Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-09
The Rescued Doll

The Rescued Doll
20 Aunt Clara, here's a doll" OK
claimed little Bess, as she lifted the liz
OF trunk in grandmother's old attic
eyes, dear, that's my doll"
Your doll? Why, you don't play
with dolls, do you, Aunt Ciara?"
well, yes, do sometimes" laughed
the young lady, when any of my little
nieces or friends come TO visit me
and we have jolly good times with her
too. DO you want to play with her:
Take her out il you do, and you will
find her trunk there somewhere, and
all her pretty clothes and bonnets.'
What is her name, auntie?"
Her name Is Gertrude, the same as
your mothers. She was my big sister
you know, when was little girl, and
I named my dolly for her"
"She must be a very old dolly" said
Bess, thoughtfully. About how old, do
you Think"
"Well she is pretty old" And Aunt
Clara smiled. She's almost as old as
am Let me see-about twenty-six,
think. You see, she is a grown-up
young lady, now.
Perhaps you'd like to hear her his
tory. 1t Is exciting, part Of it. You get
a hassock, and, while you are looking
over her wardrobe, I'll tell you about
her.
did you ever hear about the Chi
cago fire. Bess?"
ooh, yes, mamma has told me about
it lots of times. 1t was when she was
a little girl. wasn't it,"
Eyes, and when I was little girl,
too. 1t was in that fire that nearly
lost Gertrude"
"Oh, Aunt Clara, was she burned?"
mo, fortunately she wasn't; but
she came very near being. If you
know about the fire, you will remem-
Der that We had to leave our home
and all the pretty things in it, and
run away. from the flames, which kept
creeping nearer and nearer all the
time. We took with us only what we
could carry in our hands, for grand
father couldn't get wagon or car
riage. ."'
well dressed Gertrude in her
dress-that brown and white
checked one there in the tray of her
then put over it this red
cape and hood. packed all her other
dresses and coats in the trunk-not
this one, for the old one was burned.
hoped I could take that, too: and I
laid it down beside Gertrude on the
table in the hall. But was tiny girl
then, and couldn't carry much. When
the time came to start, mother said:
Now, Clara, here Is your doll, and
here is a package of some of grand
mothers silver. You can't carry both.
So want you to decide, dear, which
you will take Bess, think that was
almost the hardest thing 1 ever did,
for loved Gertrude with all my heart,
and at first it seemed to me that
couldn't leave her. But I knew that
as I did Of Gertrude. So, finally, with
ears streaming down my face. I
kissed her goodbye, snatched the box
If silver, and ran down the front
steps,"
20 Aunt Clara how did you ever do
It? How could you be SO good?" said
Bess, almost sobbing with sympathy.
II don't know, Bess, really. I'm sure
never have been so good since. |
lever shall forget that day, when
wandered along by mothers side
among the crowds of people, all, like
IS, hurrying away from their homes.
1ept thinking of Gertrude all the time;
md, oh, how missed her, and how I
'ried when I thought should never
lee her again! Then I thought how
onely she must be, all by herself in
he house, and how frightened she
rowing brighter and brighter.
wondered what she thought of me
Ter own mother-for going away and
eaving her. That was the hardest Of
III to bear. and sobbed aloud"
II should think you would" said
3ess, slyly wiping her eyes. IT think it
vas terrible. Well, go on. What hap.
'ened next?'
1--WE went far away from the cen.
er of the city to my Uncle Eugene's
ome, and there we stayed for several
weeks"
Eyes, but the dolly, mean. What
to herr"
"She has told me since how dreadful.
y she felt as she lay there on the
ront hall table, and heard the crack
ing Of the fire grow louder every mo-
1ent, and finally saw the flames across
he street. Just as she was making
p her mind that there was no way
( escape, and that she must certainly
g burned, the front door opened. and
n ran my Aunt Louise. looking for
ONE of our family She found no one
here, of course, and was hurrying
way, when her eye fell on poor Ger
rude. lying there disconsolately, face
own. Her hands were full Of her
wn treasures; but she thought of me.
nd remembered how much loved my
ear dolly. And then think she felt
orry for Gertrude herself. So she
Matched her from the table and tucked
er under her arm, as she hurried
way to find us. Il
81 shall never forget my delight as &
saw my auntie coming in with Ger s
rude in her arms. 1 Rugged and !
Used them both and cried for very