China Doll's Head

When I was seven or eight one of our farmer neighbors plowed up this small china doll's head. Lots of things turn up on spring plowing, rocks, grubs, arrowheads, and an occasional treasure like this. Most of her dark hair is rubbed off, and of course her head broke off at the neck. I've often thought she looks serene for having been decapitated. I wonder what little girl missed her dolly? I kept her in my jewelry box for years, then stashed her in a carton of momentos and old letters. Then I forgot about her until I was digging around in the closet last week, and she popped up once more. I wanted to paint her, so I photographed the little head on my dresser and was startled to see how the edge of the embroidered dresser scarf looks like a bit of ruffled blouse.

The Lost Doll
by Charles Kingsley


I once had a sweet little doll, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world;
Her cheeks were so red and white, dears,
And her hair was so charmingly curled.
But I lost my poor little doll, dears,
As I played on the heath one day;
And I cried for her more than a week, dears,
But I never could find where she lay.


I found my poor little doll, dears,
As I played on the heath one day;
Folks say she is terribly changed, dears,
For her paint is all washed away,
And her arms trodden off by the cows, dears,
And her hair not the least bit curled;
Yet for old sake's sake, she is still, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world.