



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