Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22
CHAPTER III.
How the Kyls Colored the Toys.

Ne II
heavy sheet of ice. and all living plants ana
,s.,ts nestled close to Mother Earth to keep
warm The face of the moon was hid by
dark clouds, and the wind deHghting IN
the wintry sport, pushed and whirled the
snowhakes in so many directions that they
couId get no chance to fall to the ground
Claus heard the wind whstling and
shrieking in it's play, and thanked the good
KNOCKS again for his comfortable shelter.
Blinkie washed her face lazily and stared
at the Goals with a look of perfect content
The toy ca sat opposite the real one and
gazed straight ahead, as toy cats should.
Suddenly Claus heard a noise that sound
ed different from the voice of the wind. 1t
was more like wall of suffering and de-
spair.
He stood up and listened, but the wind,
growing boisterous. shook the door and
ratified the windows to distract his atten-
ton. He waited until the wind was tired,
and then, still listening, he heard once
more the shrill cry of distress.
Quickly he drew on his coat pulled his
cap over his eyes and opened the door. The
wind dashed in and scattered the embers
over the hearth, at the same time blowing
Blinkie's fur so furiously that she crept
under the table to escape. Then the door
was closed and Claus was outside, peering
anxiousIy into the darkness.
The wind laughed and scolded and tried
to push him over but he stood firm. The
helpless flakes stumbled against his eyes
and dimmed his sight, but he rubbed them
away and looked again. Snow was every
where. white and glittering. 1t covered the
earth and filled the air.
The cry was not repeated.
Claus turned to go back into the house, but
the wind caught him unawares and he STUN
bled and fell across a snOwdrift. His hand
plunged into the drift and touched some
thing that was not snow. This he seized.
and. pulling It gently toward him. found 1t
to be a child The next moment he had
lifted it in his arms and carried it into the
house
The wind followed him through the door
but Claus shut 1t out quickly. He laid the
rescued child on the hearth, and. brushing
away the snow. he discovered it to be
Weekum. q little boy who lived In house
beyond the valley.
Claus wrapped a warm blanket around
the little one and rubbed the frost from his
limbs. Before long the child opened his
eyes. and seeing where he was. smiled hap
PLY. Then Claus warmed milk and fed 1t
to the boy slowly, while the cat looked on
with sober curiosity. Finally the little one
curled up in his friends arms and sighed
and fell asleep, and Claus, filed with glad
ness that he had found the wanderer, held
him closely while he slumbered
The wind, finding no more mischief to do
climbed the hill and swept on toward the
north. This gave the weary snowfakes
time to settle down to earth, and the valley
became still again
The boy, having slept we'll IN the arms of
his friend opened his eyes and sat up.
Then, as a child will, he looked around the
room and saw all that it contained.
Your cat is a nice cat, Claus" he said
at last. LET me hold IT,
But puss objected and ran away.
1.-THE other cat won't run, Claus" contIn-
ued the boy. Let me hold that one" Claus
placed the toy IN his arms and the Soy
held It lovingly and kissed the tip Of its
wooden ear.
How did you get lost IN the storm,
weekum?" asked Claus,
'I started to walk to my auntle's house
and lost my way" answered Weekum.
Were you frightened?"
eft was cold" said Weekum. land the
snow got in my eyes. so l could not see.
Then 1 kept on till fell in the snow, with
out knowing where I was, and the wind
blew the fakes over me and covered me
up"
Claus gently stroked his head, and the
boy looked up at him and smiled
I'm all right now said Weekum
Yes" replied Claus happily. Now
Will put you in my warm bed, and you
must sleep until morning, when will carry
you back to your mother"
May the cat sleep with me7" asked the
boy.
YES If you wish It to-" answered Claus.
IT'S a nice cat!' Weekum said. smiling
as Claus tucked the blankets around him;
and presently the little one fell asleep with
the wooden toy In his arms.
When morning came the claimed the
Laughing Valley and flooded It with his
rays; so Claus prepared to take the lost
child back to its mother.
May I keep the cat, CLAUSE" asked
weekum. IT'S nicer than real cats. It
doesn't run away, or scratch or bite. May
keep it?'
'Ycs. indeed" answered Claus, pleased
that the toy he had made could give pleas
ure to the child. So he wrapped the boy
and the wooden cat in a warm cloak.
perching the bundle upon his own broad
shoulders, and then he tramped through
the snow and the drifts Of the valley and
across the plain beyond TO the poor cottage
where week.-mrs. mother lived
"See, mammal" cried the boy, as soon as
they entered, I've got a cat!'
The good woman weDt tears Of joy over
the rescue OF her darling. and thanked
Claus many times for his kind act So he
carried warm and happy heart back TO
his home In the valley.
That night he said to puss: II believe the
children will love the wooden cats almost
as We'll as the real ones. and they can't
hurt them by pulling their tails and ears.
I'll make another"
So this was he beginning of his great
work.
The next cat was better made than the
first. While Claus sat whiting it out the
Yellow Ryl came IN TO make him visit,
and so pleased was he with the mans skill
that he ran away and brought several Of
his fellows.
There sat the Red Ryl, the Black Ryl, the
Green Rylr the Blue Ryl and the yellow
Ryl in circle on the floor, while Claus
Whitfield and whistled and the wooden cat
grew into shape.
IF 1t could be made the same color as
the real cat. no one would know the differ
ence," said the Yellow Ryl, thoughtfully.
1.-The little ones. maybe, would not know
the difference" replied Claus, pleased with
the idea.
~ will bring you some Of the red that
color my roses and tulips with" cried the
Red Ryl; and then you can make the cats
lips and tongue red
II will bring some Of the green that
color my grasses and leaves with" said the
Green Ryl; and then you can color the
cats eyes green"
They will need bit Of yellow. also" re-
marked The Yellow Ryl; II must fetch some
OF the yellow that / use to color my but.
tercups and goJdenrods with"
The real cat Is black" Said the Black
Eyl; II will bring some OF the black that
use TO color the eyes Of my pansies with
and then you can paint your wooden cat
black"
Il see you have a blue ribbon around
Rlinkie's neck" added the Blue Ryl. II
will get some of the color that l use to
paint the bluebells and forget-me-nots with.
and then you can carve a wooden ribbon
on the toy cats neck and paint 1t blue
so the Ryls disappeared, and by the time
cd ruip he 80