Raggedy Andy Stories, Page 3

  THE NURSERY DANCE

  When Raggedy Andy was first brought to the nursery he was very quiet.

  Raggedy Andy did not speak all day, but he smiled pleasantly to all theother dolls. There was Raggedy Ann, the French doll, Henny, the littleDutch doll, Uncle Clem, and a few others.

  Some of the dolls were without arms and legs.

  One had a cracked head. She was a nice doll, though, and the others allliked her very much.

  All of them had cried the night Susan (that was her name) fell off thetoy box and cracked her china head.

  Raggedy Andy did not speak all day.

  But there was really nothing strange about this fact, after all.

  None of the other dolls spoke all day, either.

  Marcella had played in the nursery all day and of course they did notspeak in front of her.

  Marcella thought they did, though, and often had them saying thingswhich they really were not even thinking of.

  For instance, when Marcella served water with sugar in it and littleoyster crackers for "tea," Raggedy Andy was thinking of Raggedy Ann, andthe French doll was thinking of one time when Fido was lost.

  Marcella took the French doll's hand, and passed a cup of "tea" toRaggedy Andy, and said, "Mr. Raggedy Andy, will you have another cup oftea?" as if the French doll was talking.

  And then Marcella answered for Raggedy Andy, "Oh, yes, thank you! It isso delicious!"

  Neither the French doll nor Raggedy Andy knew what was going on, forthey were thinking real hard to themselves.

  Nor did they drink the tea when it was poured for them. Marcella drankit instead.

  Perhaps this was just as well, for, most of the dolls were moist insidefrom the "tea" of the day before.

  Marcella did not always drink all of the tea, often she poured a littledown their mouths.

  Sugar and water, if taken in small quantities, would not give the dollscolic, Marcella would tell them, but she did not know that it made theircotton, or sawdust insides, quite sticky.

  Quite often, too, Marcella forgot to wash their faces after a "tea," andFido would do it for them when he came into the nursery and found thedolls with sweets upon their faces.

  Really, Fido was quite a help in this way, but he often missed thecorners of their eyes and the backs of their necks where the "tea" wouldrun and get sticky. But he did his best and saved his little Mistress alot of work.

  No, Raggedy Andy did not speak; he merely thought a great deal.

  One can, you know, when one has been a rag doll as long as Raggedy Andyhad. Years and years and years and years!

  Even Raggedy Ann, with all her wisdom, did not really know how longRaggedy Andy and she had been rag dolls.

  If Raggedy Ann had a pencil in her rag hand and Marcella guided it forher, Raggedy Ann could count up to ten--sometimes. But why should oneworry one's rag head about one's age when all one's life has been onehappy experience after another, with each day filled with love andsunshine?

  Raggedy Andy in a chair]

  Raggedy Andy did not know his age, but he remembered many things thathad happened years and years and years ago, when he and Raggedy Ann werequite young.

  It was of these pleasant times Raggedy Andy was thinking all day, andthis was the reason he did not notice that Marcella was speaking forhim.

  Raggedy Andy could patiently wait until Marcella put all the dollies tobed and left them for the night, alone in the nursery.

  The day might have passed very slowly had it not been for the happymemories which filled Raggedy Andy's cotton-stuffed head.

  But he did not even fidget.

  Of course, he fell out of his chair once, and his shoe button eyes went"Click!" against the floor, but it wasn't his fault. Raggedy Andy was soloppy he could hardly be placed in a chair so that he would stay, andMarcella jiggled the table.

  Marcella cried for Raggedy Andy, "AWAA! AWAA!" and picked him up andsnuggled him and scolded Uncle Clem for jiggling the table.

  Through all this Raggedy Andy kept right on thinking his pleasantthoughts, and really did not know he had fallen from the chair.

  You see how easy it is to pass over the little bumps of life if we arehappy inside.

  And so Raggedy Andy was quiet all day, and so the day finally passed.

  Raggedy Andy was given one of Uncle Clem's clean white nighties andshared Uncle Clem's bed. Marcella kissed them all good night and leftthem to sleep until morning.

  But as soon as she had left the room all the dolls raised up in theirbeds. When their little mistress' footsteps passed out of hearing, allthe dollies jumped out of their beds and gathered around Raggedy Andy.

  Raggedy Ann introduced them one by one and Raggedy Andy shook hands witheach.

  Raggedy Andy on his face]

  Shaking hands]

  "I am very happy to know you all!" he said, in a voice as kindly asRaggedy Ann's, "and I hope we will all like each other as much asRaggedy Ann and I have always liked each other!"

  "Oh, indeed we shall!" the dollies all answered. "We love Raggedy Annbecause she is so kindly and happy, and we know we shall like you too,for you talk like Raggedy Ann and have the same cheery smile!"

  "Now that we know each other so well, what do you say to a game, UncleClem?" Raggedy Andy cried, as he caught Uncle Clem and danced about thefloor.

  Henny, the Dutch doll, dragged the little square music box out into thecenter of the room and wound it up. Then all, catching hands, danced ina circle around it, laughing and shouting in their tiny doll voices.

  "That was lots of fun!" Raggedy Andy said, when the music stopped andall the dolls had taken seats upon the floor facing him. "You know Ihave been shut up in a trunk up in an attic for years and years andyears."

  "Wasn't it very lonesome in the trunk all that time?" Susan asked inher queer little cracked voice. You see, her head had been cracked.

  "Oh, not at all," Raggedy Andy replied, "for there was always a nest ofmice down in the corner of the trunk. Cute little Mama and Daddy mice,and lots of little teeny weeny baby mice. And when the mama and daddymice were away, I used to cuddle the tiny little baby mice!"

  "No wonder you were never lonesome!" said Uncle Clem, who was very kindand loved everybody and everything.

  "No, I was never lonesome in the old trunk in the attic, but it is farmore pleasant to be out again and living here with all you nicefriends!" said Raggedy Andy.

  And all the dolls thought so too, for already they loved Raggedy Andy'shappy smile and knew he would prove to be as kindly and lovable asRaggedy Ann.

  Raggedy Andy and a mouse]

  Raggedy Andy in bed]

  Raggedy Andy throws a pillow]