Johnny Gruelle

“ But Katrinka could see that Matilda did wish them.
"The presents were not for me, Katrinka!" she said.
"Oh yes they are!" Katrinka replied. "They were given to me and I give them to you! I have saved one half for myself! But you should have been to the party!" said Katrinka, "We had such a happy time!"
"I do not enjoy being with people!" Matilda scolded, "I wish to be left to myself!"
"Yes, but Matilda," her sister said, "you do not know the happiness in being kind and friendly to others!" ”

“ There Raggedy Ann lay; all sprawled out upon the hard floor, her rag arms and legs twisted in ungraceful attitudes.
"How good and honest she looks!" said Annabel. "It must be her shoe-button eyes!"
"How nicely her yarn hair falls in loops over her face!" exclaimed Thomas, "I did not notice how pleasant her face looked last night!"
"The others seem to love her ever and ever so much!" mused Annabel. "It must be because she is so kind."
Both new dolls were silent for a while, thinking deeply.
"How do you feel?" Thomas finally asked. ”

“ Even Raggedy Ann, with all her wisdom, did not really know how long Raggedy Andy and she had been rag dolls.
If Raggedy Ann had a pencil in her rag hand and Marcella guided it for her, Raggedy Ann could count up to ten—sometimes. But why should one worry one's rag head about one's age when all one's life has been one happy experience after another, with each day filled with love and sunshine? ”

“ That night when all the house was asleep, Raggedy Ann raised up in bed and said to the dolls who were still awake, "I am so happy I do not feel a bit sleepy. Do you know, I believe the water soaked me so thoroughly my candy heart must have melted and filled my whole body, and I do not feel the least bit angry with Fido for playing with me so roughly!"
So all the other dolls were happy, too, for happiness is very easy to catch when we love one another and are sweet all through. ”

“ The dolls took turns doing this, and heard the shell sing softly and very sweetly.
"How strange and far away it sounds!" exclaimed the French doll. "Like fairies singing in the distance! The shell must be singing the songs of the mermaids and the water-fairies!"
"It is queer that anything so rough on the outside could be so pretty within!" said Raggedy Andy. "It must be a great pleasure to be able to sing so sweetly!" ”

“ Now Sally Migrundy had always lived in her tiny cottage on the bank of the tinkling stream which ran through the whispering forest. She had lived there when the largest trees in the forest were tiny little sprouts. She had lived there long before that, and even still longer than that, and that, and that. Ever so much longer!
One day a man who lived on a hill many, many miles away from the whispering forest said to his wife: "Mother, wouldn't you like to know where the water that flows from our spring goes to?" And his wife replied: "It must travel until it reaches the ocean!" ”

“ When Fido and Mamma Cat had circled the barn two or three times Fido managed to find the hole and escape to the yard; then Mamma Cat came over to the basket and saw all the dolls.
"I'm s'prised at you, Mamma Cat!" said Raggedy Ann, "Fido has been watching your kittens for an hour while you were away. He wouldn't hurt them for anything!"
"I'm sorry, then," said Mamma Cat.
"You must trust Fido, Mamma Cat!" said Raggedy Ann, "because he loves you and anyone who loves you can be trusted!"
"That's so!" replied Mamma Cat. "Cats love mice, too, and I wish the mice trusted us more!" ”

“ Mamma Cricket called Papa and they both had a laugh when Johnny told how startled he had been at the old man with the white whiskers who filled the stockings in front of the fireplace. "Why, Johnny!" said Mamma and Papa Cricket. "Don't you know? That was Santa Claus. We have watched him every Christmas in the last four years fill the stockings, and he saw your little red topped boots and filled them with candy, too. If you will crawl through the crack into the fireplace you will see the children of the people who own this big house playing with all the presents that Santa Claus left them!" ”

“ When the children had passed out of sight, the dolls climbed down from the window.
"That was lots of fun!" said the French doll, as she smoothed her skirts and sat down beside Raggedy Andy.
"I believe Raggedy Andy must have a candy heart too, like Raggedy Ann!" said Uncle Clem.
"No!" Raggedy Andy answered, "I'm just stuffed with white cotton and I have no candy heart, but some day perhaps I shall have!"
"A candy heart is very nice!" Raggedy Ann said. (You know, she had one.) "But one can be just as nice and happy and full of sunshine without a candy heart." ”

“ Fido whined and cried because he could not get to the rabbit and bite him.
"You should be ashamed of yourself, Fido!" cried Raggedy Ann. "Just see how the poor bunny is trembling!"
"He should not come scratching around our house if he doesn't care to be chased!" said Fido.
"Why don't you stay out in the woods and fields where you really belong?" Raggedy Andy asked the rabbit.
"I came to leave some Easter eggs!" the bunny answered in a queer little quavery voice.
"An Easter bunny!" all the dolls cried, jumping about and clapping their hands. "An Easter bunny!" ”

“ When all was quiet that night, Raggedy Ann who was on the bottom of the pile of dolls spoke softly and asked the others if they would mind moving along the shelf.
"The cotton in my body is getting mashed as flat as a pancake!" said Raggedy Ann. And although the tin soldier was piled so that his foot was pressed into Raggedy's face, she still wore her customary smile. ”

“ So Timothy Toad hopped along the path until he met Gerty Gartersnake.
"Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing better to do!" said Timothy Toad.
"I will go down that way and see him!" said Gerty Gartersnake, and she started down the path.
So Timothy Toad hopped down the path until he met Wallie Woodpecker. "Willie Woodchuck is whittling because he has nothing better to do!" said Timothy Toad.
"I will fly down and see him!" said Wallie Woodpecker, and away he flew. Timothy Toad hopped on down the road until he met Billie Bumblebee. ”

“ Raggedy Andy and the two penny dolls ran after the wagon and, with the assistance of Uncle Clem and Raggedy Ann, climbed up in back.
When the wooden horse finally stopped the dolls all said, "This is the most fun we have had for a long time!"
The wooden horse, a thrill of happiness running through his wooden body, cried, "It is the most fun I have ever had!"
And the dolls, while they did not tell him so, knew that he had had the most fun because he had given them the most pleasure.
For, as you must surely know, they who are the most unselfish are the ones who gain the greatest joy ”

“ Cheep! Cheep!" they cried when Raggedy stepped out of the nest.
"Baby Chicks!" Raggedy cried, as she stooped and picked up one of the little puff-balls. "They want to be cuddled!"
The two old hens, their eyes shining with happiness, got upon the nests and spread out their soft warm feathers, "The other eggs will hatch soon!" said they.
So, for several days Raggedy helped the two hens hatch out the rest of the chickies and just as they finished, Marcella came inside looking around.
"How in the world did you get in here, Raggedy Ann?" she cried. "I have been looking all about for you! ”

“ Mamma Meadow-Lark replied, "and any time it rains you can come back to my nest and crawl beneath my wing and keep warm and dry. For you are tiny and do not take up much room!"
Thumbkins thanked Mamma Meadow-Lark again, and told her of his nice warm cozy little nest beneath the mushroom. "It is always nice and dry there," he said, "for the rain runs right off the mushroom and does not touch my little cobweb home!"
That night as he lay in his little thistle-down bed, Thumbkins heard it thundering. "I'm very glad that I haven't a home built right out upon the bare ground like the meadow-larks!" ”

“ Marcella watched the sewing while Grandma told how she had played with Raggedy Ann when she was a little girl.
"Now!" Grandma laughed, "Raggedy Ann, you have two fine shoe-button eyes and with them you can see the changes that have taken place in the world while you have been shut up so long in the attic! For, Raggedy Ann, you have a new playmate and mistress now, and I hope you both will have as much happiness together as you and I used to have!" ”

“ Aren't we?" he asked, turning to the rest of the dolls.
"Yes, indeed!" came the answer from all the dolls, even the tiny penny dolls.
"That is why the shell is so beautiful inside!" said Raggedy Ann. "Those who are unselfish may wear rough clothes, but inside they are always beautiful, just like the shell, and reflect to others the happiness and sunny music within their hearts!" ”

“ But the room did not fill with candy.
"That's another time the wish did not come true!" cried one child.
"They never come true!" cried the other child as the broken wishbone was tossed in the coal scuttle. "Wishbones are just ordinary bones and do not make wishes come true!" And the children ran outside to romp and play.
"How much better it is to be a useful object!" said the stove lifter.
"Yes indeed!" replied the match box. "And the more useful one is, usually, the less he brags about himself!"
TIM TIM TAMYTAM
"This looks like an excellent place, Tim Tim!" ”

“ As there was nothing else to do, Raggedy Ann waited for Marcella to return. And as she watched the little ants eating cookie crumbs Marcella had thrown to them, she heard all of a sudden the patter of puppy feet behind her. It was Fido.
The puppy dog ran up to Raggedy Ann and twisted his head about as he looked at her. Then he put his front feet out and barked in Raggedy Ann's face. Raggedy Ann tried to look very stern, but she could not hide the broad smile painted on her face.
"Oh, you want to play, do you?" the puppy dog barked, as he jumped at Raggedy Ann and then jumped back again. ”

“ So Raggedy Ann stayed at Daddy's studio for three or four days.
She was missed very, very much at home and Marcella really longed for her, but knew that Daddy was borrowing some of Raggedy Ann's sunshine, so she did not complain.
Raggedy Ann did not complain either, for in addition to the sunny, happy smile she always wore (it was painted on) , Raggedy Ann had a candy heart, and of course no one (not even a rag doll) ever complains if they have such happiness about them. ”

“ And Mamma and Daddy came out and saw Raggedy smiling at them, and Daddy got the clothes prop and climbed out of the attic window and poked Raggedy Ann out of the tree and she fell right into Marcella's arms where she was hugged in a tight embrace.
"You'll never go up on a kite again, Raggedy Ann!" said Marcella, "for I felt so lost without you. I will never let you leave me again." ”

“ When Tilly and Timothy Toad and Eddie Elf and Gerty Gartersnake and Wallie Woodpecker and Billie Bumblebee and Winnie Woodchuck arrived at Grumpy Grundy's place they heard merry laughter and whenever the laughter ceased, they heard the buzz and rattle and hum of Willie Woodchuck's rattle. ”

“ When Raggedy Andy came to the place where he expected to find the penny dolls lying, they were nowhere about.
"Perhaps you scooted them farther than you thought!" Uncle Clem said.
"Perhaps I did!" Raggedy Andy said, "We will look around the bend in the eave!"
"Oh dear!" he exclaimed when he had peeped around the corner of the roof, "the gutter ends here and there is nothing but a hole!"
"They must have scooted right into the hole," Henny, the Dutch doll said.
Raggedy Andy lay flat upon the shiny tin and looked down into the hole.
"Are you down there, penny dolls?" he called. ”

“ The three little gnomes felt very sorry for their wounded friends and helped them all they could by washing their wounds and tying them up. "We are sorry that we can not go with you and help find the little boy's home," they all said, "For his mother will miss him and cry for him. And we know how much a Mamma or a Daddy can miss a little boy or girl, for we have all grieved for our own little ones that the huntsmen who roam this forest have killed. That is why we feel sorry that we can not help you bring him back to his mother." ”

“ Annabel and Thomas whispered together, "Perhaps we have been too hasty in our judgment!" said Annabel-Lee. "This Raggedy Ann seems to be a favorite with the mistress and with all the dolls!"
"There must be a reason!" replied Thomas, "I am beginning to feel sorry that we spoke of her looks. One really cannot help one's looks after all." ”

“ When anyone puts his ear to me and listens, he hears the reflection of his own heart's music, singing; so, you see, while I say that I am singing all the time, in reality I sing only when someone full of happiness hears his own singing as if it were mine. ”

“ Tommy Grasshopper, Johnny Cricket and Willy Ladybug were playing on a high bank of the river, and watching the little fish jumping after tiny flies and bugs that fell upon the surface of the stream.
"Let's go up higher so that we can see them better," Willy Ladybug said.
"Yes, let's climb up on the tall reeds so that we can look right down in the water," Johnny Cricket said. "But we must be very careful and not fall, for the fish would soon swallow us, and that would not be very much fun!" he laughed. ”

“ THE TAFFY PULL
"I know how we can have a whole lot of fun!" Raggedy Andy said to the other dolls. "We'll have a taffy pull!"
"Do you mean crack the whip, Raggedy Andy?" asked the French doll.
"He means a tug of war, don't you, Raggedy Andy?" asked Henny. ”