The Long-Johnny Doll

One of my fondest memories is of market time for tobacco. When my pappa sold tobacco, he had to stay two or three days in Clarksville for the auction. He always came home with each of us a dimestore gift. Some of the gifts were scissors, rings, watches, crayons, coloring books, or little toys. We usually told him what we wanted before he left.

Once, however, he surprised us with what was called a Long-Johnny doll. These were wax dolls of different colors and flavors. They were about six inches tall. Well, we all chewed them up within a few days, except for Sissy. Her doll was black, licorice flavor. She kept it upstairs in her playhouse.

One day I decided I would just take a taste, and she would think it had broken off in a crack in the floor. So, I bit its foot off. Boy, was it good! So, I took off its head. Now I could not leave it or I would be in trouble for sure. I decided to eat it all, and just maybe she would think the rats ate it.

Well, when she discovered that it was gone, no one, but no one knew its whereabouts. My mamma said, "Let me see everyone's gum." What I did not know was that the wax stayed black after it was chewed. Needless to say, I had black gums, tongue, mouth.... and gum.

I got my behind blistered, and I never wanted to see another Long-Johnny doll.