Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-21
The Argus Daily Story
A Dolls Christmas-By Mary Blake.
COPYRIGHTED 1912. by Associated Litera ~ Bureau

learned that the children were taking
down their stockings and diving into
them to see what Santa Claus had left
for them. After awhile the shouting
ceased and heard nothing more until
late in the afternoon when the lady
and gentleman and several other
grown persons came in. They closed
| the blinds to the window-thought if
they did it to shut out the light. 1t
was useless. for the darkness had fall
en-. Then the children were called In
and ! saw them for the first time. Eff
! te was about seven years old. and a
strong healthy child. while Jack was
rather delicate. Efie had dark hair
and eyes, while Jack was fair, with
| light curls.
Jacks father handed the little fellow
a burning match and said. You may
light the first candle. my boy" Jacks
eyes were as big as butter plates as
he held the fame to the wick of one
of the lower candles. After that the
others began to light the rest of the
candles. and in a few minutes all were
glowing even up to those just beneath
the cardboard angel on the tptop OF
the tree
But what was Ef1e doing all this
while? The moment she entered the
room she saw me at the base of the
tree, and; getting down on her knees
before me, read the card In my lap,
then took me up In her arms and gave
me a hug that l shall never forget
Like a little mother she carried me
about the room, holding me up for each
person to admire. All said that was
the prettiest doll they had ever seen.
Jack, after he had lighted the first
candle, began to look about for his
presents and soon saw his doll boy.
But he didn't make as much fuss over
him as his sister did over me. l sup
pose this is because boys never be-
come mothers-only fathers-as girls
do after they have grown up.
Well, the tree was kept lighted for
an hour, during which everybody adj
mired it, and | confess / never felt 50
pleased with anything. The glow from
so many tiny candles was so soft that
it seemed as If it must come from
heaven. There was present on or
|
every one having been carefully provid-
ed for
When the candles began to be burn.
ed down to their supports they were
blown out, and all left the room, Jack
carrying his boy doll and Effie carry
Ing me. The children went to the
nursery. where there was bright fire
of logs burning on the hearth, and
there they played with their Christmas
gifts till It was time to go to bed. I
couldn't keep my eyes off Jack, he was
such a pretty boy. but he didn't seem
to take much interest in me. Though
he was delicate, he seemed to have
martial spirit within him, for he play
ed with some leaden soldiers Santa
Claus had brought him all the while.
standing them up in ranks with their
captain at their head. furnishing him
self the music for them to march by on
his drum and his trumpet.
. By and by the lady came into the
room and undressed the children her.
9 self-there was no nurse, and l fancied
the mother would not give up the care
of her children to any one-put on
}. prayers. Then before going to their
E bedroom Efie gave me hug and set
E me on a chair by the fire. Dolly
e will be cold" she said, cause the fire
t is nearly burnt out" So she put on
some more wood. As they went out
e wished | had voice to say, Good
f night, Jack: wish you would give me
: a kiss before you go to bed" But Jack
o forgot me in his soldiers. whom he
J. wished to take to bed with him. But
e his mother persuaded him to leave
e them in the ranks till morning.
y As soon as | was alone the fire took
e a fresh start and burned brightly.
a was sitting very near 1t and soon be-
came too warm. | couldn't move back
a because | was only a doll TO be moved
e by others and not by myself. The FIRE
kept burning warmer and warmer till
, at last | felt something drop on my
l shoulder and knew that Ii was wax
from my cheek.
My little mother had been too kind
to me, too solicitous for my comfort.
Just as human mothers often bring up
their children too tenderly. and when
adversely comes they have no strength
y to bear It, Desiring to keep me warm.
she had made me 80 hot that | was
melting away. What would she feel
II, lying in her crib. she could know
that was giving way before the hot
:. fire?
n Presently my hand. that stood
a straight out before me. began to melt,
4 and then my feet. my legs, my arms,
: and at last felt my head running
. down all over my body. The wax
= dropped on the floor and at last | was
n nothing more than a headess. limbless
n trunk.
a In the morning the maid came into
? the room and. seeing what had hap
pened. uttered an exclamation OF sur
q prise Then she got a dustpan and q
e brush broom and took up the wax
L from the floor
o Nov. FL in American