Memoirs of a country doll. Written by herself

Early next morning my mother woke me up and carried me to the field. After a while she spoke to her brother Robertin, and said,--"Roby, don't you tink dat I had better go and give dis little dolly to Emma Arthurst?" "Yes," said Robertin, "for don't you know how kind she was to us." So off they started to give me to Emma, who was about five years old. Little Emma was delighted and gave Johanna a half crown. My mother, Emma, had another doll, whose name was Ellen Green, (by the by, I never had any name till my new mother gave me one, which was Josephine Arnoldson,) but I think to this day she was a very naughty doll; for she always spilt her tea on her dress, knocked down chairs, danced on the table, and I don't know what else. One day my mother came and took me early from my nice little bed, and dressed me in a beautiful frock of white muslin, with a pink sash, and violets and other flowers in my sash. I had seen my mother working on something for some time, and now I knew what it was. My mother then told me that it was May-day, and that I was to go to a May party; but she said that Ellen should not go because she had behaved so naughty. At first I was glad to hear this, but after a while I felt differently and begged my mother to let her go. Whether my mother could not withstand my pleading, or had determined to try Ellen once more, I don't know, but she at last consented to take Ellen. My mother was dressed in white, and so were a great many other little girls. We enjoyed ourselves very much, but at last Ellen began to behave badly. She tore a hole in her dress, and at last she acted so badly, that my mother had to put her in the hollow trunk of a tree where we left her. Then we all went into a clump of most beautiful pine trees, and eat our dinner there. After that we played round, and then went home, not without taking Ellen with us. I had stayed with my present mother about six months when I was taken sick, the account of which I will defer to my next.

One night as I was lying in my bed, my head began to swim, my lips were parched, and I felt very sick. After passing the night in great distress, my mother came to me and said, "Dear little Josey, how sick you look!" and so she did not take me up. By and by the little girl who played the most with Emma came in and said, "Why, Emma, you have not taken your doll up this morning." "No," said Emma, "she is very sick, and so I did not think it best to take her up." "Well," said the other little girl, "I will be a doctor, and you must send for me to come and attend your doll." So Emma sent, and the little girl came and ordered me some pills and a powder, which I was to take. They made the pills out of bread and the powder out of slate-pencil dust. I took these and they quieted my pain some, but still I was very sick. The next morning the doctor came and ordered me something else, which I took, as in duty bound, although I must say it did not taste very good. After two or three weeks I began to get a little better, and then Ellen came and saw me; but she began to talk in her old way about my having new dresses, and she having to take mine, (for she and I were of the same size,) and her having to stay in the trunk while I enjoyed myself, and then she ended by saying that she was glad I was sick, for now she could have her own way, as she had before I came. I found out afterwards that my mother had been telling Ellen about me, and saying that I was a pink of perfection, and that she ought to pattern by me. So Ellen hated me heartily, which I was very sorry for, as I had a sort of liking for her, although she did behave so badly. One evening after tea, Emma having left the room, her father said, "Wife, I think that as Emma is old enough to help us, that she had better begin next week about the dairy and help you. She will have to dispense with her dolls, and I think she had better give her prettiest doll to her cousin, who, I dare say, will like it." When Emma came in, her father told her his intentions, and how she had better give the handsomest doll to her cousin Celeste. Emma cried very much at leaving her doll, and so did I, but she thought it better to do so.

Next day Emma dressed herself very neatly, and rode over to her cousin's, which was about five miles from her father's house. Emma cried all the way, and I, in spite of myself, could not help crying too. At last we arrived at a very splendid mansion-house, where Emma's cousin lived. Her aunt was very glad to have Emma come, and Celeste was very much pleased with her doll, although she said she was almost too old to have a doll. By and by Emma went home, and I was left in the hands of my new mamma. She then called her brother, Maximilian Belmont, to see her doll, which he thought was very pretty indeed. My last mother had told me that her aunt was a "baroness," and her uncle a "baron," which I was very glad to hear, as I thought I should see some very high life. The next day my new mother went out with her governess to buy some things for me, and as they could not buy any thing fit for me in the country, they went into town. They went to the very same place where I was first bought by my first mamma, Lucy, and bought me a swinging bed, with mattress, and all complete; also a tea-set, bureau, piano, a set of parlor furniture, and a most beautiful bracelet, necklace, ring, and a pair of ear-rings. We next drove to a jeweller's, and had my ears pierced, and the bracelet was marked "Josephine Arnoldson." I forgot to say that my mother bought me a most beautiful little house that I could live in, and had it carpeted, papered, painted and furnished. The next day my mother's governess cut out some dresses for me. I had morning dresses, afternoon, visiting, riding, party and ball dresses. My party and ball dresses were so very handsome indeed, that I think I must let my readers know what I had. My party dress was a pink silk, looped up in front, showing a white satin skirt embroidered up and down with flowers over the silk. My ball dress was a white satin with white crape over it, and small bouquets down the front, white kid gloves, an embroidered handkerchief, white silk stockings, and white satin slippers. Also a most beautiful wreath of orange flowers and forget-me-nots for my hair, for I had real hair which curled.

One day I observed my mother put on her things very slily, call her governess and tell her to put on her things also, and come out. I thought to myself, "What can this mean? My mother has put on her clothes, called the footman and ordered the carriage, and has taken her governess with her." I guess it is something that I am not to know; for if it were not, I certainly would have gone with her. As I did not feel very well, I thought that I would lie down on my bed and take a nap. In a couple of hours my mother came home, and coming into the room where my baby-house was, took me out of the bed, without saying a word to me about her having been out. I burned all the time to know what she had been out for. I could hardly eat my dinner, and when tea came I could eat nothing. The next day, at twelve, a man rang at the hall-door, and my mother ran down to let him in, a thing that she had never done before, and which made me so curious that I could not stand. In a few minutes my mother came running up stairs, and put a little bundle into my hands. I opened it very quickly, and what did I see but a little hoe, rake, spade and wheelbarrow! I thought that I could never thank my mother enough. When she saw how pleased I was, she told me that I should have a piece of ground, and she would get me some seeds, and she would also immediately make me a gardening dress, so that I could commence the next day. Oh, how I longed for the morrow to come, and when the morning dawned I was almost crazy. My mother put on my dress, and giving me my tools took me into the garden, where I took my first lesson in gardening. I thought it was delightful. My mother told me that I should soon get along very fast, and that I should plant some flower and vegetable seeds. I felt very smart, and began to work away quite industriously, making improvement in the looks of my garden. When my mother appeared and told me breakfast was ready, I could hardly believe it, the time had passed so quickly. The next morning my mother waked me at half past five, and dressing me took me out. As we were going along to the garden we saw by the road-side a flock of geese, and as we passed along they set up a tremendous hissing. Oh, how frightened I was; but my mother laughed at my fears, and told me not to be afraid, as they would not hurt me. When I got to the garden, I was all of a tremble, and for five minutes I could not do any thing. I got the garden all finished that morning before breakfast, and so I went in, and changing my dress went out to take a walk. As I went along the paths, I could not help feeling overcome. It was a beautiful spring morning, the dew was on the grass, and the birds were singing their morning song of praise to the Maker of all things, as they soared towards heaven. When my breakfast bell rang, I came in and told my mother of my pleasant walk, and she seemed very glad. The next morning my mother showed me how to plant seeds, after which she watered them, as she said the watering-pot was too large for me, but that she was going to buy me one, so that I could water my plants when they came up. In a day or two my mother, her governess and I went into the city and bought me a little watering pot, and a little book that treated of gardening, which I put with my other books. One morning, about two weeks after planting my seeds, I was surprised to see several little green things which I thought were weeds, and I was just going to pull them up, when I happened to think that perhaps they might not be weeds after all, and that I would stop and ask my mother. My mother appearing up the gravel walks just then, I asked her what they were, and she told me that they were the plants just beginning to come up, and that I must water them every morning carefully, and soon they would come up higher and higher; then the leaves would come out, and at last little buds would shoot forth and turn into flowers. But in order to have them do so, I must keep all the weeds away from them, water them morning and evening, and put up sticks for the running ones.