Johnny Gruelle

“ 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!" ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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!" ”

“ Mama, Daddy and a strange man were talking in the living room and Daddy introduced Marcella to the stranger.
The stranger was a large man with kindly eyes and a cheery smile, as pleasant as Raggedy Ann's.
He took Marcella upon his knee and ran his fingers through her curls as he talked to Daddy and Mamma, so, of course, Raggedy Ann liked him from the beginning. "I have two little girls," he told Marcella. "Their names are Virginia and Doris, and one time when we were at the sea-shore they were playing in the sand and they covered up Freddy, Doris' boy-doll in the sand. ”

“ 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 Marcella watched Raggedy Ann rise high above the field, she wondered how much Raggedy Ann enjoyed it, and wished that she, too, might have gone along. But after the kite had been up in the air for five or ten minutes, Marcella grew restless. Kites were rather tiresome. There was more fun in tea parties out under the apple tree.
"Will you please pull down the kite now?" she asked the boy with the twine. "I want Raggedy Ann."
"Let her ride up there!" the boy replied. "We'll bring her home when we pull down the kite! We're going to get another ball of twine and let her go higher!" ”

“ She wished us to know that we could have had all the goodies we wished, whenever we wished, if we had behaved ourselves. And our lesson was that we must never take without asking what we could always have for the asking! So let us all remember and try never again to do anything which might cause those who love us any unhappiness!"
"Let us all remember," chimed all the other dollies.
[Pg 16] [Pg 17]
And Raggedy Ann, with a merry twinkle in her shoe-button eyes, lay back in her little bed, her cotton head filled with thoughts of love and happiness. ”

“ The Dutch doll rolled off the doll sofa and said "Mamma" in his quavery voice, he was so surprised at hearing anyone speak so of beloved Raggedy Ann—dear Raggedy Ann, she of the candy heart, whom all the dolls loved.
Uncle Clem was also very much surprised and offended. He walked up in front of the two new dolls and looked them sternly in the eyes, but he could think of nothing to say so he pulled at his yarn mustache. [Pg 55]
Marcella had only received the two new dolls that morning. ”

“ Why don't you go out in the barn and live where you will not destroy anything of value?"
"I did not know!" squeaked the little mouse, "This is the first time I have ever been here!"
"Aren't you the little mouse who nibbled Jeanette's wax face?" Raggedy Ann asked. [Pg 86]
"No!" the little mouse answered. "I was visiting the mice inside the walls and wandered out here to pick up cake crumbs! I have three little baby mice at home down in the barn. I have never nibbled at anyone's wax face!"
"Are you a Mamma mouse?" Uncle Clem asked. ”

“ We are all happy here together and share in each others' adventures and happiness."
Now, that night Marcella did not undress the two new dolls, for she had no nighties for them, so she let them sit up in the two little red doll chairs so they would not muss their clothes. "I will make nighties for you tomorrow!" she said as she kissed them good night. Then she went over and gave Raggedy Ann a good night hug. "Take good care of all my children, Raggedy!" ”

“ Thomas was dressed in an Oliver Twist suit of dark velvet with a lace collar. Both he and Annabel wore lovely black slippers and short stockings.
They were sitting upon two of the little red doll chairs where Marcella had placed them and where they could see the other dolls.
When Uncle Clem walked in front of them and pulled his mustache they laughed outright. "Tee-Hee-Hee!" they snickered, "He has holes in his knees!"
Quite true. Uncle Clem was made of worsted and the moths had eaten his knees and part of his kiltie. ”

“ There the dolls hung all day, swinging and twisting about as the breeze swayed the clothes-line.
"I do believe she scrubbed my face so hard she wore off my smile!" said Raggedy Ann, after an hour of silence.
[Pg 15] "No, it is still there!" said the tin solder, as the wind twisted him around so he could see Raggedy. "But I do believe my arms will never work without squeaking, they feel so rusted," he added.
Just then the wind twisted the little Dutch doll and loosened his clothes-pin, so that he fell to the grass below with a sawdusty bump and as he rolled over he said, "Mamma!" ”

“ After thinking quite hard for a moment, Raggedy Ann jumped up and said: "I have it!" And she caught up the Jumping Jack and held him up to the door; then Jack slid up his stick and unlocked the door. [Pg 12]
Then the dollies all pushed and the door swung open.
My! Such a scramble! The dolls piled over one another in their desire to be the first at the goodies.
They swarmed upon the pantry shelves and in their eagerness spilled a pitcher of cream which ran all over the French dolly's dress. ”

“ At this all the dolls laughed, for Uncle Clem could not begin to play any tune. Raggedy Ann was the only doll who [Pg 63] had ever taken lessons, and she could play Peter-Peter-Pumpkin-Eater with one hand.
In fact, Marcella had almost worn out Raggedy Ann's right hand teaching it to her.
"Play something lively!" said the French doll, as she giggled behind her hand, so Uncle Clem began hammering the eight keys on the toy piano with all his might until a noise was heard upon the stairs. ”

“ He had a kiltie, you see, for Uncle Clem was a Scotch doll.
Uncle Clem shook, but he felt so hurt he could think of nothing to say.
He walked over and sat down beside Raggedy Ann and brushed her yarn hair away from her shoe-button eye.
The tin soldier went over and sat beside them.
"Don't you mind what they say, Raggedy!" he said, "They do not know you as we do!"
"We don't care to know her!" said Annabel-Lee as she primped her dress, "She looks like a scarecrow!"
"And the Soldier must have been made with a can opener!" laughed Thomas. [Pg 56]
[Pg 57]
"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" ”

“ So when Raggedy Ann had been returned to the nursery the dolls could hardly wait until Marcella had put on their nighties and left them for the night.
Then they told Raggedy Ann all about the kittens.
Raggedy Ann jumped from her bed and ran over to Fido's basket; he wasn't there.
Then Raggedy suggested that all the dolls go out to the barn and see the kittens. This they did easily, for the window was open and it was but a short jump to the ground. ”

“ Raggedy asked.
"Neither one of us has kept track of the time," said one hen. "So we do not know! You see, we never leave the nests only just once in a while to get a drink and to eat a little. [Pg 80] So we can hardly tell when it is day and when it is night." ”

“ And she took from the bag ten or fifteen little candy hearts with mottos on them and she hunted through the candy hearts until she found a beautiful [Pg 46] [Pg 47] red one which she sewed up in me with the cotton! So that is the secret, and that is why I am so happy! Feel here," said Raggedy Ann. All the dolls could feel Raggedy Ann's beautiful new candy heart and they were very happy for her.
After all had hugged each other good night and had cuddled up for the night, the tin soldier asked, "Did you have a chance to see what the motto on your new candy heart was, Raggedy Ann?" ”

“ Now Dinah did not know but that Marcella had placed Raggedy in the clothes hamper to be washed, so she soaped Raggedy well and scrubbed her up and down over the rough wash-board.
Two buttons from the back of Raggedy's dress came off [Pg 20] [Pg 21] and one of Raggedy Ann's shoe-button eyes was loosened as Dinah gave her face a final scrub.
Then Dinah put Raggedy Ann's feet in the wringer and turned the crank. It was hard work getting Raggedy through the wringer, but Dinah was very strong. And of course it happened! Raggedy Ann came through as flat as a pancake. ”

“ I didn't mean to do it!" said the young fellow, "What had I better do with her?"
"Better put her back on the shelf!" replied the other.
So Raggedy was placed back upon the shelf and the paint ran from her head and trickled down upon her dress. ”

“ At the hole in the fence the Indian doll picked up the trail of the two dogs, and the dolls, stringing out behind, followed him until they came to Peterkins' house. Peterkins was surprised to see the strange little figures in white nighties come stringing up the path to the dog house. [Pg 34]
[Pg 35]
Peterkins was too large to sleep in the nursery, so he had a nice cozy dog-house under the grape arbor. ”