Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-11-16
Jennie BluebeH's
Hazard


for maiden aunt and flower, and
she was very proud of it,
you do not meet many dolls with
such NAME" she said to rubber bal!
that lived in the same house with her.
mo, indeed said the ball, who had
no special name of his own.
Jennie Bluebell had black hair and
blue eyes and rosy cheeks, and on her
feet were painted gilt shoes that shone
like gold. NJ
Il am made of china" she said to
the ball, "and so are the vases in the
rarlor. They are my near relations.
We are all most refined and delicate,
if do say it myself, and must be han
died with care"
Can you bounce?" asked the ball,
politely.
Bounce cried the doll. Horrible!
Not one of our family ever did such
thing"
at is easy to d." said the ball. And
he rolled off the table where he had
been lying and bounced on the floor,
for he was very active.
While he was doing this the little
boy and girl to whom the toys be-
longed came running in. 1t was their
playtime, and they were going to the
meadow near their home.
"I'll beat you there" said the little
boy to his sister; and he picked up the
ball from the floor and hurried away.
The little girl followed him; but she
was so afraid of dropping Jennie Blue
bell, whom she carried in her arms,
that she could not run fast, and she
,k:n h. WIN ha 10
boy climbed the meadow stile.
There was grass in the meadow; but
on one side near the fence there was
narrow path which led to an oak-tree,
and under the tree no grass had been
planted, for it was the children's play
place. Their father hung swing for
them, and there was sand pile under
meath the branches, and the birds sang
overhead the livelong day-oh, it was
a pleasant place.
Lets play with my ball. said the
boy when his sister had reached him.
GAS soon as l make a bed for my
DOLL" she answered.; and she parted
the long grass that grew about the
playground, and laid Jennie Bluebell
down in it.
How glad I am" thought the doll.
shat am not thrown about like that
poor rubber ball! My nerves could
never stand it,
The rubber ball would have laughed
to hear her, for he was having glor-
ious time How glad am" he said
to himself, as he flew from one child
to the other, that I do not have to
keep still all the time like the china
doll! This is what I call fun"
The children played until the dinner
bell called them.
'I'll get to the house before you
said the little boy.
"Wait, wait till get Jennie" called
| can't find her." she cried as she hur-
ried from place to place. The green
grass all looked alike, and the dear
doll was nowhere to be found.
The little boy ran back to look, but
at last they both gave up looking.
perhaps the fairies have taken her
away said the little girl, almost cry
ing.
"Or a rabbit" suggested her brother.
Father saw one in the field yester-
day"
But rabbits or fairies had nothing to
do with the lost doll. She lay all the
time in the very spot where the little
girl had put her. The grass had sway
ed back into place and hidden her
from sight.
It was lonesome in the meadow and
the doll longed for company. 1t is true
a family of beetles. who had their
home under an old log, came out to
look at her and even crawled on her
dress, but she had nothing to say to
them, and was glad when they went
away.
81 shall not close my eyes all night"
she said to herself when it began to
grow dark, and she did not.
Almost as soon as it was light she
heard a noise in the meadow. Swish,
swash! Swish, swash! it sounded.
The farmer was cutting his grass with
his sharp-bladed scythe, but the doll
did not know this, and when the grass
in which she lay fell down in a heap
upon her she thought the end Of every
thing had come.
What in the world has happened
she asked grasshopper, who had been
caught in the fall.
THAT is just yhat I should like to
know myself" answered he: and he
struggled up toward the sunlight. and
never came back, for it is difficult to
travel in a new-mown field.
The children did not come to the
that day or the next, and the
doll gave up hope.
"They have gone to visit their
she said 81 heard them
talking about it the day | was lost.
They have forgotten me, and shall
never see them again"
The very next day. however, they
came to the meadow to help their faith
err rake the grass. which the sun had
dried into understanding hay. AS they
worked they talked of the things they
had done while they were away from
home. The china doll could hear every
word they said.
81 rode grandpa's horse to water two
times all by myself" said the little
boy.
II fed grandma's chickens every day
with corn" said his sister.
Grandpa plants corn in his fields, y
said the boy. You can't rake corn