[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]