The Doll and Her Friends | Page 3

and exhibited or hid us at her
pleasure; but she was always so extremely careful of our health and
looks, and her life seemed so entirely devoted to us and to our
advantage, that I often doubted whether she was our property or we
hers. Her habits varied so little from day to day, that after watching her
for a reasonable time, I felt myself perfectly acquainted with her, and in
a condition to make observations upon others of her race.
One day a lady and a little girl stopped at our stall.
'Oh, what a splendid doll,' exclaimed the child, pointing to the waxen
beauty which outshone the rest of our tribe. It was the first time I had
heard the word Doll, though I was well acquainted with the illustrious
individual to whom it was applied; and it now flashed upon my mind,
with pride and pleasure, that, however insignificant in comparison, I
too was a doll. But I had not time to think very deeply about my name
and nature just then, as I wished to listen to the conversation of the two
human beings.

'May I buy her?' said the little girl.
'Can you afford it?' asked the lady in return. 'Remember your intentions
for your brother.'
'Perhaps I have money enough for both,' answered the child. 'How
much does she cost?'
'Seven shillings,' said the shopwoman, taking the doll from her place,
and displaying her pretty face and hands to the utmost advantage.
'I have three half-crowns,' said the little girl.
'But if you spend seven shillings on the doll,' answered the lady, 'you
will only have sixpence left for the paint-box.'
'What does a paint-box cost?' asked the child.
'We have them of all prices,' replied the shopkeeper; 'from sixpence to
seven shillings.'
The little girl examined several with great care, and stood some time in
deliberation; at last she said, 'I don't think Willy would like a sixpenny
one.'
'It would be of no use to him,' answered the lady. 'He draws well
enough to want better colors. If you gave it to him, he would thank you
and try to seem pleased, but he would not really care for it. However,
he does not know that you thought of making him a birthday present, so
you are at liberty to spend your money as you like.'
'Would he care for a seven shilling one?' asked the little girl.
'Yes; that is exactly what he wants.'
'Then he shall have it,' exclaimed the good-natured little sister. 'Poor
dear Willy, how many more amusements I have than he!'
She bought the best paint-box, and received sixpence in change.

'Is there any thing else I can show you?' asked the shopkeeper.
'No, thank you,' she replied; and turning to the elder lady, she said,
'May we go home at once, Mama? It would take me a long time to
choose what I shall spend my sixpence in, and I should like to give
Willy his paint-box directly.'
'By all means,' answered the lady; 'we will lose no time; and I will
bring you again to spend the sixpence whenever you please.'
Without one backward glance towards the beautiful doll, the child
tripped away by the side of her companion, looking the brightest and
happiest of her kind.
I pondered long upon this circumstance; how long I cannot say, for
dolls are unable to measure time, they can only date from any
particularly striking epochs. For instance, we can say, 'Such an affair
happened before I lost my leg;' or, 'Such an event took place before my
new wig was put on;' but of the intricate divisions known to mortals by
the names of hours, days, months, &c., we have no idea.
However, I meditated on the kind little sister during what appeared to
me a long but not tedious period, for I was gratified at gaining some
insight into the qualities proper to distinguish the human race.
Readiness to show kindness, and a preference of others' interests to her
own, were virtues which I easily perceived in the little girl's conduct;
but one thing perplexed me sadly. I could not understand why a doll
would not have answered her kind intentions as well as a paint-box;
why could she not have bought the doll which she admired so much,
and have given that to her brother.
My thoughts were still engaged with this subject, when a boy
approached the stall. Boys were new characters to me, and I was glad
of the opportunity to observe one. He did not bestow a look on the dolls
and other toys, but asked for a box of carpenter's tools. The shopkeeper
dived into some hidden recess under the counter, and produced a
clumsy-looking chest, the merits of which I could