The Dolls House

I've noticed that collectors of doll houses seem to have a fascination with any items relating to doll houses....especially books....and especially vintage books! Here's a little 6" tall shaped book I found on eBay last year. No author, but it was published by Valentine and Sons, Ltd, Dundee, London, and  Montreal....no publishing date...but it has been inscribed inside with the name Ellene Reynolds, Christmas 1916.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

The Dolls House

Mr. and Mrs. Dollilkin Wood,

In search of a house they went,--

Everywhere that they possibly could: 

And a lot of time they spent,

Going about by tram and 'bus;

For they said, "What shall we do?

The house we've got is to old for us,

We must have one that is new!"

                            

Their present house
      was a trifle gloomy,

The rooms were dark and small;

They said, "What we need
      is one more roomy,

And one that will hold us all!"

For they had children, so very many,

Merry and noisy and fat, --

I tell you, it cost a pretty penny

To feed such a tribe as that!

Mr. and Mrs. Dollikin Wood

Viewed houses by the score,--

And none of the houses were any good,

And they had to go finding more.

Some were too cheap,
     and some too dear,

And some betwixt - and - between,

Had got the railway much too near,--

Because of the noise, I mean.

At last they said, "Without a doubt,

We have tried the town all round,

We will go in the country,
     a long way out,

And see what there is to be found.

For down in the country
     it's not so busy;

The houses are prettier, too:

My dear, I'm getting perfectly dizzy,

With up-and-down-stairs,
     --aren't you?"

So they took a cab
     to the nearest station,

And got in a train, --express,--

Full of the happiest expectation, --

Six children, more or less,

They also took.  And why was that?

I suppose, to help them choose;

Each of them in its nicest hat,

And each in its Sunday shoes.

They had only searched
     a very short while,

Just forty minutes indeed,

When Mister Wood observed
     with a smile,

"I think we shall now succeed!"

There was the house--
     from floor to ceiling

Just what they wanted quite--

And you can imagine
     their joyful feeling

At finding each room all right.

This perfect house
     had a garden green,
Which was full of fruit and flowers--
The prettiest place
     that ever was seen,
Where one might wander for hours.
There were tennis-lawns,
There were arbours and swings,
Which of course the children tried--
Currants,
     and other delightful things,
And a host of trees beside.

Mr. Wood immediately went,
The house's owner to see
And paid him at once a quarter's rent,
"We'll enter to-morrow!" said he.
The owner's name was Mr. Golly:
He took his books from the shelf,
And said, "You will find
     the house very jolly,
--I lived in it once myself!"

Mrs. Wood, she measured the floors,
And took the length of the stair.
That afternoon she went to the Stores,
And bought new carpets there.
She said, "Our carpets are so soiled,--
And I know the reason of that,--
The children all are much too spoiled
To wipe their boots on the mat!"

The very next day, and that's a fact,
Before it was time for lunch,
The furniture all was neatly packed,
And the Woods
     were as pleased as Punch.
Every one got in the furniture-van,
Nurse and children and all,
And said to the man,
"Drive as quick as you can,
Down to Buttercup Hall!"

This was Wednesday. Now listen.
By Friday,
     the Dollikins were able to say,
"We are now completely tidy,
From garden-gate to stable!"
And they had
     a splendid house-warming party--
With all the fun of the fair,
And wasn't their welcome
     blithe and hearty,--
I know--because I was there!