The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-29

There are many dolls which are
noted for their sweet dispositions and
their willingness to sit still by the
hour and do exactly as they are told.
But these virtues are negative in
their nature, and one would not ex-
pect a doll, no matter how amiable,
to become an active philanthropist,
and besides helping to support fam
lily, to go so far as to send young
man through college. But that is just
what one doll did.
She came into being little before
Christmas. 1t had been a difficult
problem for a certain widow, whose
name shall be Leighton. to provide
enough Christmas gifts, and at the
last, when only week remained, she
suddenly recollected that her niece
Alice had been forgotten. She could
afford to buy nothing more, SO she de-
termined to make something with her
own hands, and in recollection Of her
own girlhood, decided that it should
be a rag doll.
The proportions were exceedingly
generous-more than two feet long,
as large as real baby. For mater.
ial nothing was needed except some
pine sawdust, easily procured from
the mill, and some strong, new cotton
cloth.
Patterns were first cut from the
tough paper which hardware dealers
use, and were tried and modified un.
til they seemed right. The head and
body were of one piece, and each limb
was made separate.
When the patterns were satisfac-
tory the cloth was cut and sewed up,
leaving openings for introducing the
stuffing of sawdust, which was care
fully sifted first.
Then the arms and legs, brought
to thin edge at the upper ends, were
sewed on in such way as to allow
them to move freely.
The head was the greatest triumph.
Mrs. Leighton could draw creditably.
She procured some oil-paints, and
gave Arabella's head a generous prim-
ing of white lead and oil. When this
was dry, a second coat was laid on
over it, and over that again coat of
ed ringlets of brown, and on the front
| charming face, with rosy cheeks
and wide blue eyes and calm and
placid smile.
Her profile may not have been all
that could be desired. 1t is certain
that she toed out, and that her fin
gers were merely divisions of "blub"
of cotton cloth, marked out by rows
of stitching. Never mind. Properly
dressed, she made her appearance at
Alice's home on Christmas morning,
and became at once the most impor-
tant parsonage in the house.
Three days later carriage stop
ped at Mrs. Leighton's door, and a
Well-dresssed woman got out.
She announced her errand at once:
"My little daughter has seen the
doll you made for your niece, and is
perfectly delighted with it. She can't
talk of anything else. l called to see
if you would be willing to make her
one just like it. Could you afford to
make one for five dollars? l would
gladly pay that"
Yes, Mrs. Leighton could make one
for that price, and would. But before
she had finished it two other women
had come with similar requests. and
in the light of the first offer. Mrs
Leighton had courage to name five
dollars as her price to them also
That was the beginning. Order after
order came in, and then came letter
from a wealthy woman, who wished
to make contribution to hospta
fair, and wanted to know If Mrs
Leighton would undertake to make
fifty of the dolls to be put on sale;
and she offered the same price.
This commission decided the ques
tion as to whether or not the only
son should go to college, He had de
cided to go to work, and the idea o.
being supported for four years by {
rag doll did not please him. Finally
however, his mother persuaded hin
that it was a duty which he owet
both to himself and to her, and ht
went.
Advertised by their friends, the raj
dolls continued to sell until tn,
young man had finished his colleg,
course, and the making of the doll
was no longer necessary.
What was the reason for the sue
cess of this simple industry? Raj
dolls are as old as history, and ther
was nothing especially novel in Mrs
Leightons Arabellas. The secre
probably lies in the fact that thes
dolls were well made, and had pleas
ing faces, which could be washed
and were not easily marred, an
which wore, moreover, the expression
that little girls like.