The Lonesomest Doll
Nichette, jumping up and down and clapping her hands over a fine teaset.
“Are they lovely?” said the Queen, “I never thought so before. I don’t know what to do with them. My subjects are always sending me expensive things which my guardians say are too nice to use. So they pack them off here to be kept safely. But we will use them now, Nichette, and you shall play with me.”
So they emptied out the gold-and-silver dishes that were so easily scratched. And they set up the play-house furniture of real rosewood that showed every thumb-mark and had always been handled by servants with gloves. And they arranged the best doll-house for Mignon to live in, and gave a tea party.
Oh, what fun it was! The lonesomest doll had never been so happy. And as for the Queen, she actually laughed out loud six times, which was something no one had ever heard her do. All this time she had not touched Mignon,—she seemed almost afraid to handle the doll, poor little Queen. But at last she said,
“Nichette, I think I will take Mignon for a