Paper doll

just

me would ever have thought of putting it away for her my sister bessie don't try half so hard to help people she sat in her little arm-chair all the time tying up susan hopkins's joints she thinks susan is the best of all our dolls but i don't her joints are all loose and her legs rattle bessie isn't so much use as i am she kept out of the way tending to susan while maria had to change every one of my clothes cause the naughty water sloshed and bessie didn't even pick up the broken pieces of basin for poor maria maria told her not to touch em for fear of getting her feet wet and cutting her fingers afraid they're afraid of everything the very minute maria had me dressed again i began to pick up the pieces for her and i didn't even cry when i did cut my hand and the bleed got all over my nice clean apron i don't think it was very polite of maria to set me down so hard on the sewing machine and tell me not to move till she'd cleared up the floor bessie is bigger than i am but she isn't a busybody at all she only plays while there's work going on and only see how much work i've done this morning i've fixed up mamma's work basket for her and i've stuffed all the rags and little pieces of our new dresses that were piled up on the machine into papa's collar drawer then i cleared up a whole lot of muss after maria she went to answer the door-bell and while she was gone i took papa's clothes-whisk and swept up a big pile of dust she left on the hearth and dumped it where nobody can see it in a dark corner of the closet under mamma's dresses it was real lucky i went to the closet too for i found the waist of mama's best walking suit i heard her say one day that she was going to change the trimming on the sleeves so i took it out and got a needle and thread and i'm going to do it my own self for her bessie's darning a stocking that maria gave her and i'll sit right in front of her so i can see how she pulls the needle through the ends of the lace get right in the way of the needle though and i don't know but what i'll have to cut some of it off so as to sew it better i am going to hurry fast and see if i can get it done before mamma comes home from market two little sunbonnets under the shade of the sun bonnet's crown one head is golden and one head is brown blue eyes and hazel eyes sparkle with fun hide and go seek as the gay dimples run four little hands over brimming with flowers four little feet tripping through the blithe hours two little maidens so happy and bright busy all day and so tired at night Voyage of the Paper Dolls by Matthew White, Jr.

It was a hot summer afternoon, and the great playroom in the garret was deserted.

There was not even breeze enough blowing in it at the open window to stir Angelina Mary, Matilda Agnes, and General Adolphus Popgun as they lay upon their paperbacks on the table.

oh dear complained angelina with a sigh i do wish those girls wouldn't leave us in such attitudes when they go down to dress it's so undignified But you must remember, my love, rejoined her friend Matilda, that it has a tendency to sprain our ankles if we remain long standing.

And, by the way, did you not hear the children speak about our having some new paper muslins? And thereupon the two ladies fell to discussing dress with great animation.

General Popgun, growing meanwhile quite puffed out with pride, as he reflected on the fact that his blazing red coat, ornamented with yellow braid, and his jaunty cap with its conspicuous tricolored pompom must be particularly becoming to him he was not as yet very well acquainted with his two companions having only arrived at the post as he professionally termed the garret the previous day and since then he had been obliged to attend so many drillings of the tin soldiers that he had enjoyed but few opportunities for social recreation now however he thought he would enter into conversation with the two fair members of his race beside him and was just endeavoring to think of something new to say about the weather when a great clattering was heard on the stairs and the next instant two boys made their appearance in the garret both breathing very hard and looking as if they had been running races with the sun i beat anyhow said one as he sat down on an old trunk and wiped his face all right returned the other adding and now what'll we get to put in the foam and then the two rummaged around the room for a while till suddenly one of them pounced upon the table where lay the paper dolls and catching all three of them up in his hand cried out here these'll do come on frank and the boys hurried down the stairs again with even more racket than they had made coming up as may be imagined angelina mary and matilda agnes grew paler than foolscap with fright when they felt tom's fingers closing over them so roughly and general adolphus popgun although somewhat nervous himself felt called upon to postpone his weather remarks and endeavor instead to calm the fears of his companions Pray don't be alarmed, I beg, he said.

I have no doubt we are being transported to a grand review of the tin regiment.

She crept out of her little bed went softly to the door, and looked into the room Oh what a splendid sight there was to be sure There was no night lamp burning; but the room appeared quite light, for the moon shone through the window upon the floor, and made it almost like day All the hyacinths and tulips stood in two long rows down the room—not a single flower remained in the window, and the flower pots were all empty The flowers were dancing gracefully on the floor making turns and holding each other by their long green leaves as they swung round At the piano sat a large yellow lily which little Ida was sure she had seen in the summer For she remembered the student saying she was very much like Miss Lina (one of Ida's friends).

They all laughed at him then; but now it seemed to little Ida as if the tall yellow flower was really like the young lady She had just the same manners while playing bending her long yellow face from side to side and nodding in time to the beautiful music Then she saw a large purple crocus jump into the middle of the table where the play things stood go up to the doll's bedstead and draw back the curtains There lay the sick flowers; but they got up directly and nodded to the others as a sign that they wished to dance with them The old rough doll with the broken mouth stood up and bowed to the pretty flowers They did not look ill at all now but jumped about and were very merry Yet none of them noticed little Ida Presently it seemed as if something fell from the table Ida looked that way and saw a slight carnival rod jumping down among the flowers as if it belonged to them It was however very smooth and neat And a little wax doll with a broad brimmed hat on her head Like the one worn by the lawyer Sat upon it The Carnival rod hopped about Among the flowers On its three red stilted feet And stamped Quite loud When it danced The mazurka The flowers Could not perform This dance They were too Light To stamp In that manner All at once the Wax Doll Which rode on the Carnival Rod Seemed to grow Larger And taller And it turned Round and said To the paper Flowers How can you Put such Things Into A child’s Head? They Are all Foolish Fancies” And then The dolls Was exactly Like the Lawyer With a Broad Brimmed Hat And Looked As Yellow And as cross As he Did But the Paper Dolls Struck Him on his Thin legs And He Shrunk Up again And became Quite A Little Wax Doll This was Very amusing And ida Could Not help Laughing The Carnival Rod Went on Dancing And the lawyer Was obliged To Dance also It was No use He might Make himself Great or Tall Or remain A little Wax doll With a Large Black hat Still He must Dance Then at last The Other Flowers Interceded For him Especially Those Who Had lain In the Doll's Bed And the Carnival Rod Gave up His dancing At the Same moment A Loud Knocking Was Heard In the Drawer Where Ida's Doll Sophie Lay With many Other Toys Then the Rough doll Ran to the End Of the Table Laid Himself Flat Upon it And Began to Pull the drawer Out a little Way Then sophie Raised Herself And looked Round quite Astonished “There Must Be a ball Here tonight Said sophy Why did Not somebody Tell me Will You dance With Me?" Said the Rough doll "You Are the Right sort To dance With Certainly" Said she Turning Her Back upon Him Then She seated Herself On the Edge of the Drawer And Thought That perhaps One of the flowers Would ask Her to dance But None of Them came Then She coughed But for all That Not one Came The shabby doll Now Danced Quite alone And not Very badly After all As none of the flowers Seemed to notice Sophy She let Herself Down From the drawer To the Floor So as To make a very great Noise All the flowers Came round her Directly And asked If she had Hurt Herself especially those Who had Lain in her Bed But she was Not hurt at all And idas flowers Thanked her For the Use of the nice Bed And Were very kind To her They led her Into the Middle of the Room Where the Moon shown And danced With her While all the Other flowers Formed a circle Round them Then sophy Was very happy And said They Might keep her Bed She did not Mind Lying In the drawer At all But the flowers Thanked her very Much and Said We cannot Live Long Tomorrow Morning we Shall be Quite dead And you must tell Little Ida To bury us In the Garden Nearer to the Grave of the Canary Then in the Summer we shall Wake up And be More Beautiful Than Ever ”No you must Not die!” Said Sophies As she Kissed the flowers Then the Door of the Room Opened And a number of beautiful Flowers Danced in Ida could Not imagine Where they could Come from Unless they Were the flowers From the King's garden First came Two lovely Roses With little Golden Crowns on Their heads These were the king and queen Beautiful stalks And carnations Followed Bowing To everyone Present They had also music with them.

Large poppies and peonies had pea shells for instruments, and blew into them till they were quite red in the face.

The bunches of blue hyacinths and little white snowdrops jingled their bell-like flowers as if they were real bells.