Raggedy Ann Learns a Lesson

One this day the dolls were left to themselves. And when the front gate clicked they knew they were alone.

"Now let's have a good time!" cried the tin soldier. "Let's go in search of something to eat!" "Yes, let's go in search of something to eat!" cried all the other dollies. "You lead the way Raggedy Ann!" said the french dolly.

"Follow me!" she cried as her wobbly legs carried her across the floor at a lively pace. The other dollies followed, racing about the house until they came to the pantry door. But none of the dollies were tall enough to open it and, although they pushed and pulled with all their might, the door remained tightly closed. Finally Raggedy Ann drew away from the others and sat down. When the other dollies discovered Raggedy Ann sitting there they knew she was thinking. "There must be a way to get inside," said Raggedy Ann. "I can't seem to think clearly to-day, it feels as if my head were ripped."

At this the french doll ran to Raggedy Ann and took off her bonnett. "Yes, there is a rip in your head, Raggedy!" she said and pulled a pin from her skirt and pinned up Raggedy's head. "It's not a very neat job, for I got some puckers in it!" she said. "Oh that is ever so much better! Now I can think quite clearly, my thoughts must of leaked out the rip before!" said Raggedy Ann. "Now that I can think clearly I think the door must be locked and to get in we must unlock it."

"That will be easy!" said the dutch doll who says "Mamma" when he is tipped backwards and forward, "For we will have the brave tin soldier shoot the key out of the lock!"

"I can easily do that!" cried the tin soldier, as he rasied his gun.

"Oh , Raggedy Ann!" cried the french dolly. "Please do not let him shoot!"

"NO!" said Raggedy Ann. "We must think of a quieter way!"

Just then 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.

They swarmed upon the pantry shelves and in their eagerness spilled a pitcher of cream which ran all over the french doll's dress.

The indian found some cornbread and dipping it in the molasses he sat down for a good feast.

A jar of raspberry was overturned and the dollies ate of this until their faces were all purple.

The tin soldier fell from the shelf three times and bent one of his tin legs, but he scrambled right back up again.

They had eaten their fill when they heard the front gate click. They did not take the time to climb from the shelves, but all rolled and jumped off to the floor and scrambled back to their room as fast as they could run, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs and jam along the way.

Just as their mistress came into the room the dolls dropped in whatever position they happen to be in.

"This is funny!" cried Mistress "I wonder if Fido has been shaking them up!" Then she saw Raggedy Ann's face and picked her up."Why Raggedy Ann I do believe you are sticky! I do believe you are covered with jam!" "Yes! It's JAM! Shame on you, Raggedy Ann. You've been in the pantry and all the others, too!" And with this the doll's mistress dropped Raggedy Ann on the floor and left the room.

When she came back she had on a apron and her sleeves were rolled up. She picked up all the sticky dolls and put them into a basket, she carried them out under the apple tree in the garden.

There she had placed her little tub and wringer and she took the dolls one at a time, and scrubbed them with a scrubbing brush and soused them up and down and this way and that in the soap suds until they were clean.

Then she hung them all out on the clothes-line in the sunshine to dry.

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.

"No, it's still there!" said the tin soldier, as the wind twisted him around so he could see Raggedy Ann. "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 he fell to the grass below with a sawdusty bump and as he rolled over he said, "Mamma!" in a squeaky voice.

Late in the afternoon the back door opened and little mistress came out with a table and chairs. After setting the table she took all the dolls from the line and placed them about the table.

They had lemonade with grape jelly in it, which made a beautiful lavender color, and little"Baby-tenny-weeny-cookies" with powered sugar on them.

After this lovely dinner, the dollies were taken to the house, where they had their hair brushed and nice clean nighties put on.

Then they were placed in their beds and Mistress kissed each one good night and tiptoed from the room.

All the dolls layed still as a mouse for a few minutes, then Raggedy Ann raised up on her cotton stuffed elbows and said: "I have been thinking!"
"Sh!" said all the other dollies, "Raggedy has been thinking!"

"Yes!" said Raggedy Ann, "I have been thinking; our mistress gave us a nice dinner out under the tree to teach us a lesson. She wished us to know that we could have all the goodies we wished, whatever we wished, if we have 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 anythig which may cause those who love us any unhappiness!"

"Let us remember!" chimed all the dollies.

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.

Special thanks to the Project Gutenburg. C&G Design.