Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-09-28


times incorrigi~-y idle. She had all
the freaks Of genius.
To be continued.
THE SAND MANS MAGIC SCREEN.
The children of the Rockford hotel
were getting tired or bored. which is
the same thing or worse. The day had
been hot. but now a breeze was blow
ing freshly from the sea, and the small
people down by the shore had at least
an hour to themselves before it would
be time to go to bed. AS it proved,
they were not to spend it altogether
by themselves, but they didn't know
that, so they We're grumbling like I'M
happy little pigs in a pen.
I'm getting all tired out doing moth
ing" yaWncd Jamie Graves; Il never
saw anything so tiresome in all my
life as these old summer hotels"
I shouldn't mind the hotel so much"
said Mabel Rich, If it weren't for that
miserable OLD piazza. Mamma is al
ways sitting out there, and she doesn't
get a bit of time to amuse Us, as she
| does at home. I should think there
ought to be great deal more time
to attend to children when there's
nothing else to tend tO,-but it works
just the other way"
1--WE get the worst Of this hotel bust
ness all around" said Harry Niles;
eve don't get the good of being seen
/ to, nor the good of being let alone.
| There don't seem to be any place for
US
SO the children grumbled on, until a
hint of their sad plight reached the
kind old Sand Man, who was out with
his sister Eve,-knoWn to the children
as Mother Twilight, ''-sending small
folks off to Nodland. Usually the SAND
Man felt his heart drawn to the thou
sands Of poor children who needed him,
but he did not forget poor rich child
ren sometimes need soothing, too. Ac
cordingly he delighted the hearts of
these disconnected little people at the
grand Rockford hotel
"Hrrahr' yelled Cecil, 'here's Mr..
! Snoozer and Mother Twilight coming
over the seal If we don't get a good
time out of them | lose my guess"
Mr.. Snoozer and Eve heard them and
both waved their hands and smiled.
! The Sand Man slid all his poppy seed
into his snuff-bOXes and prepared to
live up to his welcome. Mother TWi-
light picked up her beautiful rose and
amethyst bag, which held all the de
lightful and mysterious articles that
she kept on hand for children's use.
When anything was needed in Il game,
no matter what it Was-''from a can
ary's wing to an elephant" the child
rem used to say-NIother Twilight would
innocently produce it from that rose
and amethyst bag. She took it on her
arm when she landed from the boat to
amuse the poor rich children whose
mothers We're so busy doing nothing
on the hotel piazza.
There's only from to S o'clock for
us to have a first-rate time in" called
out Norton Handy. Were awfully
glad to see you. Let's start straight
in to enjoy ourselves"
Brother Lotus and I thought you
/
! as we saw you over the sea-" said
Mother Twilight gayly; "are any of you
wishing yourselves at home tonight"'
Half we do and half we don't"
said Jamie, cant you see how that
| is?"
Half you do" repeated Mr.. Snoozer;
"that is, you want the good half of
home here and the tiresome half you
don't want. Eh?"
THAT tiresOme half seems to go with
us, remarked Francena. I more than
half think it's in us
In the course of my travels" OBJ
served Mr.. Snoozer, Il have collected a
few choice views of summer homes.
My sister Eve and [ thought you might
like 4 little -ovel entertainment, so
we arranged to throw some views upon
a screen; if we happen to have any of
your MONIES with Us you'll like it all
the better, L suppose
Wed like to see them, any way"
said Cecil; there's no telling how things !
might look snapped when they weren't /
ready"
Our kodak never stops to warn peo |
pie nor things to look pleasant. But |
usually that makes them all the more |
natural said Mother Twilight inno- !
Gently.
Just beyond the Rockford was a ledge !
made Of huge rocks that formed little |
alleys and caves, and in the largest of |
these caves the Sand Man set I'D his |
screen. Mother Twilight produced a
tine pack of views, and all the children
huddled near where they could get a
good look at the screen.
The first view was a peaceful farm
house painted white with green blinds
and surrounded by half-grown naples.
The cows We're coming home. driven by
little boy and girl, barefoot and sun
burned, but plump and fresh as peach
es. They never thought of being afraid
OF the tramping cows nor even of the
oxen with the brass balls on their bic