The San Francisco call., 1910-05-01
nv ALICE LATIMEn

SOUS we're VNtis anu ~ bHtN Wthe
up to their pIayroom. where their
large family of dolls lived. to SEQ what
there was to do.
Mary Belle and Jack will soon be
back from their wedding journey" said
Theresa. Don't you think we ought
to fix up a home for them? 1t ought to
be thoroughly cleaned and have fresh
curtains and bouquets"
ooh, yes" agreed Maud Marian. ITS
the very thing Wen look over the
houses right away to see which will be
best"
Mary Belle. the Partisan beauty. and
Jack, the sailor lad We're members of
the playroom family of dolls, Their
wedding had taken place about two
weeks before and they had gone away
on a trip. AS yet they had not re-
turned but they were their way
home, and indeed, at the very moment
when their future residence was being
discussed they had paused to rest--be-
fore completing the last stage of their
journey-on the top shelf of the sewing
room closet
There were a number of doll houses
in the playroom most of which were
at the present time fully occupied. The
largest and handsomeSt of these man.
sons was Harcourt house, the resi-
dence of Lord Frederick and Lady
Gwendoline Harcourt, stately doll
couple, who were the handsomest and
most aff1uent of the doll family, with
the exception of Prince Ormond. Lord
Harcourt and Lady Gwendoline be-
longed to Theresa who was a most
careful mother to them, so they were
q u an1 caA n N.
limited wardrobes
Their house also was Theresa's, and
it, too, besides being equipped with all
the modern conveniences, such as cleo
trio lights, a bathroom and stair
case, was perfectly furnished and al
ways in the best of order.
Gretchen, Theresa's pretty German
doll was nurse in the family of Mrs.
Vaudeville Magruder, much battered
elderly doll of Maud Marian's. Mrs
Magruder and Gretchen, the infant doll.
whom Gretchen cared for, and Bijou,
pretty young doll, who was Mrs.
Magruders niece, lived in a large,
rather dilapidated house which be-
longed to Maud Marian. 1t had once
been a very pretty house indeed. but
Maud Marian had never taken much
care OF it and it was sadly out Of
repair and in need of cleaning.
Prince Ormond occupied handsome
bachelor quarters over the garage,
where the dolls motor car was kept.
Theresa had made the garage from
box with the assistance of her Uncle
Charles, and Lord Ormond's apartment
in the upper story was divided into
bedroom bathroom and sitting room
and most attraetively furnished and
decorated The Young Brave of the
Wabash, as the Indian doll was called,
who acted as chauffeur for the doll
family when not otherwise engaged.
Chinese how
doll, shared bungalow which had
been made from starch box and was
furnished with red and yellow chintz
and bead curtain.
-s- HERE were also row of man
sions, known as the Box cottages,
ranged against one side OF the
playroom wall. These were occupied
by the remaining members of the doll
family and were designated as Nos. l.
g. 3, and Wall street Only one OF
them was vacant and this was the
one which Mary Belle had occupied
with Dinah; the colored doll. who was
her cook and lady's maid. Like all the
cottages ii had been constructed from
box and II was neither handsome nor
commodious. Downstairs there were
only two rooms, a sitting room and a
small kitchen, and upstairs the two
bedrooms had such low ceilings that
Mary Belle always bumped her head
when she went TO bed. The front OF
the house was entirely open and ex-
posed to the weather. which was a
good thing in one way. because as there
were no windows in any of the rooms
ii was the only way of getting light
and air. There was no staircase In the
house. and Mary Belle was always
obliged 10 come outside and climb up
when she wanted to go to her bedroom.
Dear me-" said Maud Marian, sit
doesn't look very nice for brides
house. does itY''
1t certainly didn't. II was Maud Mar
ian's house and consequently had suf-
fered from neglect, interspersed with
violent spasms of setting to rights.
which had resulted in much damage
10 the furnishings. The paper was
stained with watercolor paints. which
Maud Marian had used in trying 10