The Story of a China Cat | Page 4

shall have to run to tag you."
The toys spread themselves about the shelves of Mr. Mugg's shop, and
the China Cat, whose shiny coat was as white as snow, was just getting
ready to run after the Trumpeter when suddenly the toy pussy gave a
loud mew.
"Take her away! Take her away! Don't let her come near me!" cried the
China Cat. "Oh, Captain!" she exclaimed to the wooden soldier, "don't
let her get near me! Take her away!" and the China Cat acted so
strangely that the other toys did not know what to think.
CHAPTER II
A NICE LITTLE GIRL
Everybody had been so happy and jolly in the toy shop, and there was
so much fun going on, that when the China Cat acted so oddly and
mewed so loudly, there was great excitement for a time.
"Don't tell me there is a fire!" cried a little Ballet Dancer, whose skirts
of tissue paper and tulle would be sure to flare up the first thing in case
of a blaze.
"No, there isn't a fire," said a toy Policeman. "If there was I should turn

in an alarm."
"But what is the matter?" asked the Talking Doll. "Did that crazy
Jumping Jack again step on the China Cat's tail?"
"Indeed I did not," answered the Jumping Jack.
And all this while the China Cat kept mewing.
"Take her away! Don't let her come near me! The black will rub off,
I'm sure, and I shall be ruined and damaged. Oh, take her away, Soldier
Captain!" and the China Cat, in her white coat, snuggled as close as she
could to the brave officer with his shiny sword.
"What is the matter? Who is black? Please tell me what to do so I can
help you," begged the Captain.
"Why, don't you see!" exclaimed the China Cat. "That black doll is
coming to play tag with us! She belongs on the other side of the store,
among the Hallowe'en novelties! If she rubs up against me she'll get me
all black, and I can't stand it to be dirty!"
All the other toys glanced toward the toy at which the China Cat
pointed with one paw. Walking along the edge of the shelf was a
fuzzy-haired black Doll, her face as shiny as the stove pipe. She was
called a Topsy Doll.
"Whut's de mattah heah?" asked Topsy, talking just as a colored doll
should talk. "Don't yo' all want fo' me to come an' play tag wif yo'?"
"We'd love to have you," said the Jumping Jack, who, being all sorts of
colors, did not mind one more. "But our China Cat is afraid some of
your black might rub off on her."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed Topsy. "Dat suah am funny! Why, my black
doesn't come off! I spects maybe I's white inside, but de black on de
outside don't come off! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
"Really, doesn't it? Won't you smut me all up?" asked the China Cat.

"No, I won't! Hones' to goodness I won't!" promised the Topsy Doll.
"Some folks do say I's terrible mischievous but I can't help it. I growed
up dat way, I reckon!"
With that Topsy bent over and pulled one of the ears of Tumbling Tom.
"Hey there! Stop it!" cried that toy, and he leaned over to tickle Topsy,
but he leaned too far and down he fell.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" laughed the black Doll. "Golly, I's mischievous; but mah
black won't rub off! Look!"
Topsy took up from the shelf a piece of the white paper Mr. Mugg used
to wrap up the toys when they were purchased. Topsy rubbed this piece
of paper on her black, shiny cheek as hard as she could rub it. Then she
held it out to the China Cat. The paper was as white as before.
"See!" cried Topsy. "Mah black won't rub off! Now can't I play tag wif
yo' all?"
"Oh, yes, let her; do!" begged the Talking Doll. "She's so cute!"
"Of course she may play if she will not smut me," said the China Cat.
"Please don't believe I'm fussy," she went on; "but I shall never be sold
if I do not keep myself white and clean. I thought at first that Topsy had
been down in the coal bin."
"No'm," answered that colored Doll. "I's awful mischievous, but I don't
play in no coal. No indeedy!"
"I'm glad of that," said the China Cat. "Now I'll be it, and see if I can
tag any of you. Look out! I'm coming!"
With that the white Cat began chasing about on the shelves, trying to
tag the other toys, who, you may be sure, kept well out of her reach.
"No fair tagging with your tail--that