see that you are pretty; but what can you do?" 10. "I would not have spoken of it if you had not asked me. Just between ourselves I think there is no bad taste in my telling you what you ask." 11. There was quite a smile on the china doll's face but the wax doll knew that china dolls were made with smiles on their faces so she did not take any of it to herself. 12. "I was made in Paris," she said. "My skin is as clear as wax. The color in my cheeks comes from rose-leaves and not from work. My hair is real hair." 13. "I have always wished to meet a lady from Paris," said the china doll. "Now tell me what you can do.” 14. "I can open and shut my eyes. My arms stay where they are placed. I can sit in a chair with ease. I can talk French, as you see. I can do anything that becomes a lady." 15. "I am proud to know you," said the china doll. "I hope we shall see much of each other." 16. "That is not likely," said the wax doll "for I suppose our pathways will part at once. To-morrow some rich girl will buy me. I will go home with her to her fine house, and I will spend my days being dressed and petted. 17. "On the other hand, some poor mother who has saved a little money will buy you for her girl. Christmas Eve you will be stuffed head first in an old stocking. After that you will be knocked about till your head is broken. You will have only one dress and you will be cold and dirty." 18. The china doll did not change the sweet smile on her round face. She had a stout china heart. She hoped for better things. 19. "We shall see," she said. "You are very pretty, I know. But I may be here when you are gone. I have been tried by fire and I came through all right. My colors are fixed. Age cannot wither me. I came from the earth and a little dirt will not hurt me." PART TWO 20. Not all things came out as the wax doll said. The next day a little girl and her mother walked into the store. The mother had a kind, good face and the girl had a sweet one. 21. But it was plain that they were poor people. The wax doll did not care to see them and closed her eyes. The china doll looked straight at them as she did at everything. She did not change the sweet smile on her face. 22. "Oh, mama," said the little girl, "see what a lovely wax doll." "Yes, my dear," said mama, "but these Paris dolls are very frail. They don't last. If I were you, I'd get a china doll." 23. The rosy little girl did not lose her sweet smile. She looked at our china doll. "She has a sweet smile," she said. "And a round cheek. She will do." And a hand like the baby's. 24. So the mother bought her. Just as they were putting a paper around her, the wax doll opened her eyes. She caught the of the china doll. It seemed to have a twinkle in it. eye 25. That afternoon a little girl with her nurse came up to the toy store. "Have you any wax dolls?" asked the nurse. "Yes," said the man, "we have one just from Paris." 66 26. That will do," said the nurse, without looking. "Send it out to the carriage." PART THREE 27. It was a sunny spring day. said the rosy little girl, "may I take and go to the park?" "Mama," my doll 28. "Yes, my dear," said mamma. "Don't stay too long." 29. Our china doll was brought out and put in her buggy. day it was fixed. have a wrinkle. Her smile was as sweet as the Her color was as fresh as the day it was painted. 30. She rode in her buggy till they came to a great tree. Here they stopped. There was something lying on a bench, and the little girl ran to see what it was. 31. "Dear me," she said, "somebody has left her doll. I'll put it in the buggy with Rosy. Maybe some one will come for it." 32. The china doll made room for the poor lost doll at once. She felt very sorry for her. 33. "How are you?" said the lost doll. "I knew you at once. But you do not know me." 34. The china doll looked straight at her. "No, I don't"; said the china doll. "I never knew but one wax doll. She was from Paris. She had a rose-leaf color in her cheeks, she had real golden hair, she could open and shut her eyes." 35. "I am that doll. Mine is a sad story." |