Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-10-05
SANDMAN STORY.
BY Mrs. +. A. Walker.
Copyright. 1915. by Mcclure Neuu sapey
Syndicate New York City.
THE GOLDENROD.

1t was beautiful October day and
Adele was glad to SIT under a tree and
enjoy the sunshine falling on the red
leaves.
Along the fence corners grew great
clusters of the goldenrod flower, so the
child gathered a big bunch of il to take
home to her mother.
AS she lay in bed that night, with
the moonlight streaming in the window,
the sheen seemed to touch the godenrod
and be reflected in yellow mist over
the whole room. The flower swayed
in the breeze, as if whispering and its
CLEAN was like that of the precious metal
How lovelyr' said Adele aloud II
wish it could talk and tell me about
itself
81 will tell you the story of my life"
said n low voice, which seemed to come
from the nodding flower I'VE can
talk In the moonlight. but people rare
~ know that. We spend most of our
lives along roads, and our happiness
is in tho fence corner or by path through
the fields"
Once upon n time-thousands Of
years ago~-the goldenrod WAS Just green
all over, except in the fall. when II turned
brown. IL lived along n path through
which men went to the gold mines to
bring back bags ofsdust on their weary
backs
These men were slaves, who spent
their whole lives working without pay
for the others In the hot sun they would
toll along the path, often parched with
thirst The path led over rocky ground
and IN tangled ways; II was dusty and
steep. One day poor slave tottering
beneath his load exclaimed that he
wished he could see something growing
by the way. lie was tired of stones and
dust
That night all Of the flowers were
IN tho path but all refused II was
hot, dirty and trcsome to stay in the
sun looking simply on men sweating
along in toll
The Fern Fairy, who was trying TO
get some plant TO grow by the waysidc.
for she had kind heart, grew weary
81 the search. But at last she spicd n
tall. green plant over IN n corner of an
old fence Its stalk was tall, and its
color was an ugly. dirty green.
II am willing to 60. said the plant,
humhly II have no pretty color TO
lose and will be glad to cheer anyone's
path il ! can Place me by the path in
the sunshine and will he happy "
So the fairy uprootcd the ugly plant
mud SGT it out by the sunny path There
Il thrivcd greatly In few years there
was a long line Of them strung up and
down the stony way And the slaves
cuioycd seeing something which was
green
Tho dust of the road spun up into
the air and settled on the stalks. but
They did not care.
II was sad TO SEQ the long lines Of
weary men tramping by night and morn
ing, bat tho little flower knew it was
helping 20 make things brighter
Onc bright October day there was An
unusual amount Of dust it was waited |
about in clouds and covered everything |
IN sight
Down the path came the fairy
How do you like your iob7" she |
asked kindly
Very mucn' replied the plant II |
feel ! am doing some good IN the world. |
even II am ugly
Just then = man stumbled rs he passed |
w. tho bag of gold dust on his back |
fell and burst open cut Of Il came a
cloud Of tiny golden particles which /
settled on the road. grass and plant |
How beautiful you look" said the
fairy smiling and as reward for |
your noble work for the gold toicrs /
the gold dust shall remain on YOU for |
ever and you shall in future be known /
as the gnldcurod Then the voice
stopped
THAT was funny dream ! had last |
night said Adele the next morning |