The San Francisco call., 1909-12-18
JAMES DOLL
The Littlest One in
Window Full
by MARY l.. MARINER.


things that she scarcely could believe
they were real She thought that she
had surely walked right into Santa
Claus factory. There were big lady
dolls. with their own trunks full
Of dresses. hats and shoes. One was
seated in chair reading a book. an
other was stepping into her ewn car
riage. drawn by two black horses.
Then there were baby dolls wearing
long white dresses and coats and the
cunningest little caps with blue bows.
One baby doll was in its carriage.
which a nurse was wheeling; another
lay asleep In its pretty brass crib and
another was seated in a high chair
with a rattle in its hand
In another part OF the window there
was a big round table all set for
dolIies' Christmas dinner. 1t was COW
cred with a white tablecloth and on
it were all kinds of good things for
the dolls TO eat There was a big tur-
key. cranberry sauce. celery and
steaming plum pudding. and such
pretty dishes. little glasses, napkins.
knives and forks. It was set just like
our Christmas table. even to the fow-
ers in the center. How happy all the
dollies looked.
Among all these wonderful toys, way
in the corner OF the window. was tiny
little mite OF a doll IN a calico dress.
Her hair was not soft and curly and
she could not open and close her eyes
She wore no hat Around her arm was
a little red string with tag attached.
on which was written the number. 90
Jane had seen everything in the
window. but whenever she looked at
anything more beautiful she would
come back TO the corner where little
.sz5" lay and would say to her: I love
YOU the best OF all. for you're most like
me- Those other rich dolls couldn't be
happy in my poor house. I love you
the very best OF all, even if you are the
littlest one"
Many boys and girls had been coming
ali afternoon to look at the beautiIul,
wonderful things. The boys found
pIentv to please them in the trains. the
automobiles. which could run d piocA
alone. and the soldiers OF all nations
with their guns and cannon. Every
one had made his or her choice for
Santa's Christmas eve visit. some
girls wanted lady dolls, some BABY
dolls some sets Of dishes Every other
girl but little Jane was with her moth
er or big sister, who would listen with
great interest TO know what they liked
hest. But Jane was all alone, and so
had no one to whom she could talk
AS she heard each girl say what she
preferred. she would talk 10 little 20
and say. Il love you the very best, even
IL you are the littlest one"
II was getting very dark, most or
the children had gone home; but Jane
stiIl stood at the window. An auto
mobile stopped at the toy shop door
and a lady with a little girl about
wears Of age got out. The little girls
name was Elaine. and she was just as
old as Jane. She and her mother
stopped to look in the window. Elaine
looked about quickly at one thing
after another and then turned 10
her mother and said out loud: Il
don't like one thing in this window;
there isn't one doll as pretty as those
we bought in Paris. None of them has
real hair and their dresses aren't bit
nice / don't see anything here I'd care
to have mamma
Jane heard what Elaine said and felt
sure 1t could not be possible that there
was not one thing in that beautiful
window that she cared about. Surely
Elaine could not have seen everything.
She would show her something she
must have missed. She ran up to
Elaine. took her hand, and said: 'Oh,
TIL show you one I know you would
Ike TO have: you haven't seen the lit
tlest one" Let me show il TO you.
Come. it's way over here in the cor
ner" Elaine looked at Jane a moment
In her thin dress. ragged shawl and
torn shoes. and was just going to say,
Thank you, I do not want to see It,"
when her mother said, DO show it
to US"
Jane was breath1ess with excitement.
She knew she could not have "25," so
she would show il TO some other girl
who could. Elaine. her mother and
Jane went to see the calico dolly"
and when Elaine saw it she looked up
into her mothers face with a look
that meant Isn't that common little
thing?"
EIaine's mother said TO Jane: "She is
a lovely dolly. but let's go into the
store and see some other pretty
things"
I should like to-" said Jane. but it