October 1, 2025 • 16 mins
In this enchanting tale, a doll gifted to a young girl on her birthday embarks on a heartfelt journey filled with adventures and missteps, all in a quest to earn the love of her new mother. Join her as she navigates the challenges of acceptance and belonging. - Summary by Emma Hatton
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter five of the Diary of a Birthday Doll by
Ethel Dow. This is a liberyvox recording. All liberyvox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit liberyvox dot work. I suppose I ought to
be feeling even worse than I felt yesterday, considering what
has happened to me to day. But somehow, in spite
of everything, I'm a bit easier in mind. I wonder why,
(00:23):
maybe I'm getting to be like Teddy, dear good natured
Teddy who says that he never lets him feel discouraged
any more. Now, Dolly, Honor Bright, are you really so
awfully sorry that dreadful accident happened to you to day?
Honor Bright, Remember well, Honor Bright, I can't say that
I am, even though the accident may have very sad consequences,
(00:47):
for without it to smooth the way Teddy might never
have talked to me. He's so very proud. It's so
nice to know that you've got a friend, a good
sensible friend, to give you advice once in a while,
and to tell you that your hair is naturally curly.
As Teddy told me, I wish Mamma Lou had such
a friend. I'm sure that Winnie Campbell wasn't, or else
(01:08):
she wouldn't make my mama disobey her mama. But how
did it happen that you and Teddy got speaking? Dear Dolly?
How funny such a very serious accident had happened to me,
And yet I don't seem to care. I really don't
understand myself at all. Come on, answer yourself, Dolly. Well.
At six o'clock this morning, I was hoping and praying
(01:29):
that Mamma Lou wouldn't come into the nursery before she
went to school. I just couldn't bear the idea of
seeing her. I trembled at the thought of hearing her say, well,
naughty girl, how are you this morning? Now? Be good?
When I knew it was too late for her to
come in, I sighed with relief. I was just so
tired of being scolded. I suppose she'll be in about
(01:52):
half past two. I thought, well, I can't help that.
Maybe I won't be feeling so bad by that time. Anyhow,
the time passed very slowly. Mod and Glady spoke only
three times, and then in whispers they were afraid to
say a word to me. They thought I wanted to
nurse my sorrow in silence. That's quite true, and I
(02:12):
still felt dreadful about the disgrace and all that. But oh,
I did want to speak just a little, and I
couldn't because it wouldn't have looked at all proper for
me and who had suffered so much, to begin talking
about everyday matters without being coaxed into conversation. Maybe we
can just begin talking naturally. When Mamma Lolu comes home again,
(02:33):
I thought, if only she won't be cruel to me again.
Two o'clock passed. I looked anxiously at the door, half
eager for her to come, half afraid. Three o'clock, four
o'clock once I heard the trotting of her little feet
in the hall, a pause before the nursery door, and
then a frantic rush, No Mama Lou yet. Five o'clock,
(02:54):
six o'clock. How could mod and Gladys lie there so
perfectly unconcerned when Mamalu, who might never come back to
us anymore, and so good as she had been to them.
Maybe they weren't unconcerned. Maybe they were just trying hard
not to reproach me because it was through me. When
it was almost dark, the nurse came in to light
(03:15):
the gas. Mama Lou was with her just before they
went out. She gave us one quick glance and then
turned her head away. Oh but I was frightened. She'll
never come back again. I know it, I cried out loud.
I guess it was naughty of me to fall out
of my chair. Oh, Mamma Lou, please come back. Don't
be crossed at Maud and gladdies anyhow. They haven't done
(03:37):
anything wrong, Mama Lou, Mamulu, I screamed at the top
of my voice, But of course she couldn't hear me. Then, Oh, dear,
he always knows exactly what to say, and went to
say it. I heard the dear gruff voice from under
the bed. Don't worry, she'll come back before bedtime. Even
I wonder what the girls thought of that I was
(03:59):
the only one he had ever said a word to.
I nudged Maud and then whispered, thank you ever so much?
Do you really think so? Of course I didn't get
an answer. Ted doesn't like unnecessary questions just before going
to bed, exactly like you said, Mamma lu came into
the nursery. She was half undressed. Her shoes were in
(04:20):
one hand and her dress in the other. I just
couldn't go to bed without seeing how you are, she
whispered to me, very low, Dolly, are you cross with me? Look?
I fought you a present. She drew off my old
pink ribbon and pinned a pretty blue bow in my
hair naturally curled. She lifted me very carefully out of bed,
and just as I was safe in her arms, I
(04:42):
felt the queerest kind of pulling pain in my left
knee joint. Something dropped with a clatter to the floor,
and my left leg felt sort of light and airy.
What was that? Asked Mamma Lu anxiously, and then she
gave a scream. I peeped down, horrors, was my left
leg from the knee down, lying just at Mama Lou's feet.
(05:05):
At that terrifying sight, I completely had lost control of myself. Really,
I had an excuse in my dreadful experience of the
day before, and sent out shriek after shriek, first a
broken heart and now a broken leg. I screamed, oh, oh, oh,
(05:25):
and mad and Glady's joined me at the top of
their voices, and the top of their voices is very
high up. A broken leg. Ho oh oh, and Teddy
under the bed growled again and again in such a deep,
angry voice. A broken leg, Poor little girl will Isn't
that a shame? The combination was simply deafening, Even though
(05:49):
I knew that little girl's ears are not nearly delicate
enough to hear the loudest noises that dolls make. Yet
I was rather surprised that Mama Lou didn't seem to
hear a sound. I'd I've just loved her to know
how much my friends care for me. Perhaps it was
because she was so dreadfully scared and excited. She set
me down on the floor right next to that dreadful
(06:10):
hair brush, still lying just where she had thrown it
yesterday after Oh don't let me think of it, and
drew her slippers on in a flash. I've got to
go this minute and get my mama, she was muttering
through her teeth as she tugged at her shoe string.
I know I've done it. It's my fault because of
what I did yesterday. I couldn't see her, but modern
(06:31):
gladdies who had stopped screaming, were sitting up in bed
looking on. Told me afterwards that Mamma Lou's expression at
the time was pitiful. Her face was quite white, her
teeth were clenched tight together, and she was swallowing all
the time. I heard her rush out of the room,
and the next thing I knew, I was a little dizzy,
I suppose, and not quite clear to as what was happening.
(06:55):
I was resting comfortably in Grandma Ellis's arms, and Mamma
Lou was standing in front of me, looking up into
her mother's face with the most imploring expression, her lips
pressed tight together, her eyes strained full of tears. In
her right hand, she was holding up my poor leg.
It certainly gives you the queerest kind of feeling to
(07:15):
see part of your leg held up in another person's hand.
I'll do my best, Lucy, Grandma Ellie was saying, doubtfully.
But and then Mamma lu interrupted her wildly, Mama, Mama,
you must cure her, you must, you must, or id
never speak to myself again, never never, It's oh my fault,
(07:39):
Oh Mamma, you don't know. And poor Mamma lu burst
into great loud sobs. Hush, dear, said Grandma Elli soothingly.
Your fault? Did you let her drop? Oh? No, no, no, no,
I was so naughty yesterday. Look, Mama. She picks up
that mean brush and held it out despairingly. I spanked
(08:02):
her all for nothing, so hard with this, And Mama,
she wrenched off the sticky ball of gum that had
been paralyzing my hand. I'd been chewing chewing gum though
you told me not to, and I knew I was
doing wrong, and I was so cranky. I spanked and
spanked and just spanked. I know I broke her leg.
(08:23):
I just know I did. Oh, I am so wicked, Mama, Mama,
poor Mama lou. It was very sad to hear her
sobs so bitterly, and all because of me. I half
expected Grandma Ellis to scold me for making her loo
so sad, but instead she smoothed back with my hair
(08:43):
with the gentlest hand and said, very sorrowfully, you, poor
Dolly Lucy. How could you be so cruel and so
disobedient too? Go to your room at once. I don't
want you in here while I'm bandaging. Dolly. You've been
too naughty. When you've said your prayers and are in bed,
I'll come in to speak to you. Now, go at once, mamma,
(09:07):
cried Mamma Lou imploringly, as she gave one last look
at me, then sobbing left the room. The girl's bed
was just buzzing with their excited whisper. I wonder if
she'll be whipped, whispered Gladdie's busily. I'm sure she deserves
a whipping whip her whip, my pretty mamma. Oh girls,
I trembled all over the thought, No, said Maud. Did
(09:31):
her voice sound regretful? Or was I imagining things? Grandma
Elis isn't the whipping kind. She'll only give her a
talking to. I hope it will do her some good,
in my opinion. I said rather sharply too, because Grandma
els was just tightening a bandage and it hurt. I
think that she had said quite enough already. She has
(09:51):
been quite strict. Poor Mamma Lou crying there all alone.
I wish Grandma Elice would hurry and comfort her. There
was a silence for a second, then from under the
bed came that dear gruff voice again. Good for you,
little girl. Isn't he awful? I was so embarrassed, but
it was sweet of him anyhow. After that, I really
(10:14):
couldn't feel so very very sad about the loss of
my leg. And besides, I knew that Grandma Elice was
doing her best with linen and lots of mucilage to
make me well again. When she had finished, she carried
me tenderly over my bed and tucked me in at
the foot. I do hope she won't put us to
sleep now, we've got so much to talk about, cried gladdies.
(10:36):
But before the words were well out of her mouth,
both she and Maud were fast asleep. There certainly are
lots of inconveniences in being a sleeping doll. I felt
very comfortable and looked thankfully into Grandma Elice's eyes, beautiful
eyes just like Mamma Loose. As she leaned over us,
you little things, she murmured very tenderly, how real you
(10:59):
were to me one once and not so very long ago. No,
I have my own naughty little doll in the next
room to preach a serum to poor little lou. I'll
say good night to you for her. She glanced around
the room as if to make sure that no one
else was looking, then bent down and kissed first Clatties,
then Maud, then me on the forehead. Oh, how sorry
(11:21):
I was that they weren't awake to appreciate it. A
real lady's kiss. Think of that. She straightened herself, half laughing,
then stooped again. Something under the bed. What is it?
I wonder? I heard her murmur, and when I looked up,
she was holding Teddy in her arms. You poor little fellow,
she said, smoothing his pink nose. It was made of velvet,
(11:44):
I found out later, all by yourself under the bed there,
and she placed him gently on the quilt right next
to me. Now, good night, all of you. She waved
her hand to us, laughingly, and then there was this weed,
this expression in her blue eyes. No, Grandma Ellice, I
(12:04):
wasn't afraid. I could tell that you wouldn't be too
strict with Mamma lu The door closed behind her. Now
who's going to speak first? I wondered, very much excited,
I think, and was just about to breathe, how do
you do, Teddy? And when he said, with an admiring growl,
A sweet lady that, and of course the ice was broken. No,
(12:29):
I cannot say that I regret my accident. We've had
a delightful talk, and I've a dear good friend, and
Teddy isn't one to make friends with everybody either. For instance,
he has told me that he never will be able
to make up with modern gladdies. Too stuck up they
are for me, he said, I don't like that kind.
(12:50):
I tried to tell him that he was mistaken, that
they were dear, sweet girls and very much interested in him,
but he just said no, no, and wouldn't listen. I'm
afraid they must have said something slightly about him when
he first came. I do believe he's a little obstinate
and proud, but he has no other faults, and down
(13:10):
deep in my heart, though I know it's selfish, I
don't mind very much that he doesn't care for modern gladdies.
They've been pretty and kissed and happy all their lives.
They've never been scolded and whipped, and had accidents before
they were completed and broken legs, and I can't help
thinking that it would be only fair for somebody to
like me too. Ted said that he never would answer
(13:33):
when I called because he thought that I was most
likely proud and vain like moder and gladdies, and was
only making fun of him. They're not a bit you,
naughty boy. I told him, very glad he didn't know
the rag dolls. He'd have been crazy over them. They're
so jolly, and I do want him to like me best.
When he saw that Mama Lou seemed very stern to me,
(13:57):
he just got interested. He doesn't know to this day
why Mama Lou locked him in the trunk. Just a
good price, he said. Sometimes his language is beautiful. I
was right, he does know what becomes of Mama Lou's
broken down children. I was asking him about the trunk
when he told me. It's an awful place, that trunk is.
(14:17):
He says, I was sick for a week when I
got there. The sights you see and the sad stories
you hear are enough to make your first stand on end.
Tell me some, I breathed eagerly. I love to hear
sad stories. No, no, Dolly, I won't. I don't believe
in making girls sad, But you can't imagine in that trunk,
(14:38):
and his deep voice chilled me. Lie the legs and
the heads and arms of all the other dolls that
Mama Lou has ever had. Oh, I cried, Now I
know then that's what becomes of them. A sudden fear
seized me. Maybe tomorrow, if my leg won't stick on,
Mama Lou will take me away from everybody I love.
(14:59):
And but I wouldn't let Teddy see what a coward
I am. Did you see anything of an all china
doll there? I asked. I was always interested in that
china doll. I suppose it was because she was so delicate.
There was a little piece of china stuck right in
a corner, he said, The piece is near it said,
it used to be part of a doll, but it
(15:19):
never spoke, so I'm not certain. Don't you think of
it anymore? Dolly, I'm rather sorry, I told you. Oh,
it doesn't bother me, I answered, cheerfully. Poor things. They
must miss you like anything, And we changed the subject.
But all night though, in the pauses of our conversations,
(15:40):
and now near the morning, while Teddy's lying perfectly quiet
next to me, as he's been doing for the last
half hour, this thought flashing across my mind makes me shiver.
Perhaps tomorrow, at this time you'll be locked up in
the trunk, away from Gladye's and Maud and Teddy, with
only odds and ends of your companions. Poor poor Tall
(16:03):
that you are, Poor poor Dolly. End of Chapter five,
Chapter five of the Diary of a Birthday Doll by
Ethel Dow. This is a liberyvox recording. All liberyvox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit liberyvox dot work. I suppose I ought to
be feeling even worse than I felt yesterday, considering what
has happened to me to day. But somehow, in spite
of everything, I'm a bit easier in mind. I wonder why,
(00:23):
maybe I'm getting to be like Teddy, dear good natured
Teddy who says that he never lets him feel discouraged
any more. Now, Dolly, Honor Bright, are you really so
awfully sorry that dreadful accident happened to you to day?
Honor Bright, Remember well, Honor Bright, I can't say that
I am, even though the accident may have very sad consequences,
(00:47):
for without it to smooth the way Teddy might never
have talked to me. He's so very proud. It's so
nice to know that you've got a friend, a good
sensible friend, to give you advice once in a while,
and to tell you that your hair is naturally curly.
As Teddy told me, I wish Mamma Lou had such
a friend. I'm sure that Winnie Campbell wasn't, or else
(01:08):
she wouldn't make my mama disobey her mama. But how
did it happen that you and Teddy got speaking? Dear Dolly?
How funny such a very serious accident had happened to me,
And yet I don't seem to care. I really don't
understand myself at all. Come on, answer yourself, Dolly. Well.
At six o'clock this morning, I was hoping and praying
(01:29):
that Mamma Lou wouldn't come into the nursery before she
went to school. I just couldn't bear the idea of
seeing her. I trembled at the thought of hearing her say, well,
naughty girl, how are you this morning? Now? Be good?
When I knew it was too late for her to
come in, I sighed with relief. I was just so
tired of being scolded. I suppose she'll be in about
(01:52):
half past two. I thought, well, I can't help that.
Maybe I won't be feeling so bad by that time. Anyhow,
the time passed very slowly. Mod and Glady spoke only
three times, and then in whispers they were afraid to
say a word to me. They thought I wanted to
nurse my sorrow in silence. That's quite true, and I
(02:12):
still felt dreadful about the disgrace and all that. But oh,
I did want to speak just a little, and I
couldn't because it wouldn't have looked at all proper for
me and who had suffered so much, to begin talking
about everyday matters without being coaxed into conversation. Maybe we
can just begin talking naturally. When Mamma Lolu comes home again,
(02:33):
I thought, if only she won't be cruel to me again.
Two o'clock passed. I looked anxiously at the door, half
eager for her to come, half afraid. Three o'clock, four
o'clock once I heard the trotting of her little feet
in the hall, a pause before the nursery door, and
then a frantic rush, No Mama Lou yet. Five o'clock,
(02:54):
six o'clock. How could mod and Gladys lie there so
perfectly unconcerned when Mamalu, who might never come back to
us anymore, and so good as she had been to them.
Maybe they weren't unconcerned. Maybe they were just trying hard
not to reproach me because it was through me. When
it was almost dark, the nurse came in to light
(03:15):
the gas. Mama Lou was with her just before they
went out. She gave us one quick glance and then
turned her head away. Oh but I was frightened. She'll
never come back again. I know it, I cried out loud.
I guess it was naughty of me to fall out
of my chair. Oh, Mamma Lou, please come back. Don't
be crossed at Maud and gladdies anyhow. They haven't done
(03:37):
anything wrong, Mama Lou, Mamulu, I screamed at the top
of my voice, But of course she couldn't hear me. Then, Oh, dear,
he always knows exactly what to say, and went to
say it. I heard the dear gruff voice from under
the bed. Don't worry, she'll come back before bedtime. Even
I wonder what the girls thought of that I was
(03:59):
the only one he had ever said a word to.
I nudged Maud and then whispered, thank you ever so much?
Do you really think so? Of course I didn't get
an answer. Ted doesn't like unnecessary questions just before going
to bed, exactly like you said, Mamma lu came into
the nursery. She was half undressed. Her shoes were in
(04:20):
one hand and her dress in the other. I just
couldn't go to bed without seeing how you are, she
whispered to me, very low, Dolly, are you cross with me? Look?
I fought you a present. She drew off my old
pink ribbon and pinned a pretty blue bow in my
hair naturally curled. She lifted me very carefully out of bed,
and just as I was safe in her arms, I
(04:42):
felt the queerest kind of pulling pain in my left
knee joint. Something dropped with a clatter to the floor,
and my left leg felt sort of light and airy.
What was that? Asked Mamma Lu anxiously, and then she
gave a scream. I peeped down, horrors, was my left
leg from the knee down, lying just at Mama Lou's feet.
(05:05):
At that terrifying sight, I completely had lost control of myself. Really,
I had an excuse in my dreadful experience of the
day before, and sent out shriek after shriek, first a
broken heart and now a broken leg. I screamed, oh, oh, oh,
(05:25):
and mad and Glady's joined me at the top of
their voices, and the top of their voices is very
high up. A broken leg. Ho oh oh, and Teddy
under the bed growled again and again in such a deep,
angry voice. A broken leg, Poor little girl will Isn't
that a shame? The combination was simply deafening, Even though
(05:49):
I knew that little girl's ears are not nearly delicate
enough to hear the loudest noises that dolls make. Yet
I was rather surprised that Mama Lou didn't seem to
hear a sound. I'd I've just loved her to know
how much my friends care for me. Perhaps it was
because she was so dreadfully scared and excited. She set
me down on the floor right next to that dreadful
(06:10):
hair brush, still lying just where she had thrown it
yesterday after Oh don't let me think of it, and
drew her slippers on in a flash. I've got to
go this minute and get my mama, she was muttering
through her teeth as she tugged at her shoe string.
I know I've done it. It's my fault because of
what I did yesterday. I couldn't see her, but modern
(06:31):
gladdies who had stopped screaming, were sitting up in bed
looking on. Told me afterwards that Mamma Lou's expression at
the time was pitiful. Her face was quite white, her
teeth were clenched tight together, and she was swallowing all
the time. I heard her rush out of the room,
and the next thing I knew, I was a little dizzy,
I suppose, and not quite clear to as what was happening.
(06:55):
I was resting comfortably in Grandma Ellis's arms, and Mamma
Lou was standing in front of me, looking up into
her mother's face with the most imploring expression, her lips
pressed tight together, her eyes strained full of tears. In
her right hand, she was holding up my poor leg.
It certainly gives you the queerest kind of feeling to
(07:15):
see part of your leg held up in another person's hand.
I'll do my best, Lucy, Grandma Ellie was saying, doubtfully.
But and then Mamma lu interrupted her wildly, Mama, Mama,
you must cure her, you must, you must, or id
never speak to myself again, never never, It's oh my fault,
(07:39):
Oh Mamma, you don't know. And poor Mamma lu burst
into great loud sobs. Hush, dear, said Grandma Elli soothingly.
Your fault? Did you let her drop? Oh? No, no, no, no,
I was so naughty yesterday. Look, Mama. She picks up
that mean brush and held it out despairingly. I spanked
(08:02):
her all for nothing, so hard with this, And Mama,
she wrenched off the sticky ball of gum that had
been paralyzing my hand. I'd been chewing chewing gum though
you told me not to, and I knew I was
doing wrong, and I was so cranky. I spanked and
spanked and just spanked. I know I broke her leg.
(08:23):
I just know I did. Oh, I am so wicked, Mama, Mama,
poor Mama lou. It was very sad to hear her
sobs so bitterly, and all because of me. I half
expected Grandma Ellis to scold me for making her loo
so sad, but instead she smoothed back with my hair
(08:43):
with the gentlest hand and said, very sorrowfully, you, poor
Dolly Lucy. How could you be so cruel and so
disobedient too? Go to your room at once. I don't
want you in here while I'm bandaging. Dolly. You've been
too naughty. When you've said your prayers and are in bed,
I'll come in to speak to you. Now, go at once, mamma,
(09:07):
cried Mamma Lou imploringly, as she gave one last look
at me, then sobbing left the room. The girl's bed
was just buzzing with their excited whisper. I wonder if
she'll be whipped, whispered Gladdie's busily. I'm sure she deserves
a whipping whip her whip, my pretty mamma. Oh girls,
I trembled all over the thought, No, said Maud. Did
(09:31):
her voice sound regretful? Or was I imagining things? Grandma
Elis isn't the whipping kind. She'll only give her a
talking to. I hope it will do her some good,
in my opinion. I said rather sharply too, because Grandma
els was just tightening a bandage and it hurt. I
think that she had said quite enough already. She has
(09:51):
been quite strict. Poor Mamma Lou crying there all alone.
I wish Grandma Elice would hurry and comfort her. There
was a silence for a second, then from under the
bed came that dear gruff voice again. Good for you,
little girl. Isn't he awful? I was so embarrassed, but
it was sweet of him anyhow. After that, I really
(10:14):
couldn't feel so very very sad about the loss of
my leg. And besides, I knew that Grandma Elice was
doing her best with linen and lots of mucilage to
make me well again. When she had finished, she carried
me tenderly over my bed and tucked me in at
the foot. I do hope she won't put us to
sleep now, we've got so much to talk about, cried gladdies.
(10:36):
But before the words were well out of her mouth,
both she and Maud were fast asleep. There certainly are
lots of inconveniences in being a sleeping doll. I felt
very comfortable and looked thankfully into Grandma Elice's eyes, beautiful
eyes just like Mamma Loose. As she leaned over us,
you little things, she murmured very tenderly, how real you
(10:59):
were to me one once and not so very long ago. No,
I have my own naughty little doll in the next
room to preach a serum to poor little lou. I'll
say good night to you for her. She glanced around
the room as if to make sure that no one
else was looking, then bent down and kissed first Clatties,
then Maud, then me on the forehead. Oh, how sorry
(11:21):
I was that they weren't awake to appreciate it. A
real lady's kiss. Think of that. She straightened herself, half laughing,
then stooped again. Something under the bed. What is it?
I wonder? I heard her murmur, and when I looked up,
she was holding Teddy in her arms. You poor little fellow,
she said, smoothing his pink nose. It was made of velvet,
(11:44):
I found out later, all by yourself under the bed there,
and she placed him gently on the quilt right next
to me. Now, good night, all of you. She waved
her hand to us, laughingly, and then there was this weed,
this expression in her blue eyes. No, Grandma Ellice, I
(12:04):
wasn't afraid. I could tell that you wouldn't be too
strict with Mamma lu The door closed behind her. Now
who's going to speak first? I wondered, very much excited,
I think, and was just about to breathe, how do
you do, Teddy? And when he said, with an admiring growl,
A sweet lady that, and of course the ice was broken. No,
(12:29):
I cannot say that I regret my accident. We've had
a delightful talk, and I've a dear good friend, and
Teddy isn't one to make friends with everybody either. For instance,
he has told me that he never will be able
to make up with modern gladdies. Too stuck up they
are for me, he said, I don't like that kind.
(12:50):
I tried to tell him that he was mistaken, that
they were dear, sweet girls and very much interested in him,
but he just said no, no, and wouldn't listen. I'm
afraid they must have said something slightly about him when
he first came. I do believe he's a little obstinate
and proud, but he has no other faults, and down
(13:10):
deep in my heart, though I know it's selfish, I
don't mind very much that he doesn't care for modern gladdies.
They've been pretty and kissed and happy all their lives.
They've never been scolded and whipped, and had accidents before
they were completed and broken legs, and I can't help
thinking that it would be only fair for somebody to
like me too. Ted said that he never would answer
(13:33):
when I called because he thought that I was most
likely proud and vain like moder and gladdies, and was
only making fun of him. They're not a bit you,
naughty boy. I told him, very glad he didn't know
the rag dolls. He'd have been crazy over them. They're
so jolly, and I do want him to like me best.
When he saw that Mama Lou seemed very stern to me,
(13:57):
he just got interested. He doesn't know to this day
why Mama Lou locked him in the trunk. Just a
good price, he said. Sometimes his language is beautiful. I
was right, he does know what becomes of Mama Lou's
broken down children. I was asking him about the trunk
when he told me. It's an awful place, that trunk is.
(14:17):
He says, I was sick for a week when I
got there. The sights you see and the sad stories
you hear are enough to make your first stand on end.
Tell me some, I breathed eagerly. I love to hear
sad stories. No, no, Dolly, I won't. I don't believe
in making girls sad, But you can't imagine in that trunk,
(14:38):
and his deep voice chilled me. Lie the legs and
the heads and arms of all the other dolls that
Mama Lou has ever had. Oh, I cried, Now I
know then that's what becomes of them. A sudden fear
seized me. Maybe tomorrow, if my leg won't stick on,
Mama Lou will take me away from everybody I love.
(14:59):
And but I wouldn't let Teddy see what a coward
I am. Did you see anything of an all china
doll there? I asked. I was always interested in that
china doll. I suppose it was because she was so delicate.
There was a little piece of china stuck right in
a corner, he said, The piece is near it said,
it used to be part of a doll, but it
(15:19):
never spoke, so I'm not certain. Don't you think of
it anymore? Dolly, I'm rather sorry, I told you. Oh,
it doesn't bother me, I answered, cheerfully. Poor things. They
must miss you like anything, And we changed the subject.
But all night though, in the pauses of our conversations,
(15:40):
and now near the morning, while Teddy's lying perfectly quiet
next to me, as he's been doing for the last
half hour, this thought flashing across my mind makes me shiver.
Perhaps tomorrow, at this time you'll be locked up in
the trunk, away from Gladye's and Maud and Teddy, with
only odds and ends of your companions. Poor poor Tall
(16:03):
that you are, Poor poor Dolly. End of Chapter five,
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