Raggedy Andy Stories Read online

  DOCTOR RAGGEDY ANDY

  Raggedy Andy, Raggedy Ann, Uncle Clem and Henny were not given medicine.

  Because, you see, they had no mouths.

  That is, mouths through which medicine could be poured.

  Their mouths were either painted on, or were sewed on with yarn.

  Sometimes the medicine spoon would be touched to their faces but none ofthe liquid be given them. Except accidentally.

  But the French doll had a lovely mouth for taking medicine; it was openand showed her teeth in a dimpling smile.

  She also had soft brown eyes which opened and closed when she was tiltedbackward or forward.

  The medicine which was given the dolls had great curing properties.

  It would cure the most stubborn case of croup, measles, whooping coughor any other ailment the dolls had wished upon them by their littleMistress.

  Some days all the dolls would be put to bed with "measles" but in thecourse of half an hour they would have every other ailment in the Doctorbook.

  The dolls enjoyed it very much, for, you see, Marcella always tried themedicine first to see if it was strong enough before she gave any to thedolls.

  Bandaged up]

  So the dolls really did not get as much of the medicine as their littlemistress.

  The wonderful remedy was made from a very old recipe handed down fromancient times.

  This recipe is guaranteed to cure every ill a doll may have.

  The medicine was made from brown sugar and water. Perhaps you may haveused it for your dollies.

  The medicine was also used as "tea" and "soda water," except when thedolls were supposed to be ill.

  Having nothing but painted or yarn mouths, the ailments of Raggedy Andy,Raggedy Ann, Uncle Clem and Henny, the Dutch doll, mostly consisted ofsprained wrists, arms and legs, or perhaps a headache and a toothache.

  None of them knew they had the trouble until Marcella had wrapped up the"injured" rag arm, leg or head, and had explained in detail just whatwas the matter.

  Raggedy Andy, Raggedy Ann, Uncle Clem, or Henny were just as happy withtheir heads tied up for the toothache as they were without their headstied up.

  Not having teeth, naturally they could not have the toothache, and ifthey could furnish amusement for Marcella by having her pretend they hadthe toothache, then that made them very happy.

  So this day, the French doll was quite ill. She started out with the"croup," and went through the "measles," "whooping cough," and "yellowfever" in an hour.

  The attack came on quite suddenly.

  The French doll was sitting quietly in one of the little red chairs,smiling the prettiest of dimpling smiles at Raggedy Andy, and thinkingof the romp the dolls would have that night after the house grew quiet,when Marcella discovered that the French doll had the "croup" and puther to bed.

  The French doll closed her eyes when put to bed, but the rest of herface did not change expression. She still wore her happy smile.

  Marcella caring for the sick]

  Marcella mixed the medicine very "strong" and poured it into the Frenchdoll's open mouth.

  She was given a "dose" every minute or so.

  It was during the "yellow fever" stage that Marcella was called tosupper and left the dolls in the nursery alone.

  Marcella did not play with them again that evening; so the dolls allremained in the same position until Marcella and the rest of the folkswent to bed.

  Then Raggedy Andy jumped from his chair and wound up the little musicbox. "Let's start with a lively dance!" he cried.

  When the music started tinkling he caught the French doll's hand, anddanced 'way across the nursery floor before he discovered that her softbrown eyes remained closed as they were when she lay upon the "sick"bed.

  All the dolls gathered around Raggedy Andy and the French doll.

  "I can't open my eyes!" she said.

  Raggedy Andy tried to open the French doll's eyes with his soft raghands, but it was no use.

  They shook her. This sometimes has the desired effect when dolls do notopen their eyes.

  They shook her again and again. It was no use, her eyes remained closed.

  "It must be the sticky, sugary 'medicine'!" said Uncle Clem.

  "I really believe it must be!" the French doll replied. "The 'medicine'seemed to settle in the back of my head when I was lying down, and I canstill feel it back there!"

  "That must be it, and now it has hardened and keeps your pretty eyesfrom working!" said Raggedy Ann. "What shall we do?"

  Raggedy Andy and Raggedy Ann walked over to a corner of the nursery andthought and thought. They pulled their foreheads down into wrinkles withtheir hands, so that they might think harder.

  Raggedy Andy winds the music box]

  Finally Raggedy Ann cried, "I've thought of a plan!" and went skippingfrom the corner out to where the other dolls sat about the French doll.

  "We must stand her upon her head, then the 'medicine' will run up intoher hair, for there is a hole in the top of her head. I remember seeingit when her hair came off one time!"

  "No sooner said than done!" cried Uncle Clem, as he took the French dollby the waist and stood her upon her head.

  "That should be long enough!" Raggedy Ann said, when Uncle Clem had heldthe French doll in this position for five minutes.

  But when the French doll was again placed upon her feet her eyes stillremained tightly closed.

  All this time, Raggedy Andy had remained in the corner, thinking as hardas his rag head would think.

  He thought and thought, until the yarn hair upon his head stood up inthe air and wiggled.

  "If the 'medicine' did not run up into her hair when she stood upon herhead," thought Raggedy Andy, "then it is because the 'medicine' couldnot run; so, if the medicine can not run, it is because it is too stickyand thick to run out the hole in the top of her head." He also thought alot more.

  At last he turned to the others and said out loud, "I can't seem tothink of a single way to help her open her eyes unless we take off herhair and wash the medicine from inside her china head."

  "Why didn't I think of that?" Raggedy Ann asked. "That is just the waywe shall have to do!"

  So Raggedy Ann caught hold of the French doll's feet, and Raggedy Andycaught hold of the French doll's lively curls, and they pulled and theypulled.

  Then the other dolls caught hold of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy andpulled and pulled, until finally, with a sharp "R-R-Rip!" the Frenchdoll's hair came off, and the dolls who were pulling went tumbling overbackwards.

  Shaking the French doll upside down]

  Hole in her head]

  Laughingly they scrambled to their feet and sat the French doll up, sothey might look into the hole in the top of her head.

  Yes, the sticky "medicine" had grown hard and would not let the Frenchdoll's eyes open.

  Raggedy Andy put his hand inside and pushed on the eyes so that theyopened.

  This was all right, only now the eyes would not close when the Frenchdoll lay down. She tried it.

  So Raggedy Andy ran down into the kitchen and brought up a small tin cupfull of warm water and a tiny rag.

  With these he loosened the sticky "medicine" and washed the inside ofthe French doll's head nice and clean.

  There were lots of cooky and cracker crumbs inside her head, too.

  Raggedy Andy washed it all nice and clean, and then wet the glue whichmade the pretty curls stay on.

  So when her hair was placed upon her head again, the French doll was asgood as new.

  "Thank you all very much!" she said, as she tilted backwards andforwards, and found that her eyes worked very easily.

  Raggedy Andy again wound up the little music box and, catching theFrench doll about the waist, started a rollicking dance which lasteduntil the roosters in the neighborhood began their morning crowing.

  Then, knowing the folks might soon be astir, the dolls left off theirplaying, and all took the same positions they had been in when Ma
rcellaleft them the night before.

  And so Marcella found them.

  The French doll was in bed with her eyes closed, and her happy dimplingsmile lighting up her pretty face.

  And to this day, the dollies' little mistress does not know that RaggedyAndy was the doctor who cured the French doll of her only ill.

  Raggedy Andy dancing with the French doll]

  Dickie and Raggedy Andy]

  Where is Raggedy Andy's smile?]