It was snowing, and crowds were hurrying to and fro, doing their
Christmas shopping. After the show window in the store of Mr. Horatio
Mugg had been newly decorated by Miss Geraldine, many boys and girls and
grown folk, too, stopped to peer in. They looked at the Nodding Donkey,
at the Jumping Jacks, at the Dolls, the toy Fire Engines, at the
Soldiers and at the Policeman.

Toward evening, when the lights had just been set aglow, the Nodding
Donkey saw, coming toward the window, a little lame boy. He had to walk
on crutches, and with him was a lady who had hold of his arm.

"Oh, Mother, look at the new toys!" cried the lame boy. "And see that
Donkey! Why, he's shaking his head at me! Look, he's making his head go
up and down! I guess he thinks I asked you if you'd buy him for me, and
he's saying 'yes'; isn't he, Mother?"

"Perhaps," answered the lady. "Would you like that Nodding Donkey for
Christmas, Joe?"

"Oh, I just would!" cried the lame boy. "Let's go in and look at him.
Maybe I can hold him in my hands! Oh, I'd just love that Nodding
Donkey!"




CHAPTER VI

A NEW HOME