The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-12-22

with gladness 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 nice cat, Claus" he
| said at last. LET me hold it,
But puss objected and ran away.
'The other cat won't run, Claus"
continued the boy. LET me hold that
one." Claus placed the toy in his
arms, and the boy held it lovingly and
kissed the tip of it's wooden ear.
"How did you get lost in the storm,
Weekum?' asked Claus.
II started to walk to my auntie's
house and lost my way" answered
Weekum.
'Were you frightened?"
1T was cold," said Weekum, land
the snow got in my eyes, so could not
see. Then I kept on till fell in the
snow, without 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
'pm 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 me?" asked
/ the boy.
eyes, if you wish it to- answered
Claus.
'It's nice cat,' Weekum said, smil-
ing, 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 sun claimed
the Laughing Valley and flooded it
with his rays, so Claus prepared tc
take the lost child back to it's mother
MAY I keep the cat, CLAUSE" asked
! Weekum. cts nicer than real cats
It doesn't run away or scratch or bite.
May I keep it?'
| ''Yes, indeed" answered Claus, pleas
ed that the toy he had made could give
pleasure 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, mamma" cried the boy, as soon
as they entered, give got catv'
The good woman Wept tears of JOY
over the rescue of her darling and
thanked Claus many times for his
kind act. So he carried warm and
1 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 well as the real ones, and
they can't hurt them by pulling their
tails and ears. I'll make another
So this was the 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 Ryl 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 it could be made the same color
as the real cat, no one would know
the difference" said the Yellow Ryl
thoughtfully
"The little ones, maybe, would not
know the difference" replied Claus,
! pleased with the idea.
Il 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 md tongue red
/ 81 will bring some of the green that
! color my grasses and leaves with"