Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-12

Half century ago small French
| Marie, dark eyed, demure, well be-
| haved, as are the children of her race,
| sailed away from France with her
| father and mother. She was only
| four years old. but her parents were
travelling players, and the company to
which they belonged had an engage
ment at the chief theater of the Island
| of Martinique.
So Marie, too, went overseas and
| beheld, with grave wonderment. the
| gay, brightly colored tropical life OF
| the West Indies. Neither fifty years
ago nor today would French child
be given the lavish allowance of toys
with which American youngsters
manage to be discontinued. Therefore
we may imagine what capitalized
event it was in Marie's life when not
| long after landing in Martinique, her
parents presented her with a doll,
native product of the island. 1t wat
about eighteen inches tall, girl doll
with an ingeniously carved and paint.
ed wooden head attached to its neatly
stuffed body. 1t had chic slippers, Of
| real leather, a blue and white cotton
! frock of the day and fashion, even
! sllillful doll size bit of French millin-
cry on it's round head. 1t was q DOL
to delight the motherly affection o.
any girl child and the small Marie
| took it to her heart.
Soon, I am sure, the time came
| when the wooden headed doll wa
| dearer to Marie than anything IN tins
world and when nightly she fell ASLEEP
| it was with dollie's smooth cheeS
dressed tight against her own tear.
! -. - e.. Of n
! swept Martinique, and with the pass.
inc Of the swift, deadly plague passed
| Marie's father and mother, leaving
| their four year old baby and her doll
! alone in strange land.
! With their characteristic ready
! kindness the player folk who lived
| through the epidemic tried to comfort
| Marie, guarded her carefully and TOOK
her with them when they salied pack
10 France. Marie took her doll
| When she was adopted by an aunt
J and went from Paris to the French
island or Bourbon on the West Afrl-
! can coast the much travelled wooden
| doll accompanied her. 1t was the last
| gift from her papa and mammal
| around ii centered her dim baby mem
| cries of them. and in the hours OF
| lonIiness which must come tn every
| orphaned girl, however, kindly hef
environment we can fancey the ado
+ descent Marie finding an Illogical put
| very genuine comfort in her battered
| old wooden doll.
CHAPTER II.
Some half mystic tie there must
have been between the doll from Mar
| tiniuue and it's French girl mother,
| for If she grew too old to play with
II she never grew old enough to give
or throw or even pack it away.
| In her childhood 1t had made TWO
ocean voyages: a third was to be us
norton. When the we'll educated,
! self possessed, trim young French
| woman who had been Baby Marie
came to America SOME twenty five or
thirty years ago her doll came, too
At one time she was governess
in the family of New Yorker named
Howell. a we'll known figure In the
sugar business. Her relations with
the 10y and girl in her CHARGE must
have been affectionate, since they dc-
welcomed into an enduring friendship,
hut one wonders if the youngsters
ever were allowed to play with the
treasured wooden doll, already
quarter of a century old
While still q young woman Marie
became the wife of her gallant ana
handsome young cousin, Edmohu
Ernest Adrian lie Marie. He fougnt
in the Franco Prussian war and won
a, wound. a sergeantcy and q deco
ration which he proudly wore for the
rest of his life. Then he came 70
America and for twenty five years
taught his own language at the COZ
lege of the City of New York.
Twenty four years ago he, his black
eyed attractive wife and the dou
settled down in small brown WOOD,
EN- house ut Webster avenue and 2oSd
street in the Bronx.
But no children ever came TO tne
little brown house, neighbofs say.
The doll was waiting for them. put
they did not find It, Mrs. lie MARE
Kept her house with meticuious
French nicely and gave private les
sons in her native tongue. Her nus
band, interested himself keeniy IN inc
National Society of French Proles-
sors in America OF WHICH ne WIS
treasurer for many years. He nnn
his wife and the social talent WhiDh
is SO strongly developed in their rae
and dispensed simple, gay hospitan,y
10 many OF tutlT Souh.i y 49,. /
ccuntrywomen. :,
Meanwhile, the little wooden doil
waited. Did It listen impassiveiy 70
sad condolences, frustrated hopes OF
Marie, the woman. even as Marie tne
child had dropned tears on its snort
cotton frock9 Did 1t become to her
symbol of the only motherhood she
would ever know a pathetic reminder
OF the lovely i've baby that even n |
little girl likes 20 pretend her doll
really is?
Every woman with an imagination
will answer these questions for her-
self. tits a fact that when Mrs. Le
Marie. a woman in late. middle age,
died, four years ago. the wooden doi
possessions. According to one story
she asked that it be buried with her
CHAPTER III.
In this curious life Of doll. now
ever. there is one more brief chapter,
Tho davntiop of Prof lie Mare 10