Raggedy Ann Stories

Raggedy Ann Stories

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Raggedy Ann Stories, by Johnny
Gruelle This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and
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Title: Raggedy Ann Stories
Author: Johnny Gruelle
Illustrator: Johnny Gruelle
Release Date: April 17, 2006 [EBook #18190]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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ANN STORIES ***

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RAGGEDY ANN STORIES
Written & Illustrated by JOHNNY GRUELLE

[Illustration]
LITTLE SIMON New York London Toronto Sydney
[Illustration]

PREFACE AND DEDICATION
As I write this, I have before me on my desk, propped up against the
telephone, an old rag doll. Dear old Raggedy Ann!
The same Raggedy Ann with which my mother played when a child.
There she sits, a trifle loppy and loose-jointed, looking me squarely in
the face in a straightforward, honest manner, a twinkle where her
shoe-button eyes reflect the electric light.
Evidently Raggedy has been to a "tea party" today, for her face is
covered with chocolate.
She smiles happily and continuously.
True, she has been nibbled by mice, who have made nests out of the
soft cotton with which she has been stuffed, but Raggedy smiled just as
broadly when the mice nibbled at her, for her smile is painted on.
What adventures you must have had, Raggedy!
What joy and happiness you have brought into this world!
And no matter what treatment you have received, how patient you have
been!
What lessons of kindness and fortitude you might teach could you but
talk; you with your wisdom of fifty-nine years. No wonder Rag Dolls
are the best beloved! You are so kindly, so patient, so lovable.
The more you become torn, tattered and loose-jointed, Rag Dolls, the

more you are loved by children.
Who knows but that Fairyland is filled with old, lovable Rag
Dolls--soft, loppy Rag Dolls who ride through all the wonders of
Fairyland in the crook of dimpled arms, snuggling close to childish
breasts within which beat hearts filled with eternal sunshine.
So, to the millions of children and grown-ups who have loved a Rag
Doll, I dedicate these stories of Raggedy Ann.
JOHNNY GRUELLE.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]

INTRODUCTION
Marcella liked to play up in the attic at Grandma's quaint old house,
'way out in the country, for there were so many old forgotten things to
find up there.
One day when Marcella was up in the attic and had played with the old
spinning wheel until she had grown tired of it, she curled up on an old
horse-hair sofa to rest.
"I wonder what is in that barrel, 'way back in the corner?" she thought,
as she jumped from the sofa and climbed over two dusty trunks to the
barrel standing back under the eaves.
It was quite dark back there, so when Marcella had pulled a large
bundle of things from the barrel she took them over to the dormer
window where she could see better. There was a funny little bonnet
with long white ribbons. Marcella put it on.
In an old leather bag she found a number of tin-types of queer looking
men and women in old-fashioned clothes. And there was one picture of

a very pretty little girl with long curls tied tightly back from her
forehead and wearing a long dress and queer pantaloons which reached
to her shoe-tops. And then out of the heap she pulled an old rag doll
with only one shoe-button eye and a painted nose and a smiling mouth.
Her dress was of soft material, blue with pretty little flowers and dots
all over it.
Forgetting everything else in the happiness of her find, Marcella caught
up the rag doll and ran downstairs to show it to Grandma.
"Well! Well! Where did you find it?" Grandma cried. "It's old Raggedy
Ann!" she went on as she hugged the doll to her breast. "I had forgotten
her. She has been in the attic for fifty years, I guess! Well! Well! Dear
old Raggedy Ann! I will sew another button on her right away!" and
Grandma went to the machine drawer and got her needle and thread.
Marcella watched the sewing while Grandma told how she had played
with Raggedy Ann when she was a little girl.
"Now!" Grandma laughed, "Raggedy Ann, you have two fine
shoe-button eyes and with them you can see the changes that have
taken place in the world while you have been shut up so long in the
attic! For, Raggedy Ann, you have a new playmate and mistress now,