The Washington times., 1919-02-09
SOLDIERS GRABBING
REAL FRENCH DOLLS
By MARGARET ROHE.

Some fools there are, and they make
their prayer,
Even as you and I,
To a rag and a hank of some yarn for
hair:
They call her a poupee chiffon, tres
chere.
But a Yank he calls her rag doll"
for fair,
Even as you and I
PARIS, Feb. 9.-And now the SOL
dicrs are beginning to take their doll
rags and go home. At least most of
them are taking rag dolls. To desig-
nate one of these fascinatingly artis-
tic Partisan creations by so plain a
name, however, is like calling a rag
out a stew. Poupee chiffon is their
regular nomenclature in their native
habitat, which is Paris. 1t seems an
anRchFOnism to translate their names,
even If they themselves are trans
lated to most distant chimes by husky
Australian, Canadian, English, and
American officers. From the desola-
ton of bsttlefelds to these ducky
dolls of the bouIevards seems indeed
far cry, yet the poupee chiffon is
the craze of the moment in Paris
second only to the President "Wecl-
song" sensation.
Work of Artists.
Though reminiscent of the Polish
dolls that wer so much exploited
both in Europe and America during
the war, and also of the mascot rag
dolls that had such vogue in Paris
during the air raids and lombard
ments, these newest poupees chiffons
are distinctly original. They are the
work of different individual women
artists, and artists is the right word.
Each doll is a little masterpiece con-
ceived and executed with as much
art and originality as the canvas of
painter or the marble of a sculptor.
There are no two alike, and each one
is signed on the sole Of one tiny slip
per with the name of the artist.
The face Of all is of suede with en-
broidered features, the cheeks only
touched up a la human females with
bit of paint. The hair, which is the
most novel note, invariably is of yarn
in exaggerated bright shades Of
orange, yellow, and henna-
Though there are character and period
dolls among the assortment, the most
typical and Partisan are the little girl
dolls long and lank of leg with their
abbreviated excuses for skirts and mops
of bobbed wool topped with a provoca-
tive bow or a chic chapeau. Their toll
lettes are worked out to the veriest de-
tail of Frenchy perfection just like their
real little human Partisan prototypes.
Ladies Can't Resist 'em.
No 100 per cent female can resist EN-
even though their prices are as high as
everything else now in Paris, and that
certainly is beaucoup. The fact that all
the returning officers are bearing gifts
Of these delectable dolls TO their sweet
hearts, wives or mothers is an interest
ing sideIight on that old belief that
mere male is incapable of understand
ing the eternal feminine. Indeed, II is
the big, grOwnup girls who are craziest
about these attractive toys. They will
do almost anything to possess one. Some
American mothers of small daughters
even go to such base lengths as to use
their offspring for an excuse They
know full well in their Utmost hearts
that when New York is reached the
poupee chiffon will be snatched from
wee daughters first fond embrace to be
set on cushion in the drawing room
and add just that piquant touch Of nov
city to the apartment.
It strikes me that this belongs to the
same low form Of parental camoufiage
as that affected by the male parent
when he uses his young hopeful as a
good excuse to so to the circus.