"'Oh, sir,' the little doll replied, 'you're surely more than kind, But look at me and you will see that I, alas, am blind; And thus all day I keep away, nor venture near the throng, For not a friend a hand will lend to guide my feet along.' "'The Baboon picked the blind doll up and stared with all his might. 'Pray, tell me Dolly,' he inquired, 'how did you lose your sight?' 'Alas, kind sir, my sightless eyes, I strained them in a fog, A-looking for a Christmas gift from Mother Hubbard's dog.' "'Then up spoke Simple Simon, and with utterance unkind He cried, 'This doll who falsifies is lazy and not blind. I'll prove my words,' but ere he could, to everyone's surprise, The Baboon pulled his anchor up and sailed off through the skies. "'Poor Simple Simon, he was right. This doll is only blind When lying flat upon its back, or partly so inclined; But if you make it sit up straight, you'll find his words are true, For then the sleepy-headed Doll can see as well as you.' "Little Arthur walked over to the doll and lifted it into a sitting position. It opened its eyes at once and looked squarely into his own. Uttering a word of surprise to his poet friend, they walked away from the blind doll together and passed down the street. "When they had nearly crossed the square, the Poet Doll bade him 'Good day' and entered a house on the corner which Arthur concluded to be the Poet's home. He found himself standing near a curious, round-faced boy-doll, who was looking on the gathering in silence. His head was so close shaven that he was almost bald, except for a long queue extending far down his back like a pig-tail, while his little black almond-shaped eyes sat well aslant on his head. "Arthur thought he would speak first; and, turning to the little fellow, he said: "'Excuse me, my little man, this is a most lovely village. Do you live here?' "There was a moment's pause and a look of bashfulness upon the boy-doll's face, as, with a courteous bow and the politeness of a prince, it said in reply: "'I humbly beg your honorable pardon, sir, but, as my education in foreign languages was sadly neglected, I most heartily deplore the deficiency and am quite sorry to inform you that I do not speak your honorable language as I understand nothing but Chinese.' "Arthur, seeing his mistake, retired with a most polite bow and went over to another little doll that spoke English. "'Come,' exclaimed this new found acquaintance in a quite familiar manner, 'let us play a game of hide and seek. I know a dandy place to hide.' "'All right, sir,' said Arthur, joyfully; 'but first let me tell my sister about it for she dearly loves to play.' "And the two walked hand in hand to where Maud stood surrounded by a multitude of little dolls. "As Arthur watched and listened, waiting to get an audience with his sister, he overheard one little doll say to her: "'When did you come here?'