The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-22
THE UNBENDABLE DOLL

Little Nancy Martins father was a
I farmer, and his farm was away up
In the hills. many miles from the VII
Ilage. Nancy's father and mother did
not go to the village often, for 1t
was a long, long drive. When they
did go there was long list OF nee
essary things to buy-fiour. sugar. tea.
coffee, pepper and such things-and
] when these were bought there was
very little money left for Nancy
mother to buy anything for her lit
tie girl, sometimes only penny for
a stick OF candy.
But Nancy did not mind Her mo-
Their 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 1t last a long time by
eating only a little each day.
Nancy did not have things to
play with such as most children
have. Why, her doll. even. WAS Just
a wooden doll that only could be
made to lie down or stand up. 1t
could not sit down at all. nor be
cuddied up snugly in Nancys arm.
Just because 1t was stin and wooden.
Nancy loved her wooden doll, though;
but she often wished Claribel were
more loving. Nancy thought that,
III Claribel would bend even a little,
she would feel that Ciaribel 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 years
old her Uncle Lester, from far
away place, came to visit her father
Now. Nancy had never had a. birth
day present. There We're two reasons
for this. One was because the farm
was so far away from place to buy
birthday presents, and another was
that there was so little money to buy
them with. Nancy's mother always
made her a birthday cake and frosted
1t: and as frosted cake was rare
thing in her home. Nancy thought
her birthday treat good enough for
/ When Uncle Lester found that Nan
cy was to have birthday soon. he
said to her: What present do you ex-
pect for your birthday. Nancy?"
co." said Nancy. Il 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, IL you were going to have a
birthday present what would you
llike2"
Nancy looked down at stiff Cla-ibel.
whom she was trying to cuddle while
she taxed to this new uncle.
II would WANT would like" she
said slowly. ~ was to have any.
thing, I would like q bendabie doll"
What kind OF a doll did you say?"
asked Uncle Lester, for he did not
know much about dolls
"A bendable doll" repeated Nam
cy. Il love my Claribel, but think
she doesn't love me. because. you see.
she won't bend. Just look"
ar4a no, i'm
possible 1t was to cuddle Claribei, .or.
while Claribel would lie down very
straight or stand UP like a very stiff
piece Of wood, she would not bend
the least little bit.
What would you do with Claribel
IL you had &bendabIe doll?" Uncle
Lester asked.
Now, though Nancy had wished for
a bendable doll. she had not thought
what would become OF Clartbel. Sure
ly she would not like to part with
her dear Claribel. After long time
she said: ~ would like a bendable
doll, but / would like 1t to be Claribei
too"
Uncle Lester wished he had thought
to bring his little niece a bendable
doll, but he did not say so. He
laughed. patted Nancy on the head.
and went away to the field where
Nancy's father was working.
The night before Nancys birthday,
when abe was fast asleep in her bed
with stiff Claribel cuddled up TO her
as much as Claribel could be made
TO cuddle, Uncle Lester came softly
into the room and. without waking
Nancy, took Clartbel and went down.
stairs to the kitchen and raid Claribel
on the table where there was a gimlet,
a sharp knife and cut of Claribels
head and her arms and her legs and
Ia Ia Hsal oil iV, nj m
Uncle Lester took the gimlet and
bored q hole in Clartbers neck and
Ianother in her body and fastened the
head back in place with one OF the
wooden pins, and now Claribefs head
lcould be turned one way and another
just like any other doll. Then he
made more holes. and with the wire
and wooden pegs he fastened Carl
bells arms and legs back on her body,
and there she was all together again,
as bendable q doll as any doll ought
to be.
Then Nancy's mother put the right
gown on Ctlribel and went up softly
to Nancy's room and put Clarinet in
bed again; and she cuddled down to
Nancy as nice ~ any bendable doll
could cuddle.
Nancy could dress herself: and
when she awoke In the morning she
hurried to dress because It was her
birthday morning. Then she went
to take Claribei to dress her. and
why, Clarihel, insteAd Of staring
straight at the ceiling. had her head
turned and was looking right at Nam
Icy! She caught her up; and wasn't
she surprised7 for Claribel had turred
into = bendable doll. = real bendable
doll.
Then she heard some one laugh.
and she looked round. and there was
mother and father and Uncle Lester
looking In at the doll. OF course
Nancy had to hear Al about how