THE STORY OF A SAWDUST DOLL [Illustration: The Sawdust Doll Got Out of Dorothy’s Bed _Frontispiece--(Page 79)_] _MAKE BELIEVE STORIES_ (Trademark Registered) THE STORY OF A SAWDUST DOLL BY LAURA LEE HOPE AUTHOR OF “THE STORY OF A LAMB ON WHEELS,” “THE STORY OF A CALICO CLOWN,” “THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES,” “THE BUNNY BROWN SERIES,” “THE SIX LITTLE BUNKERS SERIES,” ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY L. SMITH NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. FUN IN TOY TOWN 1 II. JUST WAITING 15 III. THE LITTLE GIRL 27 IV. IN AN AUTOMOBILE 37 V. THE BIRTHDAY PARTY 49 VI. IN THE DOG HOUSE 62 VII. IN THE RAG-BAG 73 VIII. IN THE JUNK SHOP 87 IX. A HAPPY VISIT 97 X. “OH, DEAR ME!” 110 THE STORY OF A SAWDUST DOLL CHAPTER I FUN IN TOY TOWN Toy Town was not a little city off by itself on the shore of some winding river. Nor was Toy Town a place up near the North Pole, where Santa Claus has his workshops for making presents. The Toy Town I am going to tell you about was in a big store. To get to it you went up in an elevator, and, once you were there, you saw the most wonderful and beautiful things you ever dreamed of! There were all sorts of toys, drums that beat a rub-a-dub-dub all by themselves, funny clowns who banged tinkly brass things together when you pushed a spring near their neckties, and many other fascinating playthings. Toy Town was a wonderful place! One night, when the elevators had stopped sliding up and down, and when the doors of the big store were closed, and when the lights had been turned low, there was a rattling, a clattering, a rustling and bustling and a whispering and talking on the shelves and counters of Toy Town. “Has everybody gone?” asked a Sawdust Doll, as she sat stiffly up near a Bold Tin Soldier, whose sword shone faintly in the light of one little electric lamp. The Sawdust Doll was stiff because she had been lying on her back all day. “Yes, I think every one has gone,” answered a White Rocking Horse, as he moved slowly to and fro on the floor, just under the toy counter. He was too large to be put up on the shelf. Besides, he might accidentally have kicked a hole in the drum. Mind you! I’m not saying he would have done it on purpose, but he might have done it by accident. “I don’t see any one,” said the Bold Tin Soldier, and he waved his sword over his head. “Isn’t he just wonderful!” whispered the Candy Rabbit to the Calico Clown. “I wish I were as brave as he! If any one has stayed behind in Toy Town to try to watch what we do after store hours, I’m sure they’ll be glad enough to run away when they see the sword of the Tin Soldier.”