Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-02
SANDMAN STORY.
By Mrs. r. A. Walker.
Copyright. 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate. New York City
RED Rn0STER'G WICnOM

nED EN - VloItvNI-
Red Rooster was fond of strolling about.
and thought the master had tried to keep
him in the barnyard with high netting
built around the fence, Red Rooster some
how managed To get out one day and
run down the road
| II feel sure that in that field ! sec n
/ head" he said to himself There are
| plenty of big worms, and should not be
surprised if found corn planted, as we'll
They should not hide corn from mr
| ! can find il every time, said Red Rooster
strutting along with feeling of great
Importance.
That was just the reason Red Rooster
was kept In the net inclosure, because he
always scratched up the planted seed when
ne got out, and for thus wrongdoing. rs
YOU will see, he nearly lost his head.
Red Rooster ran along To the field and
crawled under the fence just as he thought,
there was plenty OF corn and worms, too.
Scratch scratch. he went, and eating
so fast he did not see two bright eyes look
ing greedily at him from behind the bushes
At the edge of the woods
Some ting moved and Red Roo Ter
looked up and there nearly upon him was
old MIR Fox, the terror OF the iarmyard
Red Rooster gave a loud cry and he ran
and flew. but still MIR Fox gained and
then all at once Red Rooster went down,
down and landed at the bottom of an old
well which he did not see In his hnste.
''Ah hat laughed old man Fox. y
have YOU now. my fine fellow; when YOU
fly up to get out | am going to catch YOU
II am not coming out, SAID Red
Rooster, who began to feel safe. he was so
far from old man Fox
Then Ill come down there, said old
man Fox
How will YOU yet out if YOU do?
SAID Red Rooster quickly; "you cannot
climb mp this steep place. This was true,
and old man Fox stopped and louked again
before ne jumped into the how
If jump IN and get ]. good meal how
shall get out" he reasoned "and if
stay here ! shall lose 4 good fat rooster,
hut can run away now which shall lIt be-
Rcd Rooster saw that he had made old
man Fox hesitate 50 h. began 10 hope.
II suppose youl get me IN the end,
hc said Il cannot stay here and starve
! might a. well let you cat me So will
stay here and rest a bit and when get
good end hungry ii tiv out
old man Fox began 10 smile That
Is So my fine fellow h. said You would
die a terrible death II you stayed there
without food. and promise | Will kill YOU
very gently Ill wait until YOU are ready.
hut mind YOU. do not keep ma waiting too
long or will come down and risk getting
out
Red Rooster began "a scratch for worms
and think hard for Il looked very bad for
i'm with old man Fox right over ~
head He listened FOR the farm dog u
sound oi voices but none came. and Rcd
Rooster began 70 think he had been
very foolish 20 run away
All AT once he stopped scratching
1T is worth trying he eaid may get
away, and any way. cannot stay here
He will be sure 20 jump down and eat me
after while
Red Rooster flew ~ and stood on (
little piece Of stone that stuck out, and old
man fo< jumped up and sprang at hun.
This was Just what Red Rooster wanted
him to do
old man Fox did not reach Red Rooster;
he lost his balance, and IN the hole hr went
head first and bumped on the bottom.
II steamed him a little. and when he
got up there was Rcd Rooster staining
81 the top. safe on the ground
"Ah. ha MIR Fox, he said. i ain the
one who can laugh nov Don't YOU wish
YOU had wings for more than one reason
You could llvwith them IS wellas eat them
Old man Fox saH that he was trapped,
SO he did not reply, and Red Rooster did
not stop 10 say more: he ran for home.
And now he STAYS where the master puts
him and ALWAYS feels safer when the dog
is near. for well he knows that ma's old
Fox will take no chances the next time he
sees him, and his pretty red feathers soon
would be all that was left of him