The Story of a China Cat

ere dancing and capering about, for they felt very lively after their rest, an

keep the laughter out of his jolly voice. "Snow! Snow! Snow all over everything!" went

"I wanted some fresh air, for I was working over the paint pots, putting blue ey

the snow hasn't melted, and it is only melted snow that spoils toys. But I don'

ut, and washing the faces of one another, he would have known how it happened

the shop ready to work in again, for we are going to be very busy. The Earth childre

as it should be, and as it had been before the storm. The windows, made of sheets of ice, were pulled dow

bench, where he was making a lot of little animals for

e?" asked the w

ther little man. "He must have been here when the windows were open. Maybe he wanted to see us making t

does Santa Claus know about these little Eskimo

"Now we mustn't talk any more, for we have

sh Bear and the other playthings could hear what was said, though they could take no part in the talk while Santa Claus, or any o

ght the Plush Bear to himself. "What fun that snowball

real bear. The Plush toy was looking straight at the Polar Bear and t

busy, singing over their tasks. But they could not work all night and all day

o go to bed. Be up early in the morning

he workmen, after putting away their tools, followed. Santa Cl

ntly, and inside only a little candle was left gleaming, its beams reflected i

erybody!" Said

ge

as he peered out from the roof of a toy dog house, where he had

gan to swing his head from side to side. For he had been wound up,

ll. "And this time they will stay away a

he Polar Bear. "I should like to

But the little men swept out all the snow and closed

other way. Let's see, what shall we do? Have any of you eve

o it?" asked t

don't believe anywhere in North Pole Land you will

uld happen. If they had not been so eager to see what the Polar Bear was going to do some of them might have notice

alskin and fur, who had looked in and almost reached through the window to take out

e snow, coming nearer and nearer to the workshop of Santa Claus. "If I can open a wi

s name from the house built by the seals in the far North. The Eskimos build their houses the same shape as the houses made in the ice by th

ght the Eskimo boy, as he stepped softly nea

ad set in, still there were the Northern Lights, which glowed and flickered in the sky and made enough

o boy had wanted the plaything. So after his supper of seal fat and blubber, with a piece of tallow c

Bear and the other toys were having fun among themselves. As I have told you

r Bear, as he leaned over and

e somersaults?" the Flannel

he gets through," th

a pane a clear sheet of ice. The Eskimo boy blew his warm breath on this window

hen you melt the frost on your window glass at home. Very soon the fur-clad boy had melted a hole

from the workshop of Santa Claus. He only knew that he wante

in front of him on one of the tables, stood the Plush Bear and many ot

ered the Eskimo boy. He reached forth h

urning a somersault, and the eyes of a

mo boy open the window. And had he once looked at the toys they would have h

gether to applaud the Polar Bear's trick of turning a

that he must not move or speak, for the

window, taking the wonderful toy with him. He slipped the Plush Bear under his coat of fur, and away he sped over

t go to Earth in the sleigh of Santa Claus, as the Nodding Donkey did, but now, it seems, I