Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 169, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1920 — The SANDMAN STORY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The SANDMAN STORY

HOW TOPSY WON TIGER and Tim were two kittens, and while their mother, Mrs. Puss, tried to bring them up as wellmannered kittens should be brought up, those two naugh.ty kits quarreled all the time. — — Topsy Kitten, their sister,’ was a nice quiet little puss, and Mrs. Puss was very proud of this one well-behaved child, you may be sure, and that was one reason her brothers never missed a chance to plague their sister because she was always held up to them as a model. But the one thing they never forgave was what took place in the barn one day, though It was not at all Topsy’s fault but their own. — Mrs. Puss had offered a prize to the one who should catch the first mouse. It was to be a red ribbon for their neck and each one, of course, wanted It. “Oh, we will get the prize,” said Tim to Tiger. “Topsy Is so nice she would not run after a mouse. Let us go in the barn and watch this morning. Then I can wear the ribbon this afternoon when we sit out in front in the sun.”

“I am going to win the prize,” aaldl Tiger. “Ton can’t have ft.” “Oh, I know I’ll get the mow* first!” said Tim. “I can always beat you running.” “Neither of you will get it if ye* stand there quarreling,” said Mhl Puss, giving each of her sons a tap on their ears which sent both scudding Into the barn. Tim sat down by the biggest hole, and Tiger said that was not fair, sothey pushed each other about until their mother, hearing the racket, came In and settled the dispute by saying they both should sit by the hole, and the one who caught the mouse would have the prize. It was a long time before the mouse came out of his hole, because they had made so much noise, but at last he did come, and such a scramble you never did see. Over boxes and palls and rakes and hoes they all flew, and then Tim caught it, but Tiger took It away from him, saying that he saw it first, and that the mousd belonged to him. Tim Kitten said it was his, and he began to push Tiger, and the first thing they knew they had forgotten all about the mouse, which , had escaped and was running for Its hole. Tim and Tiger tumbled and clawed at each other in a terrible way, quarreling qll the time, each saying the mouse was hl& when Topsy, who was passing the barn, heard the noise and went in to see what was going on. Just as she entered the door the mouse was running for its hole, and, quick as a wink, Topsy pounced upon it and carried It off to her mother. That afternoon when Mrs. Puss sat out In the sun with her three children Topsy, wore the red ribbon, while her brothers looked at her with envy and anger. “She took my mouse,” said Tim. "I caught it first.” “It was my monte. I saw lt before you did,” said Tiger. “If I hear another word about that mouse both of you will go to bed without your supper,” said Mrs. Puss. “If you two were not always quarreling

one of you would have won the prize, but your sister caught the mouse and brought it to me first and the prize is hers.” As they were to have a saucer of cream for supper, Tim and -Tiger thought it best not to talk any more, but Tim whispered to his brother and said: “Who wants the old red ribbon aqfway? I don’t Only girl kittens wear those things.” , “I don’t want It either,” said Tiger, rolling over on the grass. “Boy kittens can’t fight with ribbons on theft necks.”’ , (Copyright-) O. — Those who live in modern flats have little room to complain.—Columbia Record. * : ’