FOR YOUNG FOLK

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10512, 6 April 1927, Page 7

FOR YOUNG FOLK

TOPSY Ever since Rosemary had been one year old she had loved a black doll made for her by her mother out of an old pair of stockings. It was certainly not for her beauty that Rosemary loved her, because nobody could call her handsome. A black face, white linen buttons for eyes, and a. heavily-darned head—she would not have appealed to 4 very child. But.to Rosemary she was far more than a doll, and never a night passed but Topsy cam© to. bed with her. The first thing the- girl saw in the morning was her doll. Once a year Rosemary's mother used to; dress the black doll, but whe_ ther she was dressed in tartan or in muslin, Rosemary loved her just the same. Topsy certainly had an eventful life, and shared all the thrills of her mother’s experiences. She joined in all the dormitory “rags” at school, and she always went home for halfteam. When Rosemary reached the age of twenty-one, with Topsy but a year lier junior, they set sail for Kanya Colony. And here it was that Rosemary took unto herself an equally weird pet. A small lion cub named Loo was to share his mistress’ affections. He was as playful as a puppy, and he used to have great times chasing the other animals round the garden, but Topsy he always eyed suspiciously. Then one night. Leo fell from all virtue in the eyes of his mistress, and, try as he would, he was never quite able to regain her affection. Rosemary had gone to a dance, having first tucked Topsy in bed and left instructions with the native servant to lock up Leo. Some hours later she returned, and on going into her room immediately missed Topsy, and the bed certainly showed signs of a scrap. Instantly Rosemary guessed what had happened, and, rushing into the garden, she went in search of T.eo. But the cub was discreet enough to keep well out of his mistress’ way, for perhaps he had guessed that Topsy was still prime favourite. Not a little frightened, he crouched behind tne shrubs, watching his mistress look for him in vain. It was not until next morning that he was found, and then Rosemary’s temper had had time to cool. She had found poor Topsy. legless and badly damaged about the face. Nevertheless, Rosemary’s mother thought she cculd repair her. “To think,” sighed Rosemary, as much put about as a child, “that I should have cared for her for twenty years, and then that this should have happened 1” “I think,” replied her mother, “that it is rather an exciting thing to have happened to her, provided we can mend her and it certainly adds to her fife’s experiences to have been mauled by a lion.”