The Story of a Nodding Donkey | Page 8

and he soon noticed that some
one was knocking off the boards that formed the cover.
With a wrench and a squeak one of the cover boards was raised, letting
in a flood of light. The Nodding Donkey blinked his eyes, coming out
of the darkness into the glare of the light. Then he felt himself being
lifted up and set on a shelf. At the same time he heard a pleasant voice
saying:
"Here is the case of new toys, Daughters. And see, one of the very
newest is a Nodding Donkey! I'm sure he will please some little boy or
girl!"
The Nodding Donkey looked around him. He was on a shelf in the
jolliest toy store he had ever imagined. It was almost as nice as the
workshop of Santa Claus. Standing in front of the shelf was a
white-haired old man and two ladies, one on either side of him. The
three were looking at the Nodding Donkey, who bowed his head at
them as if saying:
"How do you do? I am very glad to meet you!"
CHAPTER IV
THE CHINA CAT
The Nodding Donkey stood straight and stiff on his four legs, with his
shiny, new coat of varnish--the one he had received in the workshop of
Santa Claus at the North Pole. The Donkey wished he might move
about and talk with some of the other toys he saw all around him, but

he dared not, as the old gentleman and the two ladies were standing in
front of him and looking straight at the toy. All the Donkey dared do
was to nod his head, for, being made on purpose to do that, it was
perfectly proper for him to do so, just as the Jumping Jack jumped, or
some of the funny Clowns banged together their brass cymbals.
"Isn't he the dearest Donkey you ever saw, Angelina?" said one of the
ladies to the other.
"He certainly is, Geraldine," was the answer. "But something seems to
be the matter with his head. It is loose!"
"Tut! Tut! Nonsense! It is made that way, just the same as the moving
head of the Fuzzy Bear," said the old gentleman, whose name was
Horatio Mugg. At first the Nodding Donkey had taken this old
gentleman for a relative of Santa Claus, for he had the same white hair
and whiskers and wore almost the same sort of glasses. But a second
look showed the Nodding Donkey that this was not any relation of St.
Nicholas. Besides, this toy store was not at all like the workshop of
Santa Claus.
The Nodding Donkey was at last on Earth in a toy store, and there, it
was hoped, some one would see him and buy him for some boy or girl
for Christmas.
The toy store was kept by Mr. Horatio Mugg and his two daughters,
one being named Angelina and the other Geraldine.
Mr. Horatio Mugg was the jolliest toy-store man you can imagine!
Since his own two daughters had grown up he seemed to think he must
look after all the other children in his neighborhood. He was always
glad to see the boys and girls in his store. He liked to have them look at
the toys, and sometimes he showed them how steam engines or flying
machines worked.
Of course there were many dolls, big and little--Sawdust Dolls, Bisque
Dolls, Wooden Dolls, some very handsomely dressed, with silk or satin
dresses and white stockings and white kid shoes. And some had the

cutest hats, and some even had gloves, think of that!
And then the animals--Lions and Tigers, and a Striped Zebra, and
funny Monkeys and Goats, Dogs, Spotted Cows and many kinds of
Rocking Horses. And even funny little Mice, that ran all around the
floor when they were wound up.
And then the other toys--trains of cars, fire engines, building blocks,
and oh! so many, many things! It was truly a wonderful place, was that
store. It was a place where you could spend an hour or two and the time
would fly so fast you would scarcely know where it had gone to.
Mr. Mugg knew all about toys, which kind were the best for boys,
which the girls liked the best, and he knew which to put in his window
so the children would stop and press their noses flat against the glass to
look and see the playthings.
"Yes, the Nodding Donkey will be a fine toy for Christmas," said Mr.
Mugg, looking over the tops of his glasses at the new arrival. "This last
box of playthings I received are the best we ever had. Santa Claus and
his men certainly are preparing a fine Christmas this year."
"I think I shall dust off the Donkey," said