Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-31
SANDMAN STORY.
By Mrs +. A. Walker.
r-onvrivht 1915 by Mcclure NcwxpApcr
Syndicate. New York City.
THE ENCHANTED CASTLE-~Part III.

Copyright 1918, by Mcclure Newspaper
THE ENCHANTED CASTLE Part II.
This is the place the Queen told me to
/ give YOU - said the fairy.
And if Hilda had not been held on the
| top of the tree by n fairy she would have
| tumbled right of. she was SO surprised
| Give mel" she managed to say. do
YOU mean YOU are giving me this beautiful
| house?" :,
''Yes. But It is as castle, not a house, =
explained the fairy Come! We must
see what is inside your new home.
/ Hilda did not speak again until they
stood on the high. white marble steps OF
the castle. and the fairy touched with her
| wand, the big carved marble doors, which
were inlaid with silver.
As the door flew OPEN Hllda exclaimed,
''ls this Fairyland?'
''Oh, dear, no; VIC could not be happy
living in such a big place, said the fairy
I'VE live in a dell my dear, under moss
and leaves and flowers, and such things.
The floor of the hall was of crystal and
under the clear surface Hilda saw
beautiful pink roses. She drew back,
afraid to step for fear OF crushing them,
for the crystal was so clear she did not
know the roses were covered at all.
do not be alarmed, said the fairy.
at does look as though we were stepping
on bed of roses, but we shall not hurt
them" :,
The fairy had now let Hilda walk
on ahead while she fluttered about
behind. Open all the doors and look
into the rooms, she told her.
Beautiful chairs of silver and rose
wood stood around the hall and soft
| looking cushions of blue silk with pale
mink roses embroidered on them were
| on the chairs and on the floor.
Hida opened one big rosewood door
and looked into n big room. where
crystal globe shed pink light over n
room of silver and pale pink Then she
opened another and another, each more
| beautiful than tho one before.
The dining-room wall looked like
! carved IVORY and the deep blue hang
| ings and the handsome furnishings
made Hilda wonder how anyone could
| think of eating in that beautiful room.
| But when the fairy touched the long,
| wide table with her wand and all kinds
| OF food and beautiful silver dishes appear
| ed, Hilda found she could cat lust aS
! we'll as IL her aunt : poor home. In
fact better for Hilda had never before
| had All she wanted 10 eat.
tbcrc Was 50 much il hig brown turkey
was on one silver platter, roast Of beet
on another. and SO many other things
tnat when at last the fairy touched the
table again with her wand and al the
dishes disappeared, iiilda was ready to
leave the table feeling she had Tor once
in her life had enough to eat.
wait said the fairy. The best is
to come =
silver wand and how Hilda's eyes did
Gaze now at what she saw, There was
IT, creau-a big mound of it-and 6
nlatr of cakes. candy nuts fruit of all
kinds. and all iii beautiful dishes o
silver and crystal which glistened as tht
light from the silver Candlestlcks lei
upon them.
But Hilda found she could still eat
and while She begged the little fairy t
have some Of all the good things it dl'
not dull her appetite when the lttl
| creature refused.
No. she told Hilda. this is mortals
food You see We could not eat sue
things. The dew of rose leaves and
leaf of a violet, or a drop OF honey IS
feast for US. my dear.
Hilda felt she would starve on such
dainty meal rs that, and she was gla
She was mortal that sne could enjo
eating all the good things before he
Now" said the fairy, we must g
upstairs. for il you are at all like oth'
! girls, and | am sure you are, the ver
best is vet TO be seen.
Up the long crystal stairs they wen
: The roses were under the stairs Just Il
: same as under the floor in the hal
: hut when she came to the floor abov
, Hilda saw violets under the cryst
floor.
! The walls were Of silver and gre
and the doors Of rosewood, as in the h:
below. Big cushions of violet satin vi
violets and green leaves embrolder
On them were or the floor, and on Il
deep window seats in this hall But I
fairy with her wand pointed to a door al
told Hilda that was her bedroom. a
when she entered the thought OF all I
other beautiful things she had Sc
vanished from her mind
Tomorrow | will tell YOU what Hill
found in the room
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