Hello and welcome to Homeschool Story Time: Week 18.
Nobody likes Dilly.
But, in today’s story, Dilly does something courageous and noble.
What is it that she does and how does it affect her relationship with other children in the neighborhood?
Read on to find out.
Dilly and Her Double-Faced Dolly
Author unknown
“I think you ought to invite Dilly to your party, Mildred,” said Mrs. Fuller. “She lives so near us, and you’ve invited every other little girl on the street.”
“Why,” said Mildred, “she’d be sure to bring that dreadful doll that she loves so much. Some of the girls wouldn’t come if she were invited. You said, mamma, I might ask just whom I pleased.”
Mrs. Fuller said nothing more, and the dainty notes of invitation flew here and there, but none stopped at Dilly’s door. Dilly hardly expected an invitation, but there were some bitter tears which fell down on Arabella’s face.
Arabella was the name of one side of her doll. The doll was a crooked-neck squash with a stick for its body. It had two faces—one on each side of its head, and ink lines drawn round some of the yellow warts, made very prominent features.
This doll was the comfort of Dilly’s life. The yellow noses were worn quite flat with her kisses, and she never had a trouble which was not poured into the two sympathizing ears, owned in common by Arabella and Angelina.
The afternoon of the party came, and Dilly, with her doll, watched the happy little folks gather on the lawn in front of Mildred’s home. She soon became interested in their play, and quite forgot that she was not one of them, in her excitement over a game of hide-and-seek. Presently Mrs. Fuller called them for some pleasant surprise, and they all ran in, leaving their dolls leaning against the piazza.
There was nothing more to see. Dilly was gathering up her doll, when something made her spring up and cry out.
Rover, Johnny Cooper’s dog, shot past her, barking loudly, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
Rover was the terror of every little girl in the neighborhood. Johnny sometimes teased his sisters by sending Rover after their dolls. Rover liked the sport, and came to think that dolls were his natural prey. Next to a big bone, there was nothing that delighted him so much as to shake a doll to pieces. He had seen the long row of dainty little figures, and was dashing towards them. Dilly ran after him, threatening and coaxing, but he did not notice her. Then she waved her turkey-red handkerchief, and screamed as loudly as she could, to attract someone’s attention. But no one came.
Dilly thought of just one thing she could do. A last kiss on Arabella’s face, and then—”Rover!”
The cry sounded so sharp and strange that Rover turned his head. S-w-i-s-h! Right down at his side there swooped such a queer-looking doll as Rover, with all his varied experience, had never seen. He made a dash for it.
Dilly darted past him, and, gathering up the dolls, laid them in the hall, and shut the door. Her apron was over her face when she went down the walk, but a strange, crunching sound told her what had happened to her doll.
Mildred found Dilly at home a few minutes later, folding away a little, ragged doll’s cap, and drenching it with tears.
Mildred put her arms around Dilly’s neck. “Oh, Dilly,” she said, “it was so beautiful of you! Aunt Lou saw it all from the window. I’m so ‘shamed to think how I’ve treated you. Do you think you could forgive me? If you could I’d love you all my life.”
Dilly forgave her, and, all in her ragged dress, went home with Mildred. Every little girl kissed her, and she stopped to tea.
Not long after, a beautiful doll came to Dilly. It was Mildred’s gift, and all the little girls who were at the party helped to dress it.
Dilly loves it dearly, and though it will never take the place of the dear, double-faced doll, she is very happy, for Mildred is her loyal friend.
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Many blessings,
