This charming children’s book, published in the golden age of illustrated storytelling, weaves a whimsical tale of adventure and imagination. Set in a nursery come to life, the story follows two steadfast wooden soldiers and a spirited hobby horse as they embark on a midnight escapade when the household falls asleep.
Gladys Nelson Muter—an early 20th-century British author-illustrator—fills the pages with warmth and gentle humor, evoking the magic of toys with secret lives (a theme later popularized by The Velveteen Rabbit). The delicate pen-and-ink or watercolor illustrations capture the soldiers’ stiff bravery and the hobby horse’s exuberance, reminiscent of classics like Winnie-the-Pooh but with a nostalgic, pre-war innocence.
A rare gem of 1920s children’s literature, this book reflects the era’s fascination with anthropomorphic toys and moral fables. While obscure today, it remains a delightful artifact for collectors of vintage juvenilia or enthusiasts of illustrated tales from the interwar period.
