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ADVENTURES IN TOYLAND
To my little friends Dorothy & Doris in recollection of
the time we spent in fairyland together.
Altemus' Young People's Library
ADVENTURES IN TOYLAND
What the Marionette Told Molly
by
EDITH KING HALL
With Seventy Illustrations
Copyright 1900 by Henry Altemus Company
Philadelphia
Henry Altemus Company
Contents
Page.
Chap. I. AFTER THE SHUTTERS WERE UP 13
" II. THE RABBIT AND THE MOUSE 20
" III. BELINDA 57
" IV. THE OFFICER AND THE ELEPHANT 75
" V. THE LITTLE DANCER 93
" VI. THE HANSOM-DRIVER 107
" VII. PROUD CLARIBELLE 121
" VIII. THE GROCER AND THE FARTHING DOLL 139
" IX. THE LAST PERFORMANCE 156
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Molly and the Marionette, Frontispiece
Page.
Unrolling the Adventures v
Three Friends in Fairyland vi
The Farthing Doll gets a Surprise vii
From Noah's Ark vii
Four Merry Ducklings ix
Birds of a Feather xii
A Procession from the Ark 13
"Molly's astonishment was great" 15
The two Dancers 19
The Marionette is waiting 20
The Rabbit plays and the Mouse dances 21
The Mouse collects the Money 24
A Pair of Conspirators 26
"The Sentry is both brave and wicked" 29
The Mouse discloses its Plan 31
The Owl listens behind the Sentry-box 35
The Owl takes charge of the Drum 37
On their way to the Sentry-box 39
The Rabbit bids the Sentry Good-day 41
The Rabbit spreads the Gum over the Floor 44
The Mouse tries to look pious 49
The Rabbit takes Vengeance 52
Two little Tell-tales 56
Here the Marionette paused 57
Belinda shuts her Eyes 59
"Simplicity and Self" 61
The Sailor-lad tries to startle Belinda 65
"Oh, Belinda, how I love you!" 69
Bedtime in the Ark 74
The Marionette in a hurry 75
The Two Enemies 76
"The Lady Dolls shrieked" 79
The Officer threatens the Elephant 81
"He fell under the animal's trunk" 87
"He grunted and walked slowly away" 92
Molly sits beside her Friend 93
"One day she saw the Bicycle-man" 96
"A very handsome fellow" 97
"Something within her went--_Snap_!" 103
"Alas! alack-a-day!" 106
"Come, this won't do!" 107
"The Hansom-driver was very plain" 109
"The Butcher, the Baker, and the Clown" 111
"My face is my fortune" 113
"Every time he looked in the Glass" 115
"Drove off as fast as he could" 120
"I should like to hear about her" 121
"Claribelle was a haughty doll" 123
"The Rag Doll was a pushing person" 125
The Driver begins to sing 127
"Then she swept away" 131
"The Driver got up with dignity" 133
"He loved but drove away" 135
Proud Claribelle is penitent 138
"The two met as usual" 139
The Grocer meets the Farthing Doll 140
"They walked away hand in hand" 143
"She handed him a joint of beef" 147
"Supposing I said 'Yes' and you said 'No '" 149
"They were happy ever after" 152
"Molly ran away content" 155
"The little Marionette lay on the ground" 156
"They had just finished their dance" 160
"I begin to understand--nerves" 165
The General rides off to the nearest chemist 167
The Clown dances a double-shuffle 169
"You are not crying, dear, are you?" 171
"She rocked to and fro silently" 175
The Marionette fell asleep quite happily 177
CHAPTER I
All sorts of toys were to be found in that toy-shop. It was truly a place
to please any child! A little girl, who had come to stay there with her
aunt--the owner of the shop--and her little cousin, was always to be
found amongst the toys; she was forever picking up and admiring this
one, stroking that one, nursing another. All her spare moments were
spent in the shop.
It so happened one evening that she wandered in after the shutters were
put up, and the place was deserted. She paused before the spot where
she was accustomed to find her favorite doll, a little lady Marionette,
who, when wound up, danced gayly in company with her partner, a very
fine gentleman.
They were both very prettily dressed. The little lady Marionette wore a
beautiful white silk dress brocaded with pink roses, whilst her partner
had on a blue velvet coat, knee breeches, white silk stockings, and
diamond shoe buckles. Their clothes were really very grand!
And they danced so gayly, too.
"Just as if they like dancing with each other!" the little girl once
said to her aunt.
"You are a fanciful child, Molly," answered the woman, laughing.
"All the same, I believe I am right," replied the little girl.
This evening, however, they were not to be found in their accustomed
place. The little platform on which they danced was there, but the dolls
themselves were gone!
The little girl looked round the shop much bewildered.
"Where _can_ they be?" she said.
At last she saw the little lady Marionette sitting on the right hand
counter, with her back against the Noah's Ark.
"Well, how funny!" exclaimed the little girl aloud. "How have _you_ got
there?"
"Walked, of course," answered the little Marionette in a sweet little
voice.
The little girl's astonishment at this reply was very great. So great
that it kept her silent.
"You seem rather surprised," said the little Marionette. "Why?"
"Why, I never knew you could talk!" she exclaimed, recovering a little
from her surprise. "Or any other toy, either," she added.
"Life is full of surprises," remarked the little Marionette; "especially
in the toy-shop."
"I wish you would tell me all about it," said the little girl, becoming
bolder. "If toys can walk and talk, why don't children know it?"
"Because, although they have known many toys, yet they are very ignorant
regarding their habits," she answered. "_That_ is the reason.
"At the same time," she continued, "as it is, generally speaking, only
when mortals are not present that we _can_ move and speak freely, this
ignorance is, perhaps, partly excusable."
"But how long will you be able to go on talking to me?"
"That I can't tell you. I can only say that our power of talking to a
Mortal--a power which comes but once in the lifetime of every
toy--generally lasts from a fortnight to three weeks."
The little girl clapped her hands.
"You will be able to talk to me, then, every day that I am here!" she
exclaimed with pleasure. "I am only going to stay with my aunt and my
cousin for twelve days longer."
She paused a moment, then added:
"How I should like you to tell me some stories of toys--a new story
every day, you know. Couldn't you do that?"
The little Marionette looked doubtful.
"Before I attempt anything of the sort, I shall have to consult Father
Christmas--the well-known and much-esteemed patriarch. As he is the Head
of our Society, I should like to do nothing without his advice and
sanction."
The little girl sighed anxiously.
"I _do_ hope he'll say 'yes'," she said. "I want so much to hear stories
of toys told by a toy."
"I'll do my best to please you," said the little Marionette. "Come here
at the same time to-morrow,--by yourself, for I can only speak before
one Mortal at a time,--and I will see what I can do."
"Thank you," she said gratefully. "Please give my best love to Father
Christmas; and tell him if he says 'yes' I will see that Auntie puts him
at the very top of the Christmas tree."
She turned to go, then paused and came back.
"I should just like to ask you one thing before I go," she said. "Don't
you and your partner enjoy dancing together?"
The pink cheeks of the little lady seemed to grow a little pinker.
"Perhaps we do," she replied.
"I thought so," remarked her new friend with some satisfaction. "Good
evening! I shall come again to-morrow at this same time."