Lady Hollyhock and her Friends - A Book of Nature Dolls and Others

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Title: Lady Hollyhock and her Friends - A Book of Nature Dolls and Others
Author: Walker, Margaret Coulson
Language: English
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Lady Hollyhock AND HER FRIENDS

[Illustration: HOLLYHOCK PLACE]

LADY HOLLYHOCK AND HER FRIENDS

A Book of Nature Dolls and Others

By
MARGARET COULSON WALKER
Author of “Our Birds and Their Nestlings”

Drawings by
MARY ISABEL HUNT

“The more things thou learnest to know and enjoy, the
more complete and full will be for thee the delight of
living.”—Phlalen

[Illustration]

Garden City New York
DOUBLEDAY PAGE & COMPANY
1917

To My Mother

Who has always known how to help
little people enjoy themselves

_O the fluttering and the pattering of the green things growing,
How they talk each to each, when none of us are knowing;
In the wonderful light of the weird moonlight
Or the dim, dreamy dawn when the cocks are crowing._

_I love, I love them so—my green things growing,
And I think that they love me, without false showing,
For by many a tender touch they comfort me so much
With the soft mute comfort of green things growing._
—DINAH MULOCK CRAIKE.

Foreword

THIS book has a purpose beyond that of mere amusement. Its aim is
to aid parents in furnishing not only entertainment but profitable
employment as well, for their little ones—profitable, in that work
under the guise of play, makes for character. The value of the things
made is not in their finish, but in the training which they afford—a
value ethical rather than intrinsic.

Children throw aside as uninteresting the finished toys from the shops
when they have once learned to make playthings for themselves. To an
imaginative child the possibilities of green things growing, of other
materials provided by the changing seasons, and of the apparently
useless trifles to be found in any home, are endless, and far surpass
in permanent interest the realm of magic. In giving tangible form to
the creatures imagined, thought is ripened into action and childhood’s
natural desire for expressed imagery satisfied.

In making use of these apparently inappropriate materials in the
construction of their own toys resourcefulness is engendered, practical
intelligence stimulated, the inventive faculty cultivated, sympathetic
acquaintance with nature broadened, and manual dexterity increased—all
of which will later in life prove of inestimable value.

Then, too, such employment strengthens, or in some instances, creates
the ability to get pure enjoyment out of the near at hand little
things, which makes for permanent happiness.

The whole nature of a child cries out for self activity. Producing by
his own efforts something that satisfies his own needs gives him the
keenest possible pleasure, and puts into him that energy which results
in love of work.

There is no more interesting study for grown ups than that of
children at play with dolls and animals of their own making. The
more imaginative children prefer the flower dolls which fade or die
quickly and then go to take their places in the sky to which they
give the beautiful colors on sunset evenings. Others, natural little
gad-a-bouts, always play “come to see,” while in some practical little
souls the spirit of motherhood is so strong that, to them, every doll
is a baby doll, and everything they play with, from a clothes-pin to a
poker, must be mothered—sung to and cared for, petted and rocked.

Boys, with their more belligerent tastes, prefer to make Indians and
soldiers out of the same materials that their sisters would convert
into the most peaceful of citizens. Those in whom the sense of humor
is strong make every face a comic one, while others put into the faces
drawn by them the demure, trivial, or rugged features and expressions
harmonizing with their ideas.

An effort has been made to furnish in these pages suggestions for all
sorts and conditions of children. The songs and jingles are for those
who like to make rhymes, or to sing about everything that they do.

Only a few of the dolls and animals children can make for themselves
have been suggested. The possibilities of the subject are by no means
exhausted.

MARGARET COULSON WALKER.

Des Moines, Iowa.

Contents

PAGE
Lady Hollyhock and Her Daughter 21
The Cucumbers 24
Radishes and Corn 27
The Radish Baby’s Song 28
Radish Babies 31
The Corn Lullaby 32
Pansies 35
Pansy Ladies 36
Poppy Maids 39
Poppy Lullaby 40
Acorn and Burdock Eskimos 43
Pigs 46
Burdock Leaves and Clothes-Pins 49
The Clothes-Pin Tribe 50
An Irish (Potato) Woman and Her Family 54
Creatures of Clay 58
A Man of Clay 60
The Corn Husk Lady 61
The Corn Cob Baby 64
Apple Jack 66
Apple Jack’s Story 66
The Peanut Man 70
The Peanut Chinese Woman 72
The Acorn Family 74
The Haws 81
The Gourds 82
Gourd Man 84
What the Gourd Man Said 86
The Mender 89
Hickory-Nut People 90
The Hickory-Nut Nurse 92
The Kelp Maiden 94
The Kelp Maid’s Song 98
Morning-Glory Ladies 101
Jack O’Lanterns 102
Pumpkin Pies 104
Jack O’Lantern Dreams 105
Rastus Prune 106
Dinah Prune 108
Pipe Dolls 111
Paper Dolls 119
Handkerchief Dolls 122
Pill-Box Dolls 124
The Straw Indian 126
The Dried Peach Indian 128
The Softening of the Snows 130
Pastry Creatures 134
The Doughnut Man 136
The Gingerbread Maid 138
The Yarn Child 142
Rag Dolls 144
Rag Babies 146
Tissue-Paper Ladies 148
Humpty-Dumpty 151
Cinderella’s Coach 153

Illustrations

PAGE
1.—Hollyhock Place 4
2.—Lady Hollyhock and Her Daughter 20
3.—Undressed Figures of Lady Hollyhock and Her
Daughter.—(_Corner piece_) 21
4.—Lady Cucumber and Her Son.—(_Corner piece_) 24
5.—Lord Cucumber 25
6.—The Radish Baby.—(_Corner piece_) 27
7.—The Radish Baby 29
8.—The Corn Baby 33
9.—A Pansy Blossom.—(_Corner piece_) 36
10.—Pansy Ladies.—(_Bottle bodies_) 37
11.—Pansy Ladies.—(_Paper bodies_) 38
12.—Poppy Maids 41
13.—Burdocks in Fence Corner 43
14.—The Bur Eskimo 45
15.—Acorn Pig.—(_Corner piece_) 46
16.—Acorn Pigs in Pen 46
17.—Lemon Pigs 47
18.—A Clothes-Pin.—(_Corner piece_) 49
19.—The Clothes-Pin Tribe 51
20.—John and Priscilla Alden 53
21.—An Irish (Potato) Woman 55
22.—An Irish Pig 57
23.—A Clay Savage 59
24.—A Corn Husk 61
25.—Cornelia Shucks 63
26.—The Corn Cob Baby 65
27.—Apple Jack 67
28.—The Peanut Man 71
29.—The Peanut Chinese Woman 73
30.—Acorn Tops.—(_Tailpiece_) 77
31.—An Acorn Man 75
32.—An Acorn Woman 79
33.—The Haws 81
34.—A Long-Necked Gourd Man.—(_Corner piece_) 82
35.—The Weeping Gourd Man 83
36.—The Laughing Gourd Man 85
37.—The Gourd Man 87
38.—The Mender 89
39.—A Hickory-Nut Nun 91
40.—A Hickory-Nut Nurse 93
41.—Pelicans Standing on Kelp Beds at
Sea.—(_Tailpiece_) 96
42.—The Kelp Maid 97
43.—Morning-Glory Ladies 100
44.—The Rainbow.—(_Tailpiece_) 101
45.—A Jack O’Lantern 103
46.—Rastus Prune 107
47.—Dinah Prune 109
48.—A Clay Pipe Baby 110
49.—Clay Pipe.—(_Corner piece_) 111
50.—A Clay Pipe Clown 113
51.—A Clay Pipe Old Lady 115
52.—A Clay Pipe Maiden 117
53.—Pattern for Paper Doll’s Dress and Hat 120
54.—A Paper Doll 121
55.—A Handkerchief Doll 123
56.—A Pill-Box Doll 125
57.—The Straw Indian 127
58.—The Dried Peach Indian 129
59.—The Proud Snows 131
60.—The Tender Snows 133
61.—A Pie-Crust Mule 135
62.—The Doughnut Man 137
63.—The Gingerbread Maid 139
64.—A Cooky Moon 141
65.—The Yarn Child 143
66.—A Rag Couple 145
67.—A Rag.—(_Corner piece_) 146
68.—A Rag Baby 147
69.—A Tissue-Paper Lady 149
70.—Humpty-Dumpty 152
71.—Peanut Cinderella.—(_Corner piece_) 153
72.—Cinderella in Her Coach 154

Lady Hollyhock AND HER FRIENDS

[Illustration: LADY HOLLYHOCK AND HER DAUGHTER]

Lady Hollyhock and Her Daughter

Hollyhock Place was as beautiful a spot as children ever had for a
home. Hollyhocks were blooming everywhere. All about the house and
along the lane leading to it were great stalks bearing satiny blossoms
of all shades, from delicate shell pink to the deepest, richest red.
Besides, there were countless white and golden yellow ones.

[Illustration]

When the little Wests came to live there it seemed like fairy land
to them. All their lives they had lived in the city with its severe
looking houses and hard brick and stone pavements. There their
playthings, even, were made of wood and china and tin—all ready made
and finished.

Here everything was so different. There were flowers and vines
everywhere about their cottage home, shading the windows and trailing
over the fences. In the garden at the back were beds of tender radishes
and rows of tomatoes, cabbages, potatoes, corn and other vegetables,
while over the fence grew vines bearing green and yellow gourds.

In the city the children had never seen these things growing; here
they could not only see them, but could help them to grow, by watering
them and stirring up the ground about their roots. And afterwards,
they could have them for their very own. It was just the place to be
perfectly happy in.

Cousin Charlotte was to live with them. She was fifteen and knew how
to do many things to help children enjoy themselves. The little Wests
thought it was because she had always lived in the beautiful country.
Perhaps it was.

She knew how to make the most wonderful dolls out of almost anything
and could make rhymes and stories about them. The first doll she made
for them Eugenie had named Lady Hollyhock. Eugenie had always liked
stories of lords and ladies and knights and other great folk so the
others were not at all surprised that their new visitor was a Lady.

A most wonderful lady she was with the daintiest of satiny gowns of the
most beautiful shade of pink. In her hair—or on her head—she wore a bow
of green, while round her neck was a great pointed green collar such as
Queen Elizabeth might have envied. The pink and green were wonderfully
becoming, for, being a lady of high degree and having excellent taste,
she was careful in choosing colors which not only harmonized with each
other, but with her complexion.

Lady Hollyhock’s complexion was a marvel—different from anything the
children had ever seen in that line,—being a peculiar light shade of
green. This was not to be wondered at though, when you know that Lady
Hollyhock’s head was nothing but a green tomato, her body another, the
green bow in her hair the stem and calyx of the tomato, and her collar
the fuzzy double calyx of a hollyhock. Her gown—waist, sleeves and
skirt—was of the beautiful flower cups of hollyhocks tied in at the
waist by a long blade of grass.

Her piercing black eyes were glass headed pins, her nose a bit of a
match, and her pearly teeth white headed pins. Tooth picks served for
neck, arms and legs. Of these last it took three to support so great a
personage.

The daughter of this noble lady looked much like her mother though she
was dressed somewhat differently. The face was the same but the cap and
gown were just a little different. There was no sash about the waist
of the daughter—her gown hung loose from the shoulders making her look
younger. Having but one leg, this strange child was always compelled to
stand with that in a slice of potato to keep from tumbling over.

After a time other members of the family joined these two—some wore
gowns of red, some of white, and some of yellow, but none were more
charming than the first Lady Hollyhock and her daughter.

The Cucumbers

During the summer and the winter following many friends visited with
Lady Hollyhock and her family.

[Illustration]

From Cucumber Hill came a most dignified Englishman. At a glance one
knew him to be English for he wore a single eyeglass. A large brass
headed furniture tack occupied the place of one eye while the other
was filled by a small black carpet tack. Though a trifle stiff in his
manners, this gentleman always wore an agreeable smile.

The lady who came with him could not be called beautiful. Her neck
was too thick for that, but she smiled so pleasantly and wore such a
becoming gown that one hardly noticed her neck. This gown was a loose
flowing one of white. With her rather sallow, bumpy, green skin she
could not have worn colors.

And the children from Cucumber Hill were much like their elders—a
little stiff and awkward but so cheerful that they were always welcome.

After their visit, the members of this happy family were usually caught
and devoured by Florence, Tom and Bunnie who played “Bear” sometimes to
please Tom.

Like little Russians the children ate their cucumbers with the skins
on, just as they would eat apples.

[Illustration: LORD CUCUMBER]

Radishes and Corn

The beautiful red radishes from the garden made the most charming of
babies, with their leaves turned down for clothes and tied around with
blades of grass. These and the corn babies were Florence’s favorites.

[Illustration]

When the tender roasting ears were brought in from the garden the
children all agreed that they were such dainty babies, just as they
were, that it would spoil them to change them in any way.

All they needed to do was just to open the green husk a little and
there lay the most beautiful creamy white Corn Baby wrapped in the
daintiest of silken garments.

Florence hugged the Corn Baby close in her arms and as she rocked it
to sleep sang to it a soft crooning little lullaby which she and the
others had made up. Charlotte—and Mamma, too, had helped them a little
with both the tune and words. As Florence sang to the baby in her arms
the others joined her, singing softly always, and letting the song fade
away almost to a whisper at the end that the baby might not miss the
music when it was heard no more.

Then the Corn Baby was tenderly laid in a cradle Tom had made by gluing
two semi-circles of wood for rockers to a pasteboard spool box. The
wooden circle which he had cut in two had once had a bolt of ribbon
wrapped around it in a store.

The Radish Baby’s Song

(Tune: “The Corn Lullaby”)

DEAR little red faced
Baby in green,
You are the brightest child
That ever was seen,
Though ’tis for your brightness
That others may greet you,
’Tis for your goodness
That Mother will eat you.

[Illustration: THE RADISH BABY]

Radish Babies

SOMETIMES Radish Babies too were put to sleep in spool box cradles, but
more often they were eaten by their fond mothers, for Radish Babies
were not only good to look at, and good to play with, but good to eat,
as well.

The Corn Lullaby

[Illustration: Music]

Rock-a-by hush-a-by. Corn baby mine.
Wrapp’d in your garments of silk, soft and fine.
Rock-a-by, hush-a-by, little one, dear.
No one can harm you while mother is near.

When you have closed your eye-lids in sleep.
Angels will over you tender watch keep.
They will bring dreams to you, little one, dear.
Now they are coming, now they are here.

[Illustration: THE CORN BABY]

Pansies

“I am thinking of you” is what pansies say
When they come to you from a friend;
And “I am thinking of you” is what they say
When you the blossoms send.

No need of words when pansies are near
To carry the message for you—
Just send a bunch of the blossoms fair,
They’ll speak plainly as you could do.

All over the world in their simple way,
No matter where they go,
“I am thinking of you” is what they say,
And all people their language know.

Pansy Ladies

[Illustration]

Pansy dolls were made in several ways—and pansy verses with them. Of
these dolls the easiest to make were the paper ones, folded and cut as
all children cut rows of doll dresses. Then a small hole was cut in the
top of each dress, and the pansy stem put into it. Without further work
there stood a pansy lady with a paper body and blossom head.

Other pansy dolls were made by covering tiny pill bottles with grass
blades, or leaves, putting one end of each leaf in the bottle, turning
them all down, and tying them in place with a grass blade sash. When
the bottle was filled with water and a pansy put into it, the children
had a pansy lady who would live a day or two.

“Rich purple hued velvets the pansy maids wear,
While cunning caps rest on their long yellow hair,”

quoted Mamma when she was invited out to see a row of these visitors of
Lady Hollyhock’s.

[Illustration: PANSY LADIES]

[Illustration]

Poppy Maids

GREAT beds of poppies grew at the end of the cottage at Hollyhock
Place. To make poppy blossoms into dolls is the easiest thing in the
world. All you have to do is to turn down the soft, silky petals, tie
a blade of grass round them, and there you have a poppy maid, all
finished and growing on a stem—a real flower fairy. There is a small
green seed pod inside, you know, and that is the poppy maid’s head.

After making a number of these without breaking their stems the
children often laid a cucumber, or radish baby in the poppy bed and
sang to it a soothing lullaby—one they had made up themselves. Perhaps
they had a little help—I cannot say as to that.

Poppies are the flowers that bring sleep you know.

Before long, the poppy maids would fade away and others would take
their places. The dead ones were quietly buried near their friends,
and soon after, at sunset, their colors were seen in the sky, as were
those of many dead and gone, hollyhock and morning-glory ladies. None
of these ever lived to be very old.

Poppy Lullaby

Dainty Poppy maidens,
From Dreamland far away,
Gather round baby’s cradle
In your garments gay.

Gentle Poppy maidens,
Call the Sandman near,
With his dreams from Dreamland
For our baby dear.

Gentle Poppy maidens,
Whisper what you would
Baby will heed your message
Bidding her be good.

[Illustration: POPPY MAIDS]

Acorn and Burdock Eskimos

ALONG the orchard fence grew great broad leaved burdocks crowned with
purplish pink tipped burs, which early in the season were made into
all sorts of useful and beautiful objects—baskets, hanging baskets,
cradles, sofas, chairs, tables and many other things.

[Illustration]

In autumn, when the large acorns with fringed cups began to fall, the
children gathered them and made them into Eskimos. One acorn was used
for the body, and one for the head, with the point on the end for a
nose. Twigs of the oak served for arms and legs.

The warmest of fur overcoats was made of the ripened burdock burs,
while the furry fringed cup of the acorn made a cap that would have
delighted the heart of any Eskimo.

Then Eskimo huts or igloos were made of the burs or “furs” as the
children called them. Of course every one knows that real igloos are
made of blocks of ice or snow, not of fur, but ice was not to be had
at that season of the year and would not have been comfortable to work
with anyway.

As the bur Eskimo was in immediate need of a home the little Wests made
him the very best one they could of the materials at hand. A very neat
round hut was made of burs and that it might appear more real, both
it and the ground were covered with cotton snow, making a real arctic
landscape.

[Illustration: THE BUR ESKIMO]

Pigs

[Illustration]

“Why don’t you make animals as well as people out of fruits and
vegetables, children?” said papa one day.

Why hadn’t they to be sure? They had never thought of such a thing, but
when they did it was not long before the place was stocked with all
sorts of strange animals.

The first piece of vegetable live stock the little Wests owned was a
lemon pig which Uncle John made for them from a lemon, two white headed
pins, and four matches.

With a knife a small gash was cut for a mouth; then ears were cut from
the skin. These were left fastened to the lemon at the front edge.

Then pigs must have pens! So pens naturally followed—pens of corn cobs
put together in rail fence fashion.

Later in the season there were acorn pigs in pens made of sticks and
straws.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: LEMON PIGS]

Burdock Leaves and Clothes-Pins

[Illustration]

Burdock leaves as well as the burs were used by the children in their
plays. Hats and shawls were made of them—but best of all were the
burdock leaf wigwams.

To make these twigs or tent poles were stuck in the ground and burdock
leaves folded round them in tent fashion. The points of the leaves were
torn off to make them the right shape.

Then there had to be Indians to live in the wigwams and these were made
of clothes-pins. Nothing could be easier to make than a clothes-pin
Indian.

First the features are marked out on the head of the pin, then a band
of paper pasted round the top and a feather stuck in at the back for a
war-bonnet; and a square of stiff paper folded around the clothes-pin,
for a blanket, and the Indian is finished.

The little Wests made whole villages of burdock wigwams with
clothes-pin braves standing guard at the doors.

Tom always liked stories of enchantment, so he made up one about these
wooden Indians.

The Clothes-Pin Tribe

JOURNEYING across the country a lone traveler chanced upon an Indian
village. Such Indians as he saw there were unknown to him, and neither
did he know that Indians of any kind dwelt in that part of the land.

Strange to him, too, were the wigwams, or teepees, of the unknown
tribe. All of the wigwams with which he was familiar were covered with
either blankets or skins. These were of the leaves of the burdock and
much smaller than any he had ever seen—fit only for the homes of a
pigmy tribe—and such it proved to be.

Guarding every wigwam stood an Indian, while others were scattered
about the encampment.

As the traveler gazed on the scene before him, his astonishment grew
when he saw that not a figure moved. Every man stood up straight and
silent.

Inquiring of a passer-by, one who seemed acquainted with the regions
round about, the traveler asked the meaning of what he saw, and learned
that the pigmy tribe was ruled by a giant, who years ago had departed
for a great city where he hoped to bargain with the people for the sale
of the tobacco which his tribe produced. The sample he carried was in
the form of a package of cigars, bound about by a strip of twisted
tobacco leaves.

For the crime of tempting people to make use of that which would harm
them the giant Indian and his pigmy tribe had had a spell cast over
them, which turned them to wood, took away their speech, and rendered
them motionless.

[Illustration: THE CLOTHES-PIN TRIBE]

From the time when the spell came over them no Indian in all the
tribe had so much as winked an eye. And all would remain as they were
till the spell was broken.

All stood just as they did at the moment when the enchantment fell
upon them—the sentinels stock still at the doors of their tents, and
the others stiff and straight in the places where that awful moment
had found them; the giant chief stood just as he did on that day, ever
holding out the package of cigars bound about by the twisted band of
tobacco leaves.

When some paleface should take from the hand of the giant Indian the
cigars which he offered, the spell would be broken, but to this day no
such paleface had come.

This was the story Tom told Grandpa, the lone traveler, when asked
about his clothes-pin Indian village with its burdock wigwams. And
Grandpa said that it was no doubt true, for he, himself, had seen the
giant Indian chief standing, wooden and silent, on a city street,
offering cigars to every passer-by.

* * * * *

The Thanksgiving season brought to mind the other early settlers of
America, and these, too, were represented by clothes-pin men and women,
while the rude cabins of our forefathers were represented by corn cob
cabins chinked with mud.

John Alden in his tall Pilgrim hat and Priscilla in her gown of gray
and kerchief of white were favorite figures in these early history
plays of the West children.

[Illustration: JOHN AND PRISCILLA ALDEN]

An Irish (Potato) Woman and Her Family

SOME of the jolliest visitors were from the potato patch. They were
Irish, of course, and every one knows how much fun there is in all
Irish people. There was not a serious looking one in the whole family.

The mother had a most peculiar face, round and plump and happy, but
deformed. Though she had more than the usual number of eyes, they were
not located so she could use them as _eyes_.

One was on her cheek just where others sometimes have dimples, so she
used that for a dimple. Another was on her forehead, and another just
where an eye should have been for seeing purposes. But, sad to tell,
this one had a sprout in it, and a sprout in the eye would ruin any
one’s sight.

Had it not been for the little Wests, the Irish woman might have
been blind all her life. With an ordinary lead pencil an operation
was performed on her face which gave her a beautiful round eye just
opposite the afflicted one.

This so pleased her that a broad smile spread over her face—a smile
that she wore as long as she lived—and that was reflected in the faces
of all of her family.

If you had asked her how it happened that they were always smiling, she
would have said, “Sure, smiles are catching, just like measles.” When
one in a family has them, they all do. Yes, they’re just as catching as
measles, and much pleasanter to have.

Other potatoes were made up into gay Irish maidens, with early rose
complexions, and into Irish men, with sun-browned faces, and into
sturdy Irish children.

[Illustration: AN IRISH (POTATO) WOMAN]

These were able to stand up very nicely too, having good substantial
Irish (potato) feet.

And who ever heard of an Irish family without a pig? And were not
potatoes the most natural things in the world to make pigs of?

Nothing could have been easier to make. A long potato was the body,
four matches the legs, two pins the eyes, while a curled dandelion stem
made the most natural pig tail imaginable.

[Illustration: AN IRISH PIG]

Creatures of Clay

HAVE you ever made men and animals of mud? You can do almost anything
with it when it is just soft enough. If it is too dry it is sure to
crack. Clay is best, but any kind of mud will do.

The little Wests spent hours and hours making people and villages of
clay—for there was a most delightfully damp bank by the brookside,
where the clay seemed made for young artists.

After modeling a few men, the children began to notice just how large a
head ought to be, for a certain sized body, and how far down the arms
ought to reach, and whether the legs were longer or shorter than the
arms.

At first, though, they made some funny looking creatures. Lady
Hollyhock must have smiled more than ever when she saw two of them
coming. Or maybe she was frightened.

One of them was a savage with excelsior hair standing out all over his
head. The only clothing he wore was a skirt of leaves fastened about
his clumsy waist.

His companion was a dwarf negro made by Ted, a larger playmate of the
West children. Ted never would be serious. He told the children that
the ugly dwarf had spoiled his looks by looking and listening too much.
His looks certainly had been spoiled in some way.

Cousin Charlotte made a rhyme about him, which seemed to explain his
appearance pretty well.

[Illustration: A CLAY SAVAGE]

A Man of Clay

This poor soul has looked till his eyes stand out
And listened till his ears are immense;
And though his mouth has grown large from talking much,
He says never a word of sense.

For his brain is so muddled, he never can think,
Whate’er he may see, hear, or say,
He was not made to understand,
He is only a man of clay.

The Corn Husk Lady

[Illustration]

Through the mail one day the little Wests received a box bearing
a Nebraska post mark. On opening it they saw the queerest doll
imaginable, all neatly packed in crushed tissue paper.

This was a lady doll made entirely of corn husks and corn silk. The
silk was for hair, of course, and very real looking hair it made. A
bunch of the thinner, softer husks had been tied together for the head
and body; a flat piece was laid over the place where the face was to
be, and a string drawn tightly around it about an inch from the top
making a very neat, shapely head and neck. Water color paints were used
to make the clear blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and other features. Curly
brown corn silk was next fastened on for hair, and two rather stiff
rolls of husks served for arms.

Then the lady was dressed in the most elaborate garments. She wore a
gathered waist, large sleeves, and a very full skirt. On her head was
a bonnet, wonderful to behold. Like her gown and parasol, it, too, was
made entirely of corn husks.

A letter that came with the doll said that it had been made by a little
crippled girl living on a Nebraska farm and who had made the husk dolls
for amusement at first, but that since she had learned to make them
so well many of her dolls had been sold. What she had begun for mere
pleasure was now a source of profit to her.

The letter said, also, that in making her dolls this little girl always
soaked the husks to soften them and to keep them from tearing while the
dolls were being made.

In looking about for a name for the new visitor the children decided
upon “Cornelia” as the name best suited to one of her nature and
general makeup.

When Papa was asked to suggest a last name for the young lady from
Nebraska he said he thought “Shucks” would probably be as appropriate
as any other, so Cornelia Shucks she was called.

On the very day the young lady arrived the children hunted up some nice
clean corn husks and put them to soak in warm water. There were thin
white pieces which came next to the corn, and butter colored strips,
and deep brown ones—variety enough for any doll’s wardrobe. After an
hour or two of soaking, the husks were taken from the water and wiped
as dry as possible and then they were ready.

After much examination of the fair Cornelia’s form and style of dress
the little Wests were able to make quite respectable looking husk
dolls. Of course, the first ones were a trifle clumsy, but after a
while these children were able to make and dress lady dolls as fine as
Cornelia Shucks herself.

[Illustration: CORNELIA SHUCKS]

The Corn Cob Baby

THE corn cob doll is a hardy little thing, able to endure the hardest
usage.

It has no features, to speak of, and a dreadfully pock-marked face—yet
no play baby is dearer to the heart of its owner than the corn cob baby.

Baby Bunnie gave her corn cob child a little more style than such
babies usually have, by wrapping it about as babies are sometimes
wrapped in foreign countries.

Red cobs were made into Indian babies, and bound into bark cradles, and
hung up in the trees, like real papooses.

[Illustration: THE CORN COB BABY]

Apple Jack

FROM the Orchard came Apple Jack, a most agreeable gentleman.

Lady Hollyhock was not the only person who was proud to receive him.
Everybody liked him, not alone for his engaging smile and pleasant
manner but because of his goodness.

Then he could always be depended upon to stand by his friends, and the
advice he gave was always of the best.

But we will let him tell his own story.

APPLE JACK’S STORY

Apple Jack is the name I bear
And it suits me well, I ween;
My home was once in an apple tree
Among the leaves so green.

My head and body were separate then
With never a stick between.
Though both are now of the richest red,
When young, like the leaves they were green.

[Illustration: APPLE JACK]

Each part of me swung on a separate bough
The whole long summer through—
My color was changed by the sun’s warm rays
I was washed by the rain and the dew.

When the autumn came I had a great fall
Which was the making of me,
For a boy chanced that way and took me up
And made me the man you see.

Though I never can do any work for this friend
Who helped me to be what I am,
I’ll stand by him through trouble and joy
And always prove loyal and calm.

If he should choose to take me in
I would cause him never an ache,
For, since he was the making of me,
I’d go down for friendship’s sake.

As long as on the earth I stay
I will try to give him joy,
With a beaming smile upon my face
I will always greet this boy.

The world looks so funny through apple-seed eyes,
To laugh is all I can do;
And when I go, “Greet your friends with a smile”
Is the message I leave to you.

The Peanut Man

THE Peanut Chinese man was made of eight peanuts—one for the head, one
for the body, one for each arm and two for each leg. All had double
kernels, except the one forming the head.

These peanuts were fastened together by heavy thread. The needle was
run crosswise through the end of one nut; then through the end of the
nut joining it, and the thread tied in a hard knot.

The face was drawn with a pen and ink. The back of the head and bottoms
of the feet were solidly inked for hair and shoes and the cue was of
braided black silk thread, sewed to the top of the head. Over the place
where the cue was fastened, a disk of stiff paper was glued for a hat.

When crinkled tissue paper was gathered around the neck and arms to
form a loose jacket and around the legs for wide trousers, the Peanut
Chinese man was complete.

[Illustration: THE PEANUT MAN]

The Peanut Chinese Woman

THE Peanut Chinese woman was not dressed like a real Chinese woman.
Living in America, she was beginning to like skirt-like gowns better
than the baggy trousers of her own people. Her sleeves, too, had just a
little of the American look.

But when it came to dressing her hair the real Chinese style suited her
best. The heavy black silky loops were caught up and held in place by
long pins such as she had used in her native land.

Her garments, like those of the Peanut Chinese man, were of crinkled
tissue paper, though the little Wests pretended they were of silk.

They wanted these dolls to have silk clothing like real Chinese people,
but as they did not have the goods, they just imagined that the paper
was silk and were happy in the make-believe.

[Illustration: THE PEANUT CHINESE WOMAN]

The Acorn Family

IN the autumn when the acorns began to fall the children found no end
of amusement in making them up into all sorts of people and animals.

Some were converted into soldiers—Japanese, with blue kimonos and
Russians with long fur overcoats—and often they were lined up for
battle. Ruthlessly the children shot them down with bean shooters.
Since their sympathies were with the Japs, of course the Russians
suffered most, yet there were losses on both sides.

While the brown of the acorns suggested Japs and Filipenos, it was
equally suggestive of our own negro people, so numbers of these were
made with their blue checked gowns and red bandanas.

Then there were just ordinary acorn men and women, with acorn heads on
toothpick necks, and bodies of twisted paper.

One attractive pair was dressed in corn-colored crinkled tissue paper.
A round disk of the paper was pasted to the top of the head of each
for the brim of a hat, and the cup of the acorn pasted over that for a
crown. No prettier doll hats could be imagined.

The shoes these little people wore were of ink.

Everything the acorn family had was made, like themselves, of acorns.
Their cups and saucers, their plates, their baskets, their tops, and
their pigs, even, were of acorns.

Tom enjoyed the tops most. These were made by running slender
toothpicks, or shoepegs, about halfway through the acorns which spun on
their own points. Games were often played with these tops.

[Illustration: AN ACORN MAN]

When any one wanted to know which army would be victorious in battle
two tops were set spinning on a plate and each named for an opposing
army. The one falling over first was defeated, of course. Sometimes one
spun itself off the plate. That meant a retreat.

Disks of bright colored paper were often placed above the top on the
toothpick or shoepeg. When red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet
were used and all the tops set spinning at the same time, this meant
that a rainbow had gone to pieces and each color was doing its best to
get back into its proper place.

[Illustration]

NOTE:

An acorn is used for the body of each of these dolls, and toothpick
arms and legs inserted as in Apple Jack.

[Illustration: AN ACORN WOMAN]

The Haws

[Illustration]

THE members of the Haw family were not very different from those of the
Acorn family. Why should they be? They had lived side by side in the
same wood all their lives, and had grown up together under the same
circumstances.

[Illustration]

Their complexions were different, to be sure, but aside from this and
the difference in the shape of their heads, they were built on exactly
the same lines—round bodies, slender arms and legs.

[Illustration]

Like the Acorn family some had perfectly stiff limbs, while others were
provided with joints. The first were supposed to have rheumatism.

[Illustration]

The only wonder is that they did not all have it, going about as they
did, without any clothes, in all sorts of weather.

The Gourds

[Illustration]

The little Wests each fancied a different style of doll. Eugenie liked
dressed up visiting dolls, Florence played mother to baby dolls in long
dresses, Tom liked what he called “funny fellows” and Indians, while
baby Bunnie always insisted on her children keeping house.

Tom’s favorites, the funny fellows, came from the squash patch and
gourd vines. It was not necessary to even dress these. All one had to
do was to dip a match in ink and mark out faces on them.

These faces could be made either sunny and cheerful or sour and sad by
changing the directions of the lines. Lines turning upward made the
happy faces and those turning downward made the troubled ones.

The oval yellow gourds were made into fat men and Humpty Dumpties.
These Tom used to make run races with each other by rolling them down
hill. Which do you think always beat, the fattest and largest, or the
smaller ones?

[Illustration: THE WEEPING GOURD MAN

Because I had no arms and legs
I used to grieve and cry.
]

Gourd Men

NONE of the Gourd men ever had the appearance of being either sensible
or well behaved. But one ought not to expect sense and dignity from any
of their race, for, all over the world, those who have neither are said
to be as “green as a gourd.”

It was only the gourd babies who seemed to know anything at all about
behaving properly. Strange as it may seem, the younger members of this
awkward family were as sweet and quiet as any babies in the whole
vegetable kingdom.

Some of these gourd children were made by using the large part for a
head and putting a deep frill about the neck for a gown. This was held
in place by a pin run through both gown and baby.

Others were made by using the slender part for a head and putting the
same kind of a frill about the neck for a dress. The last kind could
sit up as well as any real child.

It was the easiest thing in the world to make rhymes about these
dolls—indeed the rhymes seemed to almost make themselves.

[Illustration: THE LAUGHING GOURD MAN

Now I’ve learned to roll about so well
I can pass all the peg-legs by.
]

What the Gourd Man Said

I’m as queer a fellow
As ever was seen
With face of yellow
And hair of green.

With seeds in the place
Where my brain ought to be—
You can’t expect much
From a fellow like me.

[Illustration: THE GOURD MAN]

The Mender

A STRANGE creature made of spools, a thimble, and needles was called
“The Mender.” But it was not because he ever really did any mending.
He never did anything but stand where he was put, in the stiffest way
imaginable.

Even though he never did do anything, he was of some use in the world,
for his very presence seemed to say, “A stitch in time saves nine.”

Hickory-Nut People

HICKORY nuts were rather hard to make into dolls, for it was almost
impossible to make their heads stay on. But by putting close fitting
caps on them under their bonnets, and bringing the cloth down and
tying it at the neck with a string, this extended cap made a very good
foundation for a body.

It was found that bonnets and long capes were the most becoming
garments for these dolls, as they seemed to harmonize best with the
caps.

Since Nuns and Nurses both dress in this way, the greater number of the
Hickory-nut family turned out to be Nuns and Nurses.

[Illustration: A HICKORY-NUT NUN]

The Hickory-Nut Nurse

The hickory-nut nurse has a hard, hard face
But a heart that is tender and true;
She could not change her looks, you know,
And neither can I, or you.

But we can be helpful and kind and good
To all whom we meet and know,
So they never will think of our looks at all,
But of the goodness that lies below.

[Illustration: A HICKORY-NUT NURSE]

The Kelp Maiden

IN August Uncle John came all the way from California to make a visit
at Hollyhock Place. The little Wests never tired of hearing him tell
of the wonderful things that grew in that western land—of trees
higher than church spires—of sea-gulls and pelicans—and of the queer
California Woodpecker that bores holes in the trunks of dead trees and
pounds an acorn into each hole for future use.

As the family sat out under the trees this jolly old uncle of theirs
seemed to take as much interest in the funny home-made dolls as the
children themselves did. It was he who showed them how to make the
great fat-faced Humpty Dumpties out of the oval yellow “darning gourds”
as Mamma called them.

And what fun they had making jingles—Uncle John and the little Wests.
Songs he called them, and they were, too, for a tune always came with
the words when he made them.

When their uncle left to go back to his California home the children
missed him greatly and watched eagerly for the letter he promised them
when he reached home. Two whole weeks passed before the letter arrived.
When it came there was a small package with it.

What was in the package? There is no need to tell, the letter will
explain. Here is the letter which made the children laugh as much as
if Uncle John himself had been there telling them what he had written.
Charlotte played and sang the song for them till they all learned it.
But as I said, here is the letter:

SAN DIEGO, CALIF.,
September 1st, 1906.

MY DEAR NIECES AND NEPHEW:—

What do you think?

Your Uncle John is getting the doll habit! Since I visited you half
the things I see turn into dolls as I look at them, and I immediately
begin to make songs or jingles about them just as you do. As I sit at
the table the dishes even, take doll form in my mind. The plates seem
to have great moon faces, while the sugar bowl seems to stand with
shoulders thrown up and arms akimbo like an awkward china washerwoman.
The knives, forks and spoons are almost human with their shining faces.

This morning as I passed a bake-shop and glanced in at the window, the
cakes and buns seemed to laugh and wink at me with the fat faces of
their bakers.

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.

[Illustration]

[Illustration: THE KELP MAID]

The Kelp Maid’s Song

[Illustration: Music]

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.

[Illustration: Music]

[Illustration: MORNING-GLORY LADIES]

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.”

[Illustration]

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.

[Illustration: A JACK O’LANTERN]

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.”

[Illustration: RASTUS PRUNE]

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.

[Illustration: DINAH PRUNE]

[Illustration: A CLAY PIPE BABY]

Pipe Dolls

[Illustration]

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.

[Illustration: A CLAY PIPE CLOWN]

[Illustration: A CLAY PIPE OLD LADY]

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.

[Illustration: A CLAY PIPE MAIDEN]

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.

[Illustration]

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.

[Illustration: A PAPER DOLL]

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.

[Illustration: A HANDKERCHIEF DOLL]

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?

[Illustration: A PILL-BOX DOLL]

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.

[Illustration: THE 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.

[Illustration: THE DRIED PEACH INDIAN]

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.

[Illustration: THE PROUD SNOWS]

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.

[Illustration: THE TENDER SNOWS]

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.

[Illustration: A PIE-CRUST MULE]

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.

[Illustration: THE DOUGHNUT MAN]

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.

[Illustration: THE GINGERBREAD MAID]

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

[Illustration: A COOKY MOON]

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.

[Illustration: THE YARN CHILD]

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.

[Illustration: A RAG COUPLE]

Rag Babies

[Illustration]

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.

[Illustration: A RAG BABY]

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.

[Illustration: A TISSUE-PAPER LADY]

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.

[Illustration: HUMPTY DUMPTY]

Cinderella’s Coach

[Illustration]

“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.

[Illustration: CINDERELLA IN HER COACH]

[Illustration]

THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS
GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

* * * * *

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)

*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Lady Hollyhock and her Friends - A Book of Nature Dolls and Others" ***

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