Part 3

The doll I send you today was made of kelp by a little California girl. Kelp is a heavy leathery sort of sea-weed that washes ashore about here. There are great beds of it off the coast of California. It grows so thickly that it gives the water a brown appearance and the long leathery leaves are strong enough to bear up pelicans and other sea-birds that one often sees apparently standing on the water. Visitors to California often take home beautiful baskets and other things woven from strips of this strong leathery weed, which is brown on the outside and creamy white inside.

This little kelp maiden I got for you several days ago and as I have watched her standing on the mantel-piece with that dissatisfied look on her face, she seemed to sing this song to me, and as I listened I seemed to hear the plash and feel the rolling of the waves which used to rock her to sleep out on the kelp beds at sea.

I wonder if it will seem the same to you? I know she will be a warning to you against discontent which is sure to spoil the pleasure of anyone if it is allowed to get into his life.

I am hoping that the little kelp maid may grow cheerful through associating with Lady Hollyhock and her friends. They all have happy faces as I remember them—as happy as those of three cheery little nieces and a jolly little nephew of

Your affectionate, UNCLE JOHN.

The Kelp Maid’s Song

I’m a little kelp maid. In kelp all arrayed. And once lived on the billowy wave Where from morning till night Through days long and bright I rode on the crest of the wave. The smooth rolling crest of the wave.

On a kelp bed at night. In the soft moonlight. Sweet lullabies soothed me to sleep. And through nights beyond compare Mermaids combing silken hair Sang lullabies to sooth me to sleep, Tender lullabies to sooth me to sleep.

But I yearned for the land With its shores of yellow sand With a restlessness born of the sea. As I watched the distant shore I longed to go there more and more With that restlessness born of the sea, That awful restlessness born of the sea.

Till one momentous day A wave carried me away To the land where I had always longed to be To the strip of yellow sand On the border of the land The dry land where I’d always longed to be, The dry land where I’d always longed to be.

But I am not happy yet. Now I long for the wet. For the soft soothing dampness of the waves. My gown once soft and fair to see Is now as dry as dry can be Which makes me sigh for the dampness of the waves, The soft soothing dampness of the waves.

On a bit of kelp I stand Ever reaching out my hand Toward the kelp beds so far out at sea And for the mermaids’ song I listen all night long For the songs of the mermaids at sea. Round the kelp beds far out at sea.

Though I am doom’d to stay On this dry land far away My heart ever turns toward the sea For my awful discontent My life in dryness must be spent While my heart ever turns toward the sea, Turns longingly out toward the sea.

Morning-Glory Ladies

MORNING-GLORY ladies were made by slipping a flower cup upside down over the stem of a seed pod, leaving the pod for a head. Morning-glory ladies always died young. Indeed, they hardly lived at all.

The spirits of these lost flower children were not only seen in the sunset skies but in the rainbow, too. And when the little Wests saw the great, beautiful bow in the sky, they always repeated the words of old Nokomis to Hiawatha:

“’Tis the heaven of flowers you see there, All the wild flowers of the forest, All the lilies of the prairie, When on earth they fade and perish Blossom in that heaven above us.”

Jack O’Lanterns

THE children planted pumpkin seeds early in the season and hoed and cared for the vines themselves, that they might have their own pumpkins for Hallowe’en, and what fun they had with them! And how delightfully scarey they were, when made into Jack O’Lanterns! Some one said they were pumpkin ghosts.

Two dreadful ones were placed on the gate posts to frighten Papa when he came home after dark. He guessed right away who had put them there.

Others were carried about on poles with sheets hanging about them, in solemn procession.

Pumpkin Pies

NOT all of the pumpkins were used for Jack O’Lanterns, though. Some were given to Mamma to make into delicious pumpkin pies.

Poor little Tom ate too much of the pies, and his greediness made him have frightful dreams and a terrible pain in his stomach.

The verses Cousin Charlotte and the others made about his dream made greedy Tom feel very much ashamed.

Jack O’Lantern Dreams

Once a greedy little boy Ate too much pumpkin pie at night, And the awful dreams he had Made his hair stand up in fright.

Dreadful grinning pumpkin faces Crowded all around his bed, And every grinning pumpkin face Showed a fire inside the head.

“We are ghosts,” the faces shouted, “Of the pumpkins in those pies, If you had not been so greedy, We would not before you rise.”

Then the dreadful firelit faces Faded slowly out of sight, But the awful pain inside him Lasted nearly all the night.

Rastus Prune

RASTUS was a peculiar looking negro, with wrinkled face and goggle eyes.

Paper teeth with a red lip line running around them were fitted into a wrinkle of his prune face and fastened by a touch of mucilage. His paper eyes were fastened on in the same way.

With a light paper vest neatly fitted over his prune body and a paper collar round his peg neck he was as neat a colored gentleman as could be found anywhere.

Then his chamois-skin suit with hat to match, gave him such style as any one might be pleased to copy.

His checked trousers were his special pride, for they never bagged at the knees or got out of shape in any way. On this account he was perfectly satisfied to be a peg-leg.

His feet, though, gave him some trouble. They were always getting out of shape. Being made of raisins, an ordinary step was likely to make them swing round and look as though they would prefer to take him the other way.

But Rastus smiled on, thinking, no doubt, that this apparent deformity would prove a great convenience when it came to dancing a “backstep.”

Dinah Prune

DINAH, the mother of Rastus, was just a plain sensible colored woman, wearing a dark gown, and a bandana head dress.

Like most colored women of her age, she always wore a neat kerchief folded across her breast, and a large apron to protect her gown.

Though she was no beauty, she was good. All who knew her liked her, and the same might be said of her son.

Like him, she was made of prunes and toothpicks, and stood on raisin feet.

Pipe Dolls

Not all the dolls made by these children were of fruits, flowers and vegetables. In fact it was a poor scrap that they could not make into a satisfactory plaything. And not only the little Wests enjoyed them but Mamma was just as much interested in the making as were the children themselves.

One evening a little party of friends was gathered together at Hollyhock Place and for amusement Mamma gave each a clay pipe, a lead pencil, a square of white and a square of colored tissue paper and requested each guest to dress the pipe for a doll.

To some this, at first, seemed impossible. One or two gentlemen asked to be excused, but when they saw the others meeting with such success they, too, became interested and went to work. Nearly all used needles and thread, but a few were most successful with mucilage to hold their materials together.

It was funny to see the different expressions on those pipe faces. No two of them looked the least bit alike.

The minister’s wife did not use her colored paper at all, but from the white she made a long baby dress with a big bow in the back and a white cap with another big bow was made to cover the head. This baby had the tiniest little eyes, nose and mouth you could imagine.

Another lady made a clown of her pipe, using orange paper for his clown suit and pasting white circles all over it. This was a neater clown than one ever seeks in a circus, for he wore the freshest of white ruffles at his neck, wrists and ankles. The bump at the bottom of the pipe made the funniest of chin whiskers for this queer creature who could not keep from laughing at himself—and no wonder.

One of the ladies made her pipe into an old lady doll with folded kerchief and great tall cap. In this one the bump at the bottom of the pipe served as a nose—a large, ill shaped one to be sure, but a very good nose for all that.

A very dignified gentleman who was present said he always liked to see a lady wear a sun-bonnet, so he drew a face inside of his pipe and made lines outside for “slats” that used to be put in old fashioned sun-bonnets. A woman who would wear a sun-bonnet would, of course, wear an apron, so a large white apron was put on this doll. Her face was a pretty one, but her hands were large and clumsy, showing that she had done hard work in her day.

These last two dolls wore several full petticoats which enabled them to stand up like real people.

There were a number of other good ones, but why tell you about them, for I am sure you can make some just as good as the best of these.

Paper Dolls

THE paper dolls were more like real people than any of the others. They were made by cutting heads from colored picture cards or from magazines and pasting them on cardboard bodies. Then double dress patterns were folded and cut to slip over the heads of the dolls, and on these patterns were pasted gowns of tissue paper in all colors and styles.

The children were very particular about dressing their dolls in good taste, for they knew that by making neat, sensible doll clothes, they would learn how to dress themselves tastefully when they grew older.

The little girl dolls wore either plain gingham dresses with fresh white aprons, or simple white gowns. Their hats were plain, without feathers or flowers, as little girls’ hats should be.

Lady dolls wore dresses that were more elaborate. The colors in these always harmonized.

Pattern for paper doll’s dress and hat. The cut across the oval cardboard hat pattern fits over the top of the doll’s head.

Handkerchief Dolls

NO collection of make-believe would be complete without the handkerchief doll.

Surely she is a simple child, just an ordinary handkerchief rolled from each side toward the center, then the top turned down, and the corners pulled out and tied around the body for arms, leaving a stuffy little head at the top, and a long skirt at the bottom.

The handkerchief doll’s little brother is made to look a trifle different from her, by having the lower corners of the handkerchief, of which he is made, pulled out for feet.

Towel dolls are larger members of the same family.

Pill-Box Dolls

ONE of Baby Bunnie’s especial favorites was the handkerchief doll made over a round pill box. With a pencil a face was marked out on the box and around this a handkerchief was folded three-cornerwise and pinned under the chin.

On dress occasions this little one wore around her neck a pretty fresh ribbon tied in a large bow with long ends. Could a more dainty child be found anywhere?

The Straw Indian

LADY HOLLYHOCK’S visitors differed greatly in many ways. It was not only in looks that they varied, but in their very natures. And strange to say, many were different from what they seemed.

Some who appeared bravest and strongest were the weakest. For instance, who would have thought, to look at the fierce appearing Straw Indian, in all the bravery of war-bonnet and blanket, that he was one of the weakest of them all?

It was not his fault, poor fellow. He really wanted to be brave and strong. He showed that in both manner and dress. But with his weak constitution, how could he ever have gone into battle with the braves of his tribe? It had always been impossible for him to stand up for himself, even, without something to lean on.

He tried to make up for his natural weakness by dressing and acting like a brave, but it was useless.

Exercise, which makes others grow strong, only made the poor Straw Indian weaker, and while he was yet young his constitution gave way and he was laid to rest by the little Wests, who loved him in spite of his weakness, beside others of his tribe.

After the manner of real Indians he was buried in a sitting position, down in the orchard, near the clothes-pin Indian village.

However frail he may have been in life, now that the friendly earth supported him, none sat straighter than the lamented Straw Indian.

The Dried Peach Indian

THE Dried Peach Indian was just as different as could be from the Straw Indian. Being both strong and brave, he went out and did great deeds, as you can see by his war-bonnet.

If he had been just an ordinary Indian brave, he would have had only two or three eagles’ feathers at the back of the band encircling his head.

But as every feather in an Indian’s war-bonnet means some great deed done, any one can see the Dried Peach Indian had led a busy life.

The Softening of the Snows

A snow man stood on the side of a hill, Stern and silent stood he, And though his manner showed but little grace It showed wonderful dignity.

He carried himself as snow men do With his chin well up in the air, And he seemed to say without word of mouth, “I’m better than you are, so there.”

His chest was as full as an alderman’s chest, His head as round as a ball— And he wore, as such men usually do, A hat that was shiny and tall.

The snow man’s wife was much like her spouse, As she stood there by his side. Like him she was round, and silent, and stern, And equally dignified.

Each treated the other with cold reserve, For their hearts were icy and chill; ’Twould have made you shiver to look at them As they stood there on the hill.

The kind old sun with his heart of gold, From his place in the sky above, Resolved to soften this icy pair With the tender warmth of his love.

The greeting he gave was so tender and warm It melted their hearts of snow, And the moment they felt the warmth of love Their pride began to go.

Then each toward the other more tender grew And softer toward all, it is clear; But as they nearer to each other drew, It was plain that their end was near.

Each gave to the other a melting smile And tears flowed from their eyes, Then both sank into the friendly earth, The snow people’s paradise.

Pastry Creatures

BUT of all Lady Hollyhock’s visitors, the little Wests enjoyed most those who came from the kitchen.

When baking day came, Mamma always allowed the children to have a little pastry dough to make up into the forms they liked best.

Pie crust was fashioned into all sorts of animals as well as into people. These kept their shape beautifully.

Doughnut creatures, though good to have, were likely to lose their shapeliness as they grew in the fat. They did not suffer long, however, for they were soon eaten.

The story of the Doughnut Man was always sung as one of these odd creatures disappeared.

Sweetest of all were the Gingerbread Maids. It always took a pan full of these favorites to satisfy the children. Verses were made about these, too, and often repeated.

The Doughnut Man

(TUNE: _Old Grimes is Dead_)

The doughnut man is about to go Where we ne’er shall see him more; And with him will go his doughnut coat All buttoned down before. All buttoned down before, before, All buttoned down before. And with him will go his doughnut coat All buttoned down before.

The Gingerbread Maid

The gingerbread maid is not at all fair As any one can see, But although she is not beautiful She’s sweet as she can be.

There isn’t a maid in all the land Who has lovers so many as she, Yet she hasn’t a single accomplishment, She’s just sweet as she can be.

Oh, Gingerbread Maid, come alive, if you can, And teach a lesson we all should know, Teach us how to be sweet to all that we meet, Then we’ll have friends wherever we go.

The great round cooky moons were fine, too. Cooky dough seemed made on purpose for modeling.

The Yarn Child

THE yarn child had a hard time in the world. You would not think it to look at her, but she did.

The very first day of her life she was given to a baby who was so fond of her that he bit her, and tried to pull her to pieces; then squeezed and hugged and picked at her till it was a wonder she ever lived through it all—Lady Hollyhock never could have endured such treatment.

But the yarn child did. Her main business in life was to amuse that baby, and, no matter how she was treated, her yarn eyes were just as wide open and her yarn smile just as broad as if she had always had the best of treatment.

Rag Dolls

AT Lady Hollyhock’s all visitors were treated alike. Those who came in rags were just as welcome as any.

Here is one pair, Mr. and Mrs. Dry Goods, who came all in rags even to their faces. Indeed, they appeared so well that one hardly thought of their garb until attention was called to it.

They were just as neat and clean as could be, though every part of them, from bodies to bonnets, had come out of the rag-bag.

These rag people were made by first taking a small wad of cotton wool for the head of each and covering it with thin brown silk drawn tightly together at the back, where knots of black thread were made to look quite like hair.

The features were drawn with a sharp pencil on each brown face while a stitch of white thread between the lips did very nicely for teeth. A small stitch of white was used in each eye, also.

Tight rolls of cloth served for the bodies, arms, and legs. When these were sewed securely together, the little rag couple were ready to be dressed.

As real people in dressing put on stockings and shoes first, these rag people did the same. The stockings they wore were cut from worn-out black silk gloves and sewed neatly up the back. The shoes and mittens were made from old kid gloves and fastened on with a few stitches.

Then the rag couple were dressed quite like other dolls, very neatly, of course, for the little Wests did everything neatly.

Rag Babies

Then there were the rag babies—I almost said the little rag people—but that would not have been true, for strange to say the babies were larger than the older members of the family.

This does not seem so strange after all, when one stops to think, for in the whole rag world, everything grows smaller as it grows older.

Some of these were just ordinary white babies while others belonged to the colored race. The Topsies were made of brown cotton or silk, with faces done in water colors, and hair of French knots.

But no matter what their color, or how they were made, the rag babies probably got more real love from their owners than any other dolls in the whole collection.

Rag babies are made by folding a piece of paper lengthwise and cutting the pattern of a half body free hand. This will insure the two sides being alike.

After getting a good pattern, cut from muslin two pieces just alike for front and back, sew them together and stuff with cotton.

The features can be made with either water colors or common ink thinned a little.

Tissue-Paper Ladies

OTHER tissue-paper ladies were made by gluing an upright strip of wood to the center of a horizontal piece, like an inverted T, and wrapping it with cotton for a foundation.

A ball of cotton was fastened to the top for a head, then covered with white tissue paper on which a face was drawn with a pencil.

These ladies wore loose, flowing gowns, long capes, and large, comfortable bonnets tied under the chin.

Tissue-paper ladies of this kind could stand alone.

Humpty-Dumpty

HUMPTY-DUMPTY was made from an empty egg shell. First, holes were carefully picked in the shell and the egg blown out. Then the face and cap were drawn in ink on the shell.

Wires covered with dark tissue paper were then put through the holes and bent into shape for arms and legs.

If light-weight hair pins are used, two or three may be twisted together for legs and spread at the ends to form feet. These dolls can stand alone.

Cinderella’s Coach

“I wish a fairy godmother would come and make a Cinderella’s coach for us out of this squash,” said Baby Bunnie one day.

“We can be our own fairy godmother,” said little Florence, as she set to work to make the wish come true. Soon there stood before them a wonderful coach made of that very squash—drawn by handsome peanut horses—and in it rode a beautiful peanut Princess, while a little dark raisin footman with toothpick arms and legs rode at the back on a seat cut out for him. A hairpin was the axle which held the pasteboard wheels in place.

The Princess was to drive straight to Lady Hollyhock’s, where the footman would assist her in leaving the carriage.

You, too, can be your own fairy godmother, and if you wish to have a great ball, at which all of Lady Hollyhock’s visitors may appear, not through the touch of a wand, but through the touch of the hand—and all of them will be so real that they will not fade away when the Princess goes.

Would it not be best, after all, for every one of us to be our own fairy godmothers, so that when we want very much to have anything happen we can set things going to bring it about? Then the things wished for will not vanish away at the stroke of a clock, but will be ours always.

THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

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Transcriber’s Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Page 50, “bargin” changed to “bargain” (hoped to bargain with)

Page 74, “acrons” changed to “acorns” (acorns which spun)

Page 134, “crus” changed to “crust” (Pie crust was formed)