



Produced by Al Haines.




[Illustration: Cover]




                           The Sandman's Hour

                         Stories _for_ Bedtime


                        By Abbie Phillips Walker

                    _Illustrated by_ Rhoda. C. Chase



                     Harper & Brothers, Publishers



                       [Illustration: Title page]




                           The Sandman's Hour

                 Copyright, 1917, by Harper & Brothers
                Printed in the United States of America




                               *CONTENTS*


Where the Sparks Go
The Good Sea Monster
Mother Turkey and Her Chicks
The Fairies and the Dandelion
Mr. 'Possum
The Rooster That Crowed Too Soon
Tearful
Hilda's Mermaid
The Mirror's Dream
The Contest
The Pink and Blue Eggs
Why the Morning-Glory Sleeps
Dorothy and the Portrait
Mistress Pussy's Mistake
Kid
The Shoemaker Rat
The Poppies
Little China Doll
The Disorderly Girl
The Wise Old Gander
Dinah Cat and the Witch
The Star and the Lily
Lazy Gray
The Old Gray Hen
The Worsted Doll




                          *THE SANDMAN'S HOUR*



[Illustration: Headpiece to Where the Sparks Go]


                         *WHERE THE SPARKS GO*


One night when the wind was blowing and it was clear and cold out of
doors, a cat and a dog, who were very good friends, sat dozing before a
fire-place.  The wood was snapping and crackling, making the sparks fly.
Some flew up the chimney, others settled into coals in the bed of the
fireplace, while others flew out on the hearth and slowly closed their
eyes and went to sleep.

One spark ventured farther out upon the hearth and fell very near Pussy.
This made her jump, which awakened the dog.

"That almost scorched your fur coat, Miss Pussy," said the dog.

"No, indeed," answered the cat.  "I am far too quick to be caught by
those silly sparks."

"Why do you call them silly?" asked the dog.  "I think them very good to
look at, and they help to keep us warm."

"Yes, that is all true," said the cat, "but those that fly up the
chimney on a night like this certainly are silly, when they could be
warm and comfortable inside; for my part, I cannot see why they fly up
the chimney."

The spark that flew so near Pussy was still winking, and she blazed up a
little when she heard the remark the cat made.

"If you knew our reason you would not call us silly," she said.  "You
cannot see what we do, but if you were to look up the chimney and see
what happens if we are fortunate enough to get out at the top, you would
not call us silly."

The dog and cat were very curious to know what happened, but the spark
told them to look and see for themselves.  Pussy was very cautious and
told the dog to look first, so he stepped boldly up to the fireplace and
thrust his head in.  He quickly withdrew it, for his hair was singed,
which made him cry and run to the other side of the room.

Miss Pussy smoothed her soft coat and was very glad she had been so
wise; she walked over to the dog and urged him to come nearer the fire,
but he realized why a burnt child dreads the fire, and remained at a
safe distance.

Pussy walked back to the spark and continued to question it.  "We cannot
go into the fire," she said. "Now, pretty, bright spark, do tell us what
becomes of you when you fly up the chimney.  I am sure you only become
soot and that cannot make you long to get to the top."

"Oh, you are very wrong," said the spark.  "We are far from being black
when we fly up the chimney, for once we reach the top, we live forever
sparkling in the sky.  You can see, if you look up the chimney, all of
our brothers and sisters, who have been lucky and reached the top,
winking at us almost every night. Sometimes the wind blows them away, I
suppose, for there are nights when we cannot see the sparks shine."

"Who told you all that?" said the cat.  "Did any of the sparks ever come
back and tell you they could live forever?"

"Oh no!" said the spark; "but we can see them, can we not?  And, of
course, we all want to shine forever."

"I said you were silly," said the cat, "and now I know it; those are not
sparks you see; they are stars in the sky."

"You can call them anything you like," replied the spark, "but we make
the bright light you see."

"Well, if you take my advice," said the cat, "you will stay right in the
fireplace, for once you reach the top of the chimney out of sight you
go.  The stars you see twinkling are far above the chimney, and you
never could reach them."  But the spark would not be convinced.  Just
then some one opened a door and the draught blew the spark back into the
fireplace. In a few minutes it was flying with the others toward the top
of the chimney.

Pussy watched the fire a minute and then looked at the dog.

"The spark may be right, after all," said the dog. "Let us go out and
see if we can see it."

Pussy stretched herself and blinked.  "Perhaps it is true," she replied;
"anyway, I will go with you and look."




[Illustration: Headpiece to The Good Sea Monster]


                         *THE GOOD SEA MONSTER*


On an island of rocks out in the ocean lived a sea monster.  His head
was large, and when he opened his mouth it looked like a cave.

It had been said that he was so huge that he could swallow a ship, and
that on stormy nights he sat on the rocks and the flashing of his eyes
could be seen for miles around.

The sailors spoke of him with fear and trembling, but, as you can see,
the sea monster had really been a friend to them, showing them the rock
in the storm by flashing his eyes; but because he looked so hideous all
who beheld him thought he must be a cruel monster.

One night there was a terrible storm, and the monster went out into the
ocean to see if any ship was wrecked in the night, and, if possible,
help any one that was floating about.

He found one little boy floating about on a plank. His name was Ko-Ko,
and when he saw the monster he was afraid, but when Ko-Ko saw that the
monster did not attempt to harm him he climbed on the monster's back and
he took him to the rocky island. Then the monster went back into the sea
and Ko-Ko wondered if he were to be left alone.  But after a while the
monster returned and opened his mouth very wide.

Ko-Ko ran when he saw the huge mouth, for he thought the monster
intended to swallow him, but as he did not follow him Ko-Ko went back.

The monster opened his mouth again, and Ko-Ko asked, "Do you want me to
go inside?" and the monster nodded his head.

"It must be for my own good," said Ko-Ko, "for he could easily swallow
me if he wished, without waiting for me to walk in."

So Ko-Ko walked into the big mouth and down a dark passage, but what the
monster wanted him to do he could not think.  He could see very faintly
now, and after a while he saw a stove, a chair, and a table. "I will
take these out," said Ko-Ko, "for I am sure I can use them."

He took them to a cave on the island, and when he returned the monster
was gone; but he soon returned, and again he opened his mouth.

Ko-Ko walked in this time without waiting, and he found boxes and
barrels of food, which he stored away in the cave.  When Ko-Ko had
removed everything the monster lay down and went to sleep.

Ko-Ko cooked his dinner and then he awoke the monster and said, "Dinner
is ready," but the monster shook his head and plunged into the ocean.
He soon returned with his mouth full of fish.  Then Ko-Ko knew that the
monster had brought all the things from the sunken ship for him, and he
began to wish that the monster could talk, for he no longer feared him.

"I wish you could talk," he said.

"I can," the monster replied.  "No one ever wished it before.  An old
witch changed me into a monster and put me on this island, where no one
could reach me, and the only way I can be restored to my original form
is for some one to wish it."

"I wish it," said Ko-Ko.

"You have had your wish," said the monster, "and I can talk; but for me
to become a man some one else must wish it."

The monster and Ko-Ko lived for a long time on the island.  He took
Ko-Ko for long rides on his back, and when the waves were too high and
Ko-Ko was afraid the monster would open his mouth and Ko-Ko would crawl
inside and be brought back safe to the island.

One night, after a storm, Ko-Ko saw something floating on the water, and
he jumped on the monster's back and they swam out to it.

It proved to be a little girl, about Ko-Ko's age, who had been on one of
the wrecked vessels, and they brought her to the island.

At first she was afraid of the monster, but when she learned that he had
saved Ko-Ko as well as her and brought them all their food she became as
fond of him as Ko-Ko was.

"I wish he were a man," she said one day, as she sat on his back with
Ko-Ko, ready for a sail.  Splash went both children into the water, and
there in place of the monster was an old man.  He caught the children in
his arms and brought them to the shore.

"But what will we do for food, now that you are a man?" asked Ko-Ko.

"We shall want for nothing now," replied the old man.  "I am a sea-god
and can do many things, now that I have my own form again.  We will
change this island into a beautiful garden, and when the little girl and
you are grown up and married you shall have a castle, and all the
sea-gods and nymphs will care for you.  You will never want for anything
again.

"I will take you out on the ocean on the backs of my dolphins."

Ko-Ko and the little girl lived on the enchanted island, and all the
things that the old sea-god promised came true.




[Illustration: Headpiece to Mother Turkey and Her Chicks]


                     *MOTHER TURKEY AND HER CHICKS*


Mother Turkey believed in the old adage taught to her by her
grandmother, "The early bird catches the worm," and every night when the
sun set she took her little chicks to the highest branch they could
reach in an old apple-tree and sang them to sleep with this lullaby:

    "Close your eyes, my little turkey chicks;
      Hide your heads, don't peep.
    Mother knows the bogy fox's tricks,
      And she'll watch while you sleep."


Mother Turkey had told them about the bogy fox that lived in a hole on
the other side of the hill, and it did not need more than the mention of
that name to make them obey.

"I do wish we could get just a look at him," said one chick, as his
mother came to the end of the verse. "I should not know him if I met
him."

"Oh yes, you would," replied his mother.  "He has a very long tail, and
a sharp nose, and his teeth! Oh, dear me!" she exclaimed, as she flapped
her wings at the thought of them.

"Will you wake us if he comes to-night?" asked another chick.

"I shall not need to do that," replied Mother Turkey; "you will hear us
talking.  He is a very sly fellow, and always very polite and says nice
things. But you cover your heads; it is getting late," and she began to
sing:

    "Close your eyes, my little turkey chicks;
      Hide your heads, don't peep.
    Mother knows the bogy fox's tricks,
      And she'll watch while you sleep."


By the time Mother Turkey reached the end of the verse this time all the
chicks were fast asleep.

Mother Turkey stretched out her wings once or twice and turned her head
in all directions, and then she settled herself for a nap.

The moon was shining brightly when she awoke, and she saw not far off
what looked like a large black dog walking cautiously toward the tree.
Mother Turkey took another look and saw the bushy tail, and she perched
herself more firmly on the limb and looked to see if her children were
safe on there, too, for she knew that the bogy fox had come to take one
of her chicks back to his hole if he could.

"Good evening, Mr. Fox," she said, as the fox came near enough to hear
her.  "I was sure that I knew your splendid figure; you certainly make a
most remarkable picture in the moonlight."

Mr. Fox was somewhat taken aback at this compliment paid him in such a
pleasant manner, for usually he was the one to make remarks and the
turkeys listened, not daring to move or speak.

He recovered from his surprise by the time he was under the tree, and
said: "You are most flattering, Mistress Turkey, and I can only return
the compliment by telling you that you are a picture yourself in the
moonlight, sitting so stately on that limb, but if you would enjoy to
the full extent this beautiful evening you must come from the tree and
take a walk over the hill."

"No doubt you are right," replied Mrs. Turkey, "but I could not think of
leaving my children alone."

"I should be very glad to take care of the little dears while you are
gone," said Mr. Fox, "and if you will have them come down beside me I
will tell them a story which I am sure will keep them interested until
you return."

By this time the turkey chicks were awake and listening to what the fox
was saying.  He seemed so nice and polite that they quite forgot to be
afraid, and when he spoke of telling them a story one of them said: "Oh,
please do go, mother, and let him tell us a story.  We'll be very good
if you will."

"You see, my dear madam," said the fox, "the little dears are quite
willing to stay with me.  Do go and enjoy the moonlight."

Mother Turkey looked at her children in a way that plainly said to them,
"Be quiet," and then she said to Mr. Fox: "I appreciate your kind offer,
and were my children well should be very glad to leave them with you,
but they have been sick, and are so lean that I have to be very careful
that they sleep and eat well, or they will not be fat by next
Thanksgiving, and that would be a disgrace, you know."

When the fox heard this he was not so anxious to have the chicks come
down, so he said, "I know just how anxious you must feel, Mistress
Turkey, and if you will come down where I can talk with you without
being heard I will tell you the very thing to give them to make them
fat."

"If he cannot get the chicks he will take me," thought Mrs. Turkey, "but
I am too old a bird to be caught even by this sly fellow."

Mrs. Turkey did not reply to this last remark. She was thinking of a
trap she saw her master set the day before.  "I wish you would walk
around a little so my children can see what a beautiful bushy tail you
have," she said.  "They have never seen so handsome a fellow as you
are."

Mr. Fox was very proud