I met
a little girl
At this point the tam o. shanters with which the
floor Of st. Georges Memorial House seemed to
De carpeted and the little girls under the tam
o shanters began to draw nearer TO the platform
where Miss Dawson was standing. until Miss Daw-
son could have walked right off the platform onto
a sort Of hearthrug OF tam O. shanters. and never
known the difference till the girls belonging to
the tam o shanters told her OF II. The boys began
TO edge up nearer. toe.
We'll, when I met this little GIRL" went on
Miss ,, Dawson Il stopped and said Little girl do
She was very poorly dressed and didn't look a
bit happy. She stared at me in surprise.
" Why Of. course she said She seemed to
think IT q very silly question.
" Now. what would you think Of q rag doh like
d af the DOL fF2 2aG S oSs from behind me sud
The little girl began to laugh She laughed
son sprang on her audience not thing OF
beauty. 1t had triangular face with features,
and its waist began around its neck. and II did
not seem 10 have any legs or arms-just head
u say ala you make that7'' the little slum girl
asked when she had got through laughing. Miss
We'll should say yer didn't know much bout
rag dollsi" This with contempt.
Then strange thing happened. The child took
the rag baby hideous as It was, from Miss Daw-
sons hand. and Cuddng It down IN the crook of
rocking IT and grooming over IT. hushng It to sleep
caressing It. lullabying it and loving 1t as II 1t
had been the most beauteous creature in the
world. She was real mother, the face and petit
coat were a real baby for the minute
Then It was that Miss Dawson put her momen-
why do little girls love rag doIsP'
Don't yer known asked the slum child, again
in contemptuous pity and wonder. looking up from
themselvesr'
But that was not quite the end Of the story.
though it well might have been. -. ~,
give you a lovely doll that you keep" prom
| Ised the student in dollology;
the slum girls arms a beautiful store doll The
| girl looked in rapture,
us it for keeps2" she asked breathlessly. Upon
! few with # down the alley.
And that concluded Miss Dawson. rs the
| There were dolls from South Africa end Russia
| and all the between places.