Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-22
The Sandman StOrv
Copyright 1922. by the Wheeler Syndicate Inc, N Y.
BY Abby Phillips Walker

woods to pick berries and when her
pail was half full Elsie decided she
wanted TO take a walk, and walk she
did, or she thought she did, along a
path she had never noticed before,
when suddenly something tugged at
her dress skirt and Elsie found her
self running through the woods and
she could not stop.
On and on she ran until she came
TO a strange country where the houses
were without roofs and the trees with
out leaves. Here we are, SAID a
number of little voices.
Elsie looked down and all around
her she saw hundreds of tiny men
dressed in brown suits with caps drawn
tightly about their faces, their bright
little eyes twinkling with laughter as
they jumped about.
This is where YOU belong said one
brown elf. in the land of hak-fnished
things. We need 4 queen and the
fairies told US you were the very one
so We carried you off and this is your
kingdom.
But l don't want to stay here" Elsie
began. The Brown Elves paid not
the least attention TO what she said
but tugged at her skirt and off she went.
This time up the steps of what
might have been a beautiful house II
it had been finished, but the steps
were only half built and Elsie had to
he careful not to fall as she climbed
in the doorway.
There is your throne?" said s
brown elf, showing Elsie a beautiful
gold throne partly covered with rec
velvet, you are 10 sit here and give
your orders, we are your subjects.
As Elsie seated herself on the throne
down it went, tumbling her on the
/ floor
"Ohr' cried the Brown Elves, at i
only half finished. Some day we ma,
fix it so it won't fall. And here is you
crown, II isn't finished either.
That isn't crown" said Elsie, 81
is only twisted piece of gold. I
crown should have beautiful jewels IL
it and lovely lacey work in the front. "
"Of course, we know that" said ;
Brown Elf, but this is the land of hal
finished things, you know. You wil
have 10 wear it and sit on the tipped
over throne"
Just then other Brown Elves cam
running with the royal robe she wa
to wear-a beautiful long cape of purple
velvet trimmed with ermine; or a
least it would have been if it had beer
finished, but the ermine was sewed OF
only half way around the robe.
Why, this is not finished, said Elsie
as she tried to fasten the robe at he
neck Where is the loop to iasten it?'
"Oh, OF course it is not finished,
said one of the elves, This is the LAND
of half-finished things, you know. Now
what are your royal orders your mo-
I jcsty?" asked all the Elves, bowling
/ low before her.
'My order is that you lazy creatures
start right in finishing the things you
have started. The roof of this house
should be finished, this throne and
crown and"
But she got no further for up jumped
all the Brown Elves, and tugging
at her skirt, they cried, "You are not
fit for the Queen of Half Finished Land
go back to the place where things are
we'll done"
Elsie opened her eyes. She had
fallen asleep beside berry bush, and
| tugging at her dress was Rover, who
thought she had slept long enough.n
Elsie was glad TO find herself safe, in
her own land and not in the place
where things were never finished.
On her way home she thought q
great deal about her bad habit OF
leaving her work half-fnished and she
made up her mind that the fairies
should never again give her name to
the Brown Elves of Half-Finisheo
Land as being the very one for theil
queen.