Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-16
SANDMAN STORY.
by Abbie Philips Walker
Protected by George Matthew Adarns
WHY MIR. wOODPECKER
Is MARKED.

Mr. Woodpecker is n marked blru'
as You all know who have seen him. Tor
tho rcd SPOT on the back OF his hehu -
plainly seen when ne is pecking away
at a tree, ur even If hnlf hidden by
leavea the red spot Is pretty sure 10
be seen and to reveal his working place,
even when the sound cannot be located.
Mrs Woodpcckcr does not wear this
red spot, for she is tho ono VINO caused
hor mate 10 be so marked. and why, do
you suppose?
Listen and i will tell you what Ia
eaid about IL I'm BiTdland. for there Is
always n little bird You KNOW thht
,yives nway secrets and that is how.
this ono was learned.
Long. long ago certain MIS- Wood-
pecker. so the story goes, had great
deal OF trouble with her husband DC
cause he went away from home early
and stayed late and never brought
anything home TO help support the
birdIinRa Mrs. Woodpeckor pleaded
and pcoped at this all in vain Mr.
woodpeckor declared he could not find
enough insects for himscl, io' a'ohe
bringing some home.
Little Mrs Woodpecker tried 10
,rotch her mate and flew after him
clever In lodging for her TO follow him.
Cor ne could easily hide against the
Lark Of 4 tree and she could not ma
him.
of courso. aho could hear him ham
melting. hut his bright eyes always saw
her afnr OF and ho was on the wing
and n,ynv before she could got near
80 ono day Mrs. Woodpecker be-
came very desperate and asked 'he
pohlins 10 help her Il can't get him TO
hrinr home n thing for the children
~ r,t ahe said. and they eat go
,nu,.h an, lust worn out. DO tell me
,,hot to do. II could follow him ana
catch him at work then ! should pe
certain ha fnds polnty Of food, but
cannot prove that he does not. foI
can never surprise him
The little goblin WAS sitting on
rock out of which he had Just jumped
and laying a finger on one sldo 81
his nose. ne thought minute. hhF"
Il Nrs Woodpecker." he aaid. jump
ing IN II viii get the fairies 90 let you
have aono of the red like my cap.
Nh, .4r paint lis head red some night
when ~ ia asleep, and with a red car
I Mo irino you cnn see him nnN"h' re
IN thr forrest"
Mrs ~ ndpcolter went homo with =
4 t,,ht hcart ana that night che met ibe
,-olliu. >yhu had au acorn cuptuI -
r.3 rairt for her but the rest VA
, 4, .asy for whom She flew hom'
,,fti, tbc pa{nf ana tried - laint her
.r,.ta,d.s haad while he alept he itoIt
waiting MI ana aal>inR, who Is Il
Lu,r ma ton of uy hoad7 and poor
lutt.. A!f4. NoodpcclSer could not ma1
hrr mate,
Isut thc next morning, just az 4.
WAS Hyiag away, Mrs Woodpe' \
WAS IL ,spun, Rhe lost her temper an.
aft,r him shc threw tho paint brush
vht,b struck the back of her husband
hc,d ana lcft Il spot az rod paint.
nf course he did not know ahat
the paint and thought his wife w
cross but there II was. and then Mi
Woodpccker followed and caught he
lazv husband. for now that ahe ooul
SEQ him solno distance away. Rhe too
good care that no should not see he
uutil She was beside him.
Il was ~ uae 70 deny It now. for III
saw with rcr own eyes that thcre wcr
plenty of insects and he had u do hi
part after that toward supporting III
family
And that is the reason that NJ
woodpocAer wears a rcd spot on N
back ~ hts head and his wife does u"
so u4o Itil, bird from BiriIand tel
the Stcry