Which was doubtless foolish, yet when one is separated by an ocean and a
war from one's own, it is perhaps easier to be foolish for a child's
face and a child's voice, and love sent across the sea. So Evelyn Bruce
wrote a letter to her cousin in England saying that she could not come
to her till after Christmas. Then she went out into Paris and ordered
the doll, and reveled in the ordering, for a very gorgeous person indeed
it was, and worthy to journey from Paris to a little American. It was to
be ready in just two weeks, and Miss Bruce was to come in and look over
the fine lady and her equipment as often as desired, before she started
on her ocean voyage.
"It would simply break my heart if she were torpedoed."
Evelyn confided that, childlike, to the black-browed, stout Frenchwoman
who took a personal interest in every "buton," and then she opened her
bag and brought out Robina's photograph, standing, in a ruffled bonnet,
her solemn West Highland White terrier dog in her arms, on the garden
path of "Graystones" between tall foxgloves. And the Frenchwoman tossed
up enraptured hands at the beauty of the little girl who was to get the
doll, and did not miss the great, splendid house in the background, or
the fact that the dog was of a "_chic_" variety.
The two weeks fled, every day full of the breathless life--and death--of
a hospital in war-torn France. Every day the girl saw sights and heard
sounds which it seemed difficult to see and hear and go on living, but
she moved serene through such an environment, because she could help.
Every day she gave all that was in her to the suffering boys who were
carried, in a never-ending stream of stretchers, into the hospital. And
the strength she gave flowed back to her endlessly from, she could not
but believe it, the underlying source of all strength, which stretches
beneath and about us all, and from which those who give greatly know how
to draw.
Two or three times, during the two weeks, Evelyn had gone in to inspect
the progress of Robina's doll, and spent a happy and light-hearted
quarter of an hour with friendly Madame of the shop, deciding the color
of the lady's party coat, and of the ribbons in her minute underclothes,
and packing and repacking the trunk with enchanting fairy
foolishnesses. Again and again she smiled to herself, in bed at night,
going about her work in the long days, as she thought of the little
girl's rapture over the many and carefully planned details. For, with
all the presents showered on her, Robina's aunt knew that Robina had
never had anything as perfect as this exquisite Paris doll and her
trousseau.
The day came on which Evelyn was to make her final visit to "La
Marquise," as Madame called the doll, and the nurse was needed in the
hospital and could not go. But she telephoned Madame and made an
appointment for tomorrow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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