CHAPTER IX.
DELLA AND THE DOLLS.
This book may, perhaps, sometimes fall into the hands of persons who have, temporarily or otherwise, the charge of young children without any absolute authority over them, or any means, or even any right, to enforce their commands, as was the case, in fact, with the older brothers or sister referred to in the preceding illustrations.

To such persons, these indirect modes of training children in habits of subordination to their will, or rather of yielding to their influence, are specially useful.

Such persons may be interested in the manner in which Delia made use of the children's dolls as a means of guiding and governing their little mothers.
_Della_.
Della had a young sister named Maria, and a cousin whose name was Jane.
Jane used often to come to make Maria a visit, and when together the children were accustomed to spend a great deal of time in playing with their dolls.

Besides dressing and undressing them, and playing take them out to excursions and visits, they used to talk with them a great deal, and give them much useful and valuable information and instruction.
[Illustration: ROUNDABOUT INSTRUCTION.] Now Delia contrived to obtain a great influence and ascendency over the minds of the children by means of these dolls.

She fell at once into the idea of the children in regard to them, and treated them always as if they were real persons; often speaking of them and to them, in the presence of the other children, in the most serious manner.