The Story of a White Rocking Horse Part 4

Then he felt himself being lifted out of the automobile, and he heard voices.

"Is d.i.c.k out of the way?" the man asked.

"Yes, he and Dorothy are up in the playroom," was the answer in a lady's voice. "You can carry the Horse right up to the attic. He can stay there until Santa Claus is ready to put him under the Christmas tree."

"All right," said the man. "As long as d.i.c.k and Dorothy are out of the way I'll bring the Horse in. I don't want them to see it until Christmas."

"Dorothy! Dorothy!" thought the Horse to himself. "Where have I heard that name before? I guess some little girl who was called that must have come to the toy department at one time or another. Well, now to see what happens next!"

He felt himself being carried along. Dimly he saw lights, and he felt that he was in a warm place--as warm as the store had been. Then, suddenly, the wrapping papers were taken off him.

"Oh, what a beautiful Rocking Horse!" exclaimed the lady. "I am sure d.i.c.k will be pleased. It's the same one I saw in the store. I am glad you got that one!"

Now the White Rocking Horse was still rather dazed and still rather sleepy from his ride in the cold. Or else perhaps he would have been prepared for the surprise in store for him. Dimly he seemed to remember having heard that lady's voice before, and dimly he recalled having seen her before.

Then, when his wrapping papers had been taken off, he was set down on the floor near a warm chimney in rather a bare and cheerless attic, and left to himself in the darkness.

But the White Rocking Horse could see in the dark. And when he knew that no human eyes were watching him he spoke, in the make-believe language of toy land.

"Is any one here--any toy to whom I can talk, and with whom I can have a little fun?" asked the White Horse out loud.

There was no answer for a moment, and then a voice said:

"You can talk to me, if you like, but it has been many years since I have had any fun. I am old and broken and covered with dust."

"Who are you?" asked the White Horse.

"I am an old Jumping Jack," was the answer. "Here I am, over by the chimney."

"Oh, now I see you!" said the Horse. "But what is the matter? Are you so very old?"

"Oh, yes, I am almost five Christmases old," was the answer. "My two legs are broken, and one of my arms, and the spring by which I used to jump is all worn out. So, as I am no longer of any use in this world, I am in the Attic Home. That is the last resting place of broken toys, you know."

"I have heard of it," said the Rocking Horse rather sadly. "I hope I am not kept here."

"Indeed you will not be," said the old Jumping Jack. "You are new, and are going to enjoy your first Christmas! Ah, how well I remember that!

But there is no use worrying. I had some good times, I once made a little boy happy, and now I am content to stay here in the dust and darkness. I shall be glad to know that you are going to have a jolly time."

"Thank you," said the White Rocking Horse.

Then he and the old Jumping Jack talked together for some hours in the attic. All the next day they were together, and the White Rocking Horse told how he had once lived in a big department store, and how he had been given a ride in an automobile. And the Jumping Jack told his story, how he used to leap about and cut funny capers.

The next night, after dark, a light was seen gleaming in the attic.

The White Rocking Horse and the Jumping Jack had just begun to talk together, and the Horse was showing his friend how fast he could rock, when they had to stop, because the man came up. The lady was with him.

"d.i.c.k and Dorothy are asleep now," said the lady. "We can take the Rocking Horse down, and leave him for Santa Claus to put under the big Christmas tree."

"Yes, we can do that," the man said. "And here is an old Jumping Jack.

It is broken, but the paint on it is still gay. I'll dust it off and take it down for the Christmas tree. It will make it look more jolly."

And to his own great surprise the Jack was taken down with the White Rocking Horse.

As for the Rocking Horse, so many things happened at once that he hardly knew where one began and the other left off. He saw some gleaming lights and red, blue, green and golden-yellow b.a.l.l.s that seemed brighter than the sun. He saw a big, green tree. He saw many toys scattered under it. And one, in particular, made him open his eyes in wonder.

For there, sitting on the carpet near him, was the Sawdust Doll! The very-same Sawdust Doll who had lived in the toy store with him!

CHAPTER V

A NIGHT RIDE

The White Rocking Horse wanted to gallop across the room and back, because he felt so happy at seeing the Sawdust Doll again. As for the Sawdust Doll, she wanted to stand up and clap her hands, as the Calico Clown used to clap his cymbals together. But neither of the toys dared do anything, because, in the same room with them, were the father and mother of d.i.c.k and Dorothy. And the toys, as I told you, never moved or spoke when any one was near them.

"The old Jumping Jack looks well on the Christmas tree," said the lady, as she smoothed out the dress of the Sawdust Doll.

"Yes, I'm glad we brought him down out of the attic, poor fellow,"

replied the man, as he rocked the Horse slowly to and fro, to make sure he was in a good place. "I wonder if these toys ever know or care what joy they give to the children?" he asked.

"Oh, I think they do," said Dorothy's mother. "Do you know," she went on with a little laugh, "sometimes I think the toys are really alive, and can talk among themselves, and do things."

"What nonsense!" laughed the man. "Do you think this Rocking Horse can come to life?" and he patted our toy friend.

"Well, maybe not exactly come to life," answered his wife. "But I am sure they must have good times when we aren't looking. See that Sawdust Doll! Why, I really think she is looking at the Rocking Horse as if she knew him! And you know they did come from the same store."

"Well, I think everything is ready now for Santa Claus," said the man.

"We will leave the rest of the tree to him. It will soon be Christmas morning. Let us go out and leave the toys to themselves. Perhaps they will really have a good time, as you think."

"I am sure they will," the lady said, laughing softly.

Then the door was shut and of course you can guess what happened when no human eyes were there to watch the White Rocking Horse and Sawdust Doll.

The Doll was the first to speak.

"Oh, how glad I am to see you!" she said, as she stood up on her sawdust-stuffed legs and looked at the Horse high above her head. "You can't imagine how glad I am!"

"And I am glad to see you," neighed the Horse. "I never dreamed I should be brought to the house where you were. Tell me, are you to be a Christmas present, too?"

"No, I was bought for Dorothy's birthday," was the answer. "Don't you remember? I left the store some weeks ago. But Dorothy wanted me put under the Christmas tree with the other presents Santa Claus is to bring to her and d.i.c.k. But you are a Christmas present, I know."

"Yes, I am," said the White Rocking Horse. "Real jolly, I call it! I never saw a Christmas tree before."

"You haven't really seen this one yet," went on the Sawdust Doll. "Has he, Jumping Jack?" she asked.

"Indeed I should say not," was the reply. "It has not been lighted as yet. I well remember the first Christmas tree I was put on. I was a gay, jumping chap then. My spring wasn't broken. But I am not going to talk about that. This is no time for sadness. Only, when the tree is lighted to-morrow night, Rocking Horse, you will see something very pretty. Will he not, Sawdust Doll?"

"He certainly will! And now, please tell me about my friends in the store," she begged. "How are the Bold Tin Soldier and the Calico Clown?"