The doll had a china head, with smooth red cheeks and red mouth. Her eyes were black and her china hair was black and waved. Her wee hands were china, and her feet were tiny china feet in black china shoes.

'Oh!' Laura said. 'Oh, what a beautiful doll! Oh, Nellie, what is her name?'

'She's nothing but an old doll,' Nellie said. 'I don't care about this old doll. You wait till you see my wax doll.'

She threw the china doll in a drawer, and she took out a long box. She put the box on the bed and took off its lid. All the girls leaned around her to look.

There lay a doll that seemed to be alive. Real golden hair lay in soft curls on her little pillow. Her lips were parted, showing two tiny white teeth. Her eyes were closed. The doll was sleeping there in the box.

Nellie lifted her up, and her eyes opened wide. They were big blue eyes. She seemed to laugh. Her arms stretched out and she said, 'Mamma!'

'She does that when I squeeze her stomach,' Nellie said. 'Look!' She punched the doll's stomach hard with her fist, and the poor doll cried out, 'Mamma!'

-from On the Banks of Plum Creek

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