Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-01-24
The Unbendub1e
Doll

drive. When they did go, there was a
long list of necessary things to buy
-four, sugar, tea, coffee, pepper, and
such things-and, when these were
bought, there was very little money
left for Nancy's mother to buy any
thing for her little girl, sometimes only
penny for stick Of candy.
But Nancy did not mind. Her moth
er picked out the kind striped with
colors, so the candy was pretty to look
at as we'll as good to eat, and Nancy
made it last long time by eating on
ly little bit each day.
Nancy did not have things to play
with, such as most children. have.
Why, her doll, even, was just wood
en- doll that only could not sit down
at all. nor be cuddled up snug in
Nancy's arm just because it was so
stiff and woodeny. Nancy loved her
wooden doll. though, but she often
wished Claribel were more loving.
Nancy thought that, if Claribel would
bend even very little, she would feel
that Claribel really loved her, too. But
no! Claribel would not bend so much
as a finger, but was just as stiff as
wood knows how to be.
Just before Nancy was six year old,
her Uncle Lester, from far-away
place, came to visit her father Now
Nancy had never had a birthday pres
ent. There were two reasons for this.
One was because the farm was so far
away from place to buy birthday
presents. and .xpther was that there
was so little mC-ey to buy them with.
Nancys mother always made her a
birthday cake and frosted it, and,
frosted cake was a rare food in her
home, Nancy thought her birthday
treat good enough for queen.
When Uncle Lester found that
Nancy was to have birthday soon,
he said to her:
What present do you expect for
your birthday, Nancy?"
oh" said Nancy. II don't have
birthday presents. | just don't have
birthday presents. just have Christ
mas presents
Il thought all little girls had birth,
day presents" said Uncle Lester, but
tell me, if you were going to have a
birthday present, what would you
like?'
Nancy looked down at stiff Claribel
whom she was trying to cuddle while
she talked to this new uncle.
II would WANT would like" she
said slowly, IF I was to have any
thing, | would like a bendable DOLL
What kind of doll did you say?'
"sked Uncle Lester for he did not
know much about dolls.
"A bendable doll" repeated Nancy.
81 love my Claribel. but I think she
doesn't love me, because, you see, she
won't bend. Just look"
She showed Uncle Lester how i'm
possible it was to cuddle Claribel. for.
while Claribel would lie down very
straight or stand up like very stiff
piece of wood she would not bend the
least little bit.
What would you do with Claribel
if you had a bendable doll?" asked
Uncle Lester.
Now, though Nancy had had wished
often for a bendable doll, she had not
thought what would become of Clari,
bel Surely. she would not like to part
with her dear Claribel. After a long
time she said.-
81 would like a bendable doll, but
would like it to be Claribel. too
Uncle Lester wished he had thought
to bring his little niece bendable
doll, but he did not say so. He laugh
ed patted Nancy on the head, and
went away to the field where Nancy
| father was working.
The night before Nancy's birthday
when she was fast asleep in her bed
with stiff Clarbel cuddled up to her as
much as Claribel could be made tc
cuddle. Uncle Lester came softly into
! the room and, without waking Nancy
took Clarinbel and went downstairs tC
! the kitchen. and laid Claribel on the
table where there was a gimlet, q
sharp jack-knife. some bits of wire, anc
some small wooden pegs.
Nancy surely would have cried ant
cried if she could have seen what was
happening to her Claribel. for Uncle
Lester took the sharp jackknife anc
cut off Claribel's head. and her arms
and her legs, and there lay Claribe
all cut in pieces. Then Uncle Lester
took the gimlet and bored hole il
Claribe1's neck and another In he1
body and fastened the head back 1r
place with one of the wooden pegs
and now Claribel's head could be
turned one way and the other, jus
like any other doll. Then he made
more holes, and with the wire ant
wooden pegs he fastened Claribel:
arms and legs back on her body. ant
there she was all together again. a!
bendable a doll as any doll ought tt
be.
Then Nancy's mother put the night
gown on Claribel, and went up softl!
to Nancy's room and put Claribel IL
Ibed again, and she cuddled down tt
Nancy just as nice as any bendabl'
doll could cuddle.
Nancy could dress herself, and whel
she woke in the morning. she hurried
to dress because it was her birthda.
morning Then she went to TAX
Clarbel to dress her, and-why, CLAIR
bel, instead of staring straight at tn
ceiling, had her head turned and wa
Hooking right at Nancy. She caugh
her up: and wasn't she surprised. TO
iClaribel had turned into a bendabl
doll real bendable doll.
Vrbop ebo hoard Como ono laugh AM