Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-28
SANDMAN STORY
By Mrs. r. A. Walker.
Copyright 1915. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate. New York CITY
WHY BEAVERS HAVE FLAT TAILS.

Once this earth WAS not full oi fields
of waving grain or pretty downs dotting
the land No phone wires spun their web
across the ground No putting boats piled
up and down the quiet streams and 20
long trains shot across theeworld. Tor
there were no men then except a few
giants who lived in a Ing plain
This plain was high up and there lived
these immense fellows IN caves eating
food from their forest and streams, while
their clothing was the hides ot Wild beasts
Down near the river were queer animals
with long, pretty bodies and equally long
slim tails
There were AT least H. IN the family
MI very proud Of their appearance And
not far of was the home of fox who was
very envious of these same beavers The
beaver father put on many airs and for
badc his children 10 play with the little
foxes for the little foxes did not have tails
near as long as the beavers
SO the beavers strutted about With
their heads IN the alr 0ne day the bea yer
met the fox and threw mud in his fnce.
Get out Of nv way, vou sly creature
sad the beaver You keep on your own
side Of the bank do not wish 10 asso-
ciate with your family IT all YOU are too
| common.
Now the fox was sly enough To know
! that he could not harm the beaver ~ a
fair fight. SO he Just smiled and remarked
| pleasantly. w hat you say y true, vet
Il sometimes happens that one not 50
grand can help friend with little IN
| formation
What are YOU talking about asked
the beaver. who had lot OF curiosity
why it il this. replied the fox One
H.,
has come down here TO the river and
| planted a nice grove Of tender trees ThcY
are still young aud will make fine break
fasts for your family All you nave - do
- To tie Your tail TO ID" trunk and pull
| The trees are 50 small that vou could
easily uproot them and lay in good
| supply for winter Go ont tomorrow
night about moonrlse down near the
place where the cree k emptles into the
/ river There YOU will find the young
/ trees
Much obliged maybe I will take
your advice said the beaver grandty a
| ne walked pompously away, sweeping his
/ long tail behind
| Up to the PLAN flew the fox and quickly
| he ran TO where one of the giants was
resting
4 want to tell YOU something mn
portant," he said 4 am a friend OF
yours. Today | heard that the big
| beaver who lives down BY the river will
tomorrow night at moonrlse try to rob
your grove Of young trees which YOU have
| set out near the creek
VIII he, indeed laughed the giart
| Let him try and will punish hin
| properly
NO, | have better plan sal d its
slv fox II happen to know that ne he
! going to tie has tail to the trees and pull
| them down that way Now, 1t will likely
! be that he Will begin 1T the end of The
| first row Right there is big oak. Now
| YOU go tomorrow morning early, cut that
! oak through till II needs but push Il
/ fall and leave the rest TO me. vii
| punish the beaver. do not WORTHY
| So early the next morning the giant GU
| through the big oak 3 trunk with IN,
| stone hatchet till II had just a wee blt
/ of wood left b. which II was held III
place
At sun set the fox hid behind the oak
and about moonrise the beaver came
tripping to the grove Quickly and firmly
he tied his fine, long tail To Young tree
Then he started ont TO pull Up sprang
the fox and gave the oak a push Crash
il came down right on the beavers tail
| Hard and fast II pinned hlm to the
ground and his magnificent tail was
mashed as flat as a batter cake
"Ha-ha," laughed the fox as he sped
away Maybe YOU are not as wise and
great ms YOU imagined And maybe in
future you will treat Your betters with
more politeness Who has the finest tail
now" And the fox shook his bushy, red
tail nigh in the AIR
For an hour the poor beaver pulled and
dug To get his tail out from under the
tree. and at last he succeeded but by that
| time it was so mashed that never To this
day has ii ever been pretty like II was il
the olden days And to this day YOU viii
see that the beaver goes through life drag
gng behind him an ugly, squatty, flat
tail