The Story of Live Dolls

"Look, what's coming!" and with a shout of delight the children of Cloverdale village left their play and rushed into the street.

What do you think they saw?

A tiny gilded coach drawn by two beautiful white kittens, with reins of blue ribbons covered with silver bells, and through the coach window the face of a wonderful doll. On her head was a jaunty sailor hat, from under which yellow curls danced in the wind as she nodded and smiled at the children on either side.

Children reading bills
From time to time she tossed out a handful of bills, which flew about like little white birds and then fluttered to the ground, where they were eagerly caught up by the fast gathering crowd of children, filled with wonder at the amazing sight. They made a[3] brave effort to keep up with the coach; but the driver cracked his whip, the kittens started at a mad pace down the hill, and with one last nod and smile from the doll in the window, the coach disappeared in a cloud of dust. The children watched it out of sight, then turned to go back.

But what were these bills which, in the excitement, they had forgotten and were still[4] clutching in their hot and dirty hands? Again and again they read these startling words, which stared them in the face...