Children's Corner

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 45, 17 April 1930, Page 4

Children's Corner

THE SANDMAN S HOLIDAY.

For thousands and thousands of years the sandman had never taken a holiday. Every night Ke had been ready with his sacks of sleepy sand that he filled by day on the golden shore of the Bye-bye Ocean..

But one nigh he felt so -tired -he gave notice to all the mothers that he would-have to go away j for a little change. They begged and begged him not to leave them.

"How shall I get by baby -to sleep?'"

''Who will make my Tommy come in frbm the £>avden at eight o'clock?" " '■■■■~.

''■ Oh,_ : M v, Bandman, we'-will raise, your wages if you will only stay with us!" , The SMiidman at last made up nis^mmd *(f mothers [as much as possible-, so he filled all his sacks,-and left them ready, before setting sail in a little boat for a trip on the Bye-bye-Ocean. The first night the children went to sleep much as'usual, because it was their custom.

The: second night they

were

awake longer

The third night some of them refused to «-o to bed \ '

"I'm not a bit sleepy," the mothers were told again and again all over the land. So the children had to be made to go to bed, arid a good many were smacked, and that through no fault of their own.

At last the mothers, went to look for the sandman's sacks. How pleased they were to find them! They nearly smothered their children with sleepy sand.

There was no trouble that night in getting the children to sleep, but the trouble came the next morning when the mothers could not wake them up. ,

"It's seven o'clock, Betty. Now get up, there's a good little girl!" But Betty slept on.

t'Dick, your porridge is getting cold. Be quick, now!"

— ati'Dick would not wake

All day those children slept, and the mothers, in alarm, rushed down to the shore of the Bye-bye Ocean and shouted for the sandman to come back.

As it happened,, he was on his way back, and when he saw the mothers waving to him he came quickly ashore.

"What is the matter?" "Our chifdren are all asleep, and we can't wake.them." The sandman stretched out his hatids.

: "Were there ever before people so difficult to please"? Let them sleep. You are always bothering me tQ make them sleepy. I expect you gave them too much sand last night. I allow four grains to each. But if you really feel,anxious about them, sprinkle them with the blue water of the I?yebye Ocean." The mothers ran for pails, basins, cups, or any thing. that - would hold water, and quickly sprinkled their children. ... "Oh clear!" groaned /ther sandman, presently hearing the shouts,; of the little ones at play. "Now j I shall have ;to - begin, work to- \ night, and I did, hope for one more j day's holiday!" j