The Detroit times., 1910-09-29
RAG DOLLS

This Is heart-to-heart talk be-
tween the editor and little girls, In
which the grownups at your house
may take part II they wish, and which
they need not listen to IL they do not
find US interesting.
1t Is a private talk between the
writer and the little girls who some
times wonder why they were placed
on earth, and why they always do the
things they should not do; who are
puzzled to find useful outlet Tor
their energies.
First OF all, the editor has good
deal of sympathy with little girls.
What he doesn't know about you
would make mighty interesting
book, but he has tried to understand
you-and having said that. he hopes
that he has your kind wishes. For IL
cannot be said that very many people
really try to see things as you see
them.
The writer never kicked a rag doll,
nor threw one out Of his way, for In
stance. He tries to see II as you see
1t; that a rag doll Is make-beiieve
baby, and he is sure that a little girl
who loves rag dolls also loves pink
babies that breathe and cry.
The loveSof little girls for rag dolls
shows the mother love that Is In them
and this Is why most little girls help
their mothers all they can.
Mother, too, was once a little girl
who loved rag dolls; but the very fact
that she has passed that age, and now
has to care for little girls, should make
little girls take good care or mother.
II works both ways. Mother helps
the little girl; the little girl helps
mother.
II should be, and generally Is, a
pleasure for them to help each other.
Many little girls believe they should
be allowed to give parties-just the
same as mother And many mothers
believe that little girls should do part
Of the work preparing for those par
ties-just the same as mother.
And let us hope that many mothers
understand that II Is natural for little
girls to want to play-just the same
as mother. That Is, that the little
girls when they romp, and play with
dolls, and swing from a limb In the
apple orchard, are enjoying life In
just the same measure that mother
enjoys with, perhaps, the dishes still
unwashed) q chat with a neighbor.
Both are relaxing, easing up the lit.
tie girl from her duties and lessons,
the mother from her duties and wor-
ries.
Again. II little girls only knew how
much pleasure they could give mother
on such occasions by quietly slipping
away and washing the dishes! Such
mothers and little girls grow even
fonder of each other-if this were
possible.
It isn't pleasant for a person who is
friendly with all little people to find
fault with them. 80 the editor acknowi.
edges with considerable sadness that
he knows girls who will let rag dolls
actually fall to pieces rather than do q
little work sewing up holes, fastening
legs and arms, and seeing to Il that
somebody's head does not fall OF
Many people blame mother for this
claiming that she has not set a good
example. But be that as II may, the
fact remains that little mothers who
do not take good care OF rag babies,
are not the ones to be trusted too FAR
with crying pink babies.
Perhaps, Of course. some little girls
were not intended to sew up rag dolls
and this Is no excuse for laziness--
but were intended to sing and laugh
and make mother happy in other ways