Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 158, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1920 — The SANDMAN STORY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The SANDMAN STORY

PRINCESS AND DRAGON CTT TILLY lived on his father’s poulVv try farm and herded the geese, 4 big flock of huge white fowls fit for the king’s table. And, in fact, it was fib the king’s table that they went, for Willy sold every one of the fat geese to the royal cook. And that Is the way he happened to catch Sight of the pretty princess drying her golden hair on the back porch. • One fine morning Willy drove his cackling flock into the back gate and waited for the fat, cross cook to come out. Suddenly there was a great comifiotion and the soldiers ran out of the (klace white with terror. * “The Great Dragon of the Drule is coming,” they shouted, “for the king lias just received a messenger who say* W that animal is right now

Only 2® milesawainapplngin the wobds. HeWntS M Fed princess and says Ue will devour her if he does not get his way.” i Willy looked "up gad the princess in tears. TW Attendants had fled, but she thougWit would be cowardly for a princess to run, so she remained, 'and so did her royal father. But the king took the princess to hide in the cellar. ? better come down with me, my child,” he exclaimed. “The Dragon’s coat is of steel stales and I ins’ - for us and return to his den.” I Willy beard the «mv«sattop,if*r;le Iwas the only person about except the Hoypl family. In the distance he saw Fl dark cloud approaching swiftly and * knew that to be the Dragon from

T ?a' * e J | ■* . i the -clouds of fire and smoke arising from its mouth. “(Jome in, my cliHd/’ shouted the king. “He will swallow you at one gulp, for his teeth are sharp and have never touched anything but tender meat.” That gave Willy an idea. In the back of the yard was,an enornw crate. He decided that; thatl*i could rescue his beloved Princess and at the same time get rid of the Dragon without danger to himself. “If I kill the Dragon will you allow me to marry the Princess?” asked Willie of the King, who was wringing his hands in despair. “Of course, boy!” shouted the King. “Why, of course, it would be better to marry a gooseboy than furnish a mealfqr that horrible creature, which is 1 eyen now in sight.” “Well, I can settle the Dragon, all rfeht,” replied Willy; “only let the Princess remain in sight. She- must also refuse to the t>r*goifc IJien, when he prepares to harm her I'will kill him so dead he will never eVen leave his place.” With that Willy rati to hitch the end of a long hope; to the Iron crate, ahd as the rope was hanging already oh a pully. It was but a moment before the huge thing was poised in tue air just above the balcony on which the Princess stood. In five minutes the Great Dragon was before .the palace and smoking up all the clean windows of the place. ? “Will you marry me or would you mefer to serve as my lunch7’ cried the creature, showing hi#, big teeth. > The Princess bn*.■stood gravely on the porch. “I will never sjter as you does not deserve to live.” I ‘‘AH right,” snarled Ue opened his big mouth. ’ But just then WUly loosened the fiope, the heavy iron crate swung around and dropped right Joto the. great fs f I t MA i abig~ wedding 4>r Willy and- the Brineys, and .every ene was happy except the housemaids, who had to dean the windows that ’the Dragon had smoked up so badly. (Copyright.)