There she saw a most piteous sight. It was filled with dolls of all sizes, and in such a condition! Arms and legs were off, wigs were missing, and some dolls lay with their poor sightless eyes staring up at her, in such a pathetic manner, that Janie could hardly keep back the tears. One poor little thing lay apart from the others and was dripping wet. Her companions sobbed aloud as they told in low tones of how she was fished out of a water barrel, stone dead. Not even the Queen could bring her to life.
Each had some trouble. Some told of how their mammas had lost their arms and legs, and how their wigs had been off for weeks. Some were sadly neglected, many being wrapped in small bed-quilts and soiled blankets, as they hadn’t a stitch to put on. They told Janie that the Queen had appeared that morning, had gathered them up from their different homes, and was going to take them to a dolls’ hospital. She was telephoning now to make preparations for their arrival.
The Queen soon appeared, and their piteous wailing ceased as she hovered over them, soothing this one and that, placing some in more comfortable positions, wiping away tears which were rolling down the cheeks of little handless dolls, and telling them all to cheer up, that they would soon be made as good as new, except the poor dead one, which they would lay away tenderly in some quiet spot and cover with pretty flowers. The Queen invited Janie’s doll to go with them, and as they slowly departed, Janie looked so wistfully after them that she called to her to jump onto her wheel and follow. Janie ran in to ask mamma, and was soon spinning along after them.
By and by they turned into a country road and down a long lane, at the end of which she saw a high wall. The Queen told them that it enclosed a number of acres of land, and that the place was called the “Doll Farm.”
They all alighted before a great gate and the Queen blew a wee silver bugle that hung by a silver chain from her belt. The gate swung open, and when they had all entered it closed immediately after them. The Queen led them up a path towards a building bearing the sign “The Dolls’ Hospital.” Janie was too much astonished at the sight that met her eyes to follow. All she could see was an orchard of low trees, whose branches hung full of doll clothes, swaying in the cool morning air. There were tiny under-garments, and dresses of all colors. She reached out to examine a particularly pretty one, and to see just how it was made, when a voice startled her.
“Don’t touch that. It isn’t ripe yet.”
“Ripe!” said Janie. “Is it growing?”
“Why, of course. Now see. The button holes aren’t begun yet, and the buttons aren’t near tight enough. It will be about two weeks before that frock can be picked. Now here is one I can pick to-morrow,” and he explained to Janie just how he could tell when it was ready to be removed from the tree.
Then the gardener, for it was he, showed her the trees full of under-garments and dear little petticoats, the bushes of different colored stockings, with shoes and slippers to match, and last of all, a tree of hats. They were the sweetest things, of many different shapes, and from the end of each branch hung bright ribbons of all colors. Near by grew all sorts of flowers.