BETA

Illustration extends above, to the left, and below the poem text. The beginning of the title, “A SAD CASE”, is illustrated to look like wooden letters on a shelf; some of the letters are leaning at different angles. The rest of the title, “BY AN OLD DOLL”, is hand-drawn below. There is a curved, asymmetrical line below the title. To the left of the title is a girl holding a doll. Below the girl, and in the bottom-left corner of the page, are two more dolls and a toy elephant. One doll is leaning against the toy elephant, while the other doll is laid on the floor with its arms outstretched to either side. 1/2 page.

A Sad Case

by an Old Doll

On a shelf in this cupboard, shut up with my
woes,1
I mourn the bright days that are gone.2
What do these children care about old ‛ Timber
Toes ’ ?3
(As I’m called by that rascal, young John.)4
To the best of the bunch, even, kind little Poll,5
What am I?—just grandmamma’s old wooden
doll !6
To look at me now you would never suppose7
The beauty I was long ago :8
Curls—floss silk !  Cheeks—blush roses ! Eyes—
blackberries ! sloes !9
It would puzzle some poets, I know,10
To describe me, so doll-like, so stately my style !11
So bright was my stare ! so attractive my smile !12
My clothes were to match. What ‛ spencers ’ ! what
shoes !13
What bonnets, capes, muffs I recall !14
There was one pea-green satin—I’d several blues,15
And a pink—what’s become of them all ?16
My red leather trunk even, (hardest of blows !)17
Isn’t mine any more, it holds other dolls’ clothes !18
But now for my grievances—though I must say19
I’m not one to tell tales out of school.20
Boys are boys, girls are girls, dolls are dolls, play is play ;21
Still for once I must break through my rule.22
Jokes are jokes—but a doll, I think, really must speak,23
Who’s been buried, marooned, hanged and drowned in one week !24
A boy with a knife in one hand and an axe in the other hand. Two girls are huddled in blankets in the corner of a fence. There is a bush behind the girls and a doll leaning against a shovel to the girls’ right. The boy is moving towards the doll with the knife held out in front of him and the axe held up above his head. There is a toy drum beside the girls. 1/2 page.
It’s John who invents all these horrible games,25
The girls play whatever he likes—26
Bandits, cannibals, castaways, prairies in flames,27
Hangings, funerals, shipwrecks, and ‛ strikes ’ ;28
Red Indians (I’ll pause, for my anger is hot !) ,29
This game, to my mind, is the worst of the lot !30
John had on his war-paint once, more than a week,31
Squaws and moccasins ! That was a time !32
(Of all I went through at some length I would speak33
But a tale’s sadly hampered by rhyme.)34
Scalped, tomahawked, roasted—with pride I recall35
How I smiled unconcerned as a Brave through it all !36
A boy and a girl are standing and looking at each other. The boy is holding a sword behind his back. The girl is holding a doll’s head in one hand and a doll’s headless body in the other hand. There is a dog with a muzzle behind the boy. 1/2 page partially contained by an asymmetrical curved border.
Yes, yes ! dolls were dolls in my time ! We were tough !37
I’m not vain, but I really must say38
I’ve no words to express my contempt for the stuff39
Dolls of fashion are made of to-day.40
Flimsy things !  One good blow—there, you have ’em in cracks !41
No, no ! wood for me, if you please, before wax !42
But I’ve borne quite enough—my temper’s not mild.43
Dolls of spirit like me are too few.44
Revenged I will be on that hobgoblin child ;45
The question is—what shall I do ?46
(The doll meditates deeply for ten minutes.)47
I’ve got it !  Ha, ha !  I’m as heavy as lead ;48
Next time John’s in this cupboard I’ll fall on his head !49
C. I. M. Bain.
A boy sitting in a corner. He is grabbing his disheveled hair with both hands. A doll is on the floor beside him; the doll’s head is turned so that it appears to be looking at the boy. 1/4 page.