davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
VOLCANOES.

Volcanoes are burning mountains.
In some parts of the world melted
rock and lava have been pushed up
through cracks In the surface.
Rock has been cooled in cone shape
heaps in some places. There are many
volcanoes along the Pacific coast Of
Asia and South America. in Ireland,
Java and Italy.
Each cone shape mass Of ashes and
lava is a volcano. Volcanoes may be
two or three miles high or may not be
any higher than hill shooting ashes
and lava many miles into the air.
Many mountains are old volcanoes.
The bursting forth of ashes and lava
is called an eruption. Volcanoes de-
stroy villages, cattle, fish, chickens,
pigs, horses and people.
Sometimes volcanoes form under the
sea and push their cones far above the
surface. Many islands have been form
ed In this way. They are known as
volcanic islands.
Irene Tharp, age II,
r. F. D. No. 1,
Abba, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
A DAY AT THE RIVER.

Mr.. Rogers lives in house by the
river.
One day my class went to Mr.. Rog-
er's. We took our dinner with US. We
played while, then we got in a ship
and went across the river We saw
big rocks in the river.
When noon came we went back to
the house and spread our dinner out.
When we got through doing that we
sat down and ate our dinner. We had
aples, bananas, oranges, tomatoes,
eggs, cake, candy, beets, crackers. pie,
beans, meat, cookies, bread and butter,
and chicken. When we got through
eating we picked up our dishes and
put them in our baskets.
In the afternoon we gathered flow
ers for while and then we went
across the river again and played on
a hill. We had lots of fun doing that.
Then we got in the ship and went
back. We then played awhile by the
side Of the river.
And then we went home. We had
lots of fun on the way. When we got
home we told our papas and mammas
what we had done.
Nora May Daley.
Birmingham, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
DECLARATION OF lNDEPEND.
ENCE.

The cause Of the Declaration Of In
dependence was England had got
land from Spain, France and other
countries and she thought they would
try to get it back. She placed 10000
regular troops from Canada to Flori-
da, half to be kept by the colonized
towns and part by crown. The shares
to be paid were to be raised LIST. by
enforcing old trade law and naviga-
ton act End. BY tax on sugar and
molasses. 3rd. By the stamp act.
The stamp act was that you had to
pay so much on any kind Of paper
that had reading on it, and the griev-
ances complained Of were: Taxation
without representation. The sugar
act. The stamp act. Then people got
mad and fought the battles Of Concord
and Lexington and Bunker Hill mean
while Thomas Jefferson, John Adams
Roger Sherman and Robert Living
ston were to write a Declaration Of In
dependence in case it was needed. AS
Jefferson was chairman of the commit
tee the duty fell to him. Congress
passed Lees resolution and the colo
MES became free. This led to the De.
claration on July 4, Its and copies
were sent to the states and Pennsyl-
vania got hers first and read it to a
vast crowd at noon on July 8, from a
wooden platform built in 1859 to ena-
Bile Doris Rittenhouse to get view Of
Venus. When they were done the. peo-
pie tore down the arms in the court
house. The bell which had been cast
twenty-four years rang out a joyful
peal. The people were so glad they
built great bonfires and shot cannon
and guns off to celebrate. The old
man who rang the bell (his little
grandson was to tell him to ring it, and
seeing them give the signal he said,
Ring grandpa, ring for liberty") and
the old man rang the bell and then
died of joy.
Will close for this time, wishing the
Juniors success and hoping to win a
prize.
Edna Fayette Lewis,
Rutledge, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
THE SOUVENIR CARD CONTEST.

Dear Juniors: Only one little girl
seems to perfectly understand the
souvenir contest so we will try it
again this week and see how many
Juniors take advantage of this splen-
did offer. The editor knows a little
girl who has an album with one hun
dred souvenir cards and 1t is almost
like taking trip to look at the cards.
We will mail the cards to Edna Lewis
and her little friends this evening.
The postal cards will not only be
souvenirs of Ottumwa, but will be
souvenirs of other places. If the Jun
Tors pay attention to the rules of the
contest they will have beautiful col
lection Of cards when the contest
closes. Now to receive a souvenir
card the Juniors must ask their little
friends to become members of the
Courier Junior family To belong to
this big family the little friends must
each write a nice letter or else story
On one Of the following subjects:
Halloween"
Brother Goat or Brother Rabbit"
General Grant,"
"The Eagle
History Of the Postal Card"
Here is written illustration Of
what we mean. Suppose Anna Smith
gets Mary Black, Sallie Jones or Billy
White to send in letter or story.
Well, she will receive four souvenir
cards, and each Of the Juniors Anna
has secured will receive souvenir
card, showing he or she is member
of the Junior family. OF course Anna
must write nice letter or story her
self on one of the above subjects for
the first week, and after that she can
just send In the names of the new
Juniors. Anna Is just an imaginary
or make believe girl, but the editor
wants to show you what she means,
and so gives this Illustration. New
Juniors mean Juniors whose names
are not on the honor roll. The first
that the Juniors living at a distance
I will have an equal chance. We will
send the cards out just as soon as we
receive ''Billy's" letter or story cor
responding with the name enclosed in
Annals" letter or story.
| The editor hopes these instructions
are all plain to the Juniors, because
we want you all to have beautiful
souvenir cards. Any child that wants
to write is at liberty to do so. They
10 not have to be new Junior, that
IS one that has never written before
All children when they write will be
ranked with the Junior family There
is another advantage in this contest.
That is that we will award nice
( book to the Junior writing the best
letter or story. We hope lots Of the
Junior boys will write.
| In writing your letters or stories
use only one side of the paper and
sign your name and address, as well
as the date and give your correct age
The prize for the best essay on the
Declaration of independence" is
awarded to Artie Thompson, aged IL
years, of Bidwell. Artie's compost
/ ton was published last week. He
compiled with all the rules of the con
test.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30

John G. Whittier was born near
haverhill, Mass, in 1907; died at
Hampton Falls, N. H., in 1892.
His boyhood was passed on farm
and he never received classical edu-
cation.
In 1929 he edited a newspaper In
Boston. In the following year he re.
moved to Hartford, Conn, to assume
a similar position.
In 1885 he edited an anti.slavery
paper in Philadelphia. In 1910 he
moved to Amesbury. Mass. Mr.. Whit
tiers parents were Friends, and he al.
ways held the same faith. He wrote
extensively both in prose and verse
AS poet he ranked among the
most highly esteemed and honored by
his countrymen
Snowbound is one of the best of his
poems.
Beulah Spray,
Age 49, Stockport. Ia.
Rural Route No. So.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30

dealer in leather. In 1s4s, Mr.. Grant
married Julia Dent, ner father being
prominent merchant dealer Of st.
Louis.
Soon after Mr.. Grant became cap.
tain and joined the army. When the
Civil war broke out in 1861, Grant was
thirty-one years of age and he joined
the army and became general After
General Grant made his voyage around
the world with the Ferdinand Ward Of
New York City, he came back and died
from the effect Of cancer Of the
tongue on July %, 1885.
Hoping to get souvenir postal card,
Your friend,
Hattie Hart.
I am II years old.
1741 East Main Street.
P. S. didn't get anyone else to
write, but will write myself. This
is the first time have ever written to
the Courier Junior.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
OLD CHARMS FoR HALLOWEEN

For the Juniors Big Sisters or
Brothers
Below are some old charms used on
Halloween since the early days in
Scotland. Here are the best known
ones:
Place three dishes in a row-one
and one empty. Blindfold the girl and
let her put her hand into dish. The
clear water fortells happy marriage,
the muddy an unfortunate one, and
the empty dish means no husband.
Place three nuts on the bars of the
crate. naming one after your sweet
hearts. If the nut cracks or jumps
the sweetheart will be unfaithful, if it
begins to blaze, he has regard for
you. Name one nut for yourself, and
1T the two burn clearly and brightly,
1t will be happy marriage.
Seven girls make cake Of flour
and water mixed to stiff dough and
placed In pan. No word must be
spoken during the making of the cake,
and no man must appear on the scene
Each girl pricks her initial and the
initial of her sweetheart on top of the
cake. Ten minutes are allowed for the
baking Of the cake, no one being per-
mitted to speak. When the cake is
baked the initials of those who will
marry before the year is out are plain
ly seen on the top. If the door opens
and man enters, the girl on whom
his glance falls first will be married
first.
Hold door key in one hand. With
iron spoon through the handle of the
key into cold water The lead will
take shapes indicative of the profess
sion of ones future husband. In Rus
STA hot lard is used instead of lead.
One or two drops is sufficient.
Eat an apple before a mirror at mid
night. holding a lighted candle in one
hand and the image of your future
husband will appear, looking over
your shoulder.
Tie an apple to string and swing
it in the doorway. With hands tied
behind the young men try to take
bites out of the apple. The one who
first succeeds has the privilege of kiss
ing any girl he chooses.
Name several chestnuts and place
them in a row before the crate. The
one which bursts open first will indi-
cate the man who will pop the ques.
ton first.
Place penny, thimble and ring
into cake and bake it, Form a pro-
cession through the rooms just as the
clock strikes twelve. Have one carry
the cake aloft, while the others follow
in silence. No one must speak or
breathe loud while the cake is cut or
eaten; the ring is for marriage, the
penny for riches and the thimble for
the spinster.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
OCTOBER.

The leaves began to turn brown, red
and yellow. There are lots of leaves
falling now.
think the leaves begin to get pref
ty in October. They are green at the
first of October but along at the last
they begin to turn other colors and
Jack Frost comes along and nips them
and then the wind blows. The leaves
fan off then. The people pick apples
in October. / will close
Oral Seaton, aged 10.
R. F. D. No. S, Charlton, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
GENERAL GRANT.

General Grant was born at Point
Pleasant. O., April 81, 1922. He was
unwilling to follow his fathers trade,
that of a tanner, and at the age of
seventeen, he secured an appointment
at West Point. His name having been
wrongly registered, he tried to make
1t right, but finally accepted his 'mani-
fest destiny" assumed the name given
him, and therefore signed it Ulysses
Simpson, Simpson being his mothers
family name. Two years after COM
pleting his, four years course as cadet,
the Mexican war broke out. in which
Grant received great promotion. He
then retired to a private life where he
remained until the Civil war. He then
of volunteers, when he took them to
Springfield. where he became aid to
General Yates. and was finally made
colonel of the 21st Illinois regiment.
He was plain, quiet, gentle and re-
ticent man, and attracted little atten-
ton to himself personally. He was
one Of the federal leaders of the Civil
war. In March 1864, General Grant
was made lieutenant general of all Of
the forces Of the United States.
GrantS years IN the civil war are
very important. After the war had
come to close he was elected Presi.
dent Of our country. He served only
two terms. After his presidential
terms he made a tour Of the world. He
died at Mount McGregor, New York,
July %, 1885. People from all over
the country united in sympathy for his
loss
Edna Lewis asked me to write this.
Yours truly,
Ethel Truely,
o o NJ
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPEN.
DENCE.

The Declaration of Independence
was signed on the fourth day Of July.
1776. Thomas Jefferson was the author
of it and 1t took ten days for him to
punctuate 1t properly. At the same
day there was an old man who rang
a bell, which was afterwards called
the independence bell, which rang out
our liberty. The bell is still some
where yet, and they had 1t at the
worlds fair. The Declaration of indie
pendence was signed at a hall in Phil
adelphia, which was afterwards called
the independence hall
Homer Bellage,
Age IL. Keosauqua, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
O1Iv9 NetSe, age II,
r. F. D. No. 8,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Edna Lewis told me to write.

One night friend of mine gave a
party We were to come decorated
with leaves and such was covered
with leaves and had a false face. No
body knew me until after the party
was over.
We first took pumpkins and made
lanterns out of them. Then we went
out on the front lawn and played all
kinds Of games. When we got tired
they called US in the house to eat sup
per. The rooms had no lamps save
those made Of pumpkins. We got be-
hind bushes and when anybody would
go past we would scare them. For
supper we had oyster soup and crack
ers and pumpkine pie. Then they clear
ed the table and we played games in
the house. We took a string and on
one end tied apples; the other nall we
tied to a nail driven into the ceiling.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30

JENNIE RUPEE.
NAOMI e. ROBERTS.
EDNA ALTMAN.
BLANCHE ZENTZ.
LULU BLOMGREN.
NORA MAE DALEY.
HARRY FREED.
ESTHER FREED.
LESLIE BENSON.
MARGARET GUTHRIE
ETHEL DORR.
RUTH WILLIAMS.
THURLOW SANDFORD.
BERYL DANIELS (3).
TRINA FLEENER
DORI BROUNELL.
BESSIE DAVIS.
MYRTLE KEEN.
EDWARD R. CUSHING.
WARREN MCCORMICK, (2).
ARTLE THOMPSON.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
ROuL6 o.
Charlton, Iowa

Dear Junior
AS have never written to the
Courier Junior, I thought it would bs
nice to write. Edna Lewis got me to
write, and I hope she will be success
full in gaining the prize for the best
story of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence. I will write a story about Gen.
eral Grant for the Courier. hope the
Junior will be successful.
Yours truly,
Ethel Widner age 10,
Ottumwa. Ia
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
tA %
JUNIOR STORIES.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. .s.s.s..i.4-<+%4.ae
HALLOWEEN.

One night not very long before Hal
lowe'en a group of us boys and girls
thought we would have some fun. We
got some large pumpkins and followed
them out and then we made eyes, noses
and mouths in them. We then hunted
up some candles and put them inside.
Then when Halloween came we lighted
the candles and went around frighten-
ing each other with them. When we
had got tired of playing with them we
went into the house and put some ap-
pies into tub and poured water on
them. We then put our faces down
into the water and tried to get the ap-
Piles into our mouths. We also took a
long string and doubled it so that both
ends were even. We then fastened it
up and tied an apple on each end
Then we pushed the apples to make
them swing and tried to catch them III
our mouths. We had fine time and
I wish other Juniors a merry Hallowe'-
en-.
Your friend,
Olive Reese. age IL,
R. F. D. No. 8,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
Ottumwa, Ia, Oct. %, 1905.

Ulysses Simpson Grant, the
states was = bou1 AnriI ~ sIe 1922 ''s at
Point Pleasant, Clermont county, O..
His fahter was of Scotch descent and
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
DECLARATION OF INDEPEND-
ENCE.

The declaration of independence
was signed in July 1776 in what is
now called the independence Hall at
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30

Mary jingles. I am well pleased with
it and wishing to show my apprecia-
ton, / decided to write a few lines to
you.
Yours truly.
Myrtle Keen,
Route 6.
Charlton, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30

to catch them with our mouths Then
we filled a tub half full Of water, and
put in some apples and tried to catch
them with our mouths. When we got
tired we told stories and riddles. Aft
err we ate our supper they pinned an
artificial leaf and red, white and blue
on us. We each one had a pumpkin
lantern to go home with to give light.
One girl lived a long way off, SO we all
accompanied her part way.
Wishing the Junior page success, I
remain yours sincerely,
Edna Lewis, age IA,
Rutledge, Iowa.
One time we had small party of
boys and girls come to our house to
Halloween party. We made packed
lanterns out Of pumpkins and fixed
them on the fence so they could see
where to put their horses. When they
came in they went into the bedroom
and took off their wraps. We told
them to go into the parlor and to go
through the hall. On the stairs was
a boy dressed as ghost. On his hand
ne had glove filled with ice and fix
ed with sawdust. When the people
came by he would hit them with the
cold glove and brighten them. Then
we put apples in a tub and caught
them with our mouths. Then we set
three bowls on the table-one with
clear water In it and one with dirty
looking water in it and the other with
nothing In it. Then we blfndfolded
the girls and shifted the bowls around
and the one they put their finger In
they found out about marriage. The
clear water was a happy marriage;
the dirty water an unhappy marriage
and the other an old maid. We had
cut pumpkins and cats out Of paper.
We gave the girls pumpkins and the
boys cats. They had corresponding
numbers on the backs. This is the way
they found their partners for supper.
AFTER supper we blew out the lights
and told ghost stories. Then my cous-
In was dressed as witch and told for
tunes with cards We had very nice
time and hope the Juniors will have
the same.
Your Junior friend,
Mildred Whitcomb,
r. F. d. No. 5.
Ottumwa, Iowa.
My friend, Edna Lewis, wanted me
10 write story to you so we would
get postal cards. My subject is Hal
lowe'en.'
Where we did live before we came
here, a little girl friend of mine and
thought we would have a good time, so
we got some pumpkins, followed them
out and made eyes, nose and mouth
then we got some candles and put on
the inside, then went to house, put
1t up In window and scared a little
boy, and the people that lived in that
mouse chased US until my friends can
Ole went out, SO we had to borrow a
match, and we went to another mans
mouse and my friend fell down and
broke her pumpkin. Then we had to
go nome, and after we were home in
bed the larger boys went into the
hardware store and took wagon and
ran 1T into ditch right near our house.
Ihen they took an old buggy and put
1t on mans house. Then they got
an old COW and put it in the depot.
Yours truly,
Bertha Porter,
r. F. D. No. 3,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Enda Lewis told me to write.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
SOME HALLOWEEN GAMES.

Give each child the name of nut.
Tell a story using the names and as
each nut is named, the child must
jump up and turn around quickly, say
ing his assumed name. When the
story-teller calls the word forest"
all OF the children jump up, turn
around and call their names and
change places. The last one in his
place has to take up the story and
continue it.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30

redeem it?" walk on all fours and
bark like dog" or some similar feat
which the owner of the ring must do
to reclaim his, property. If the owner
is girl, she is "superfine." A word
to the mother who may think this a
dangerous game for children:
1t is much wiser to allow your child
to handle matches and fire under your
supervision, teaching him to keep it
away from his face and clothing and
to have water handy, than to leave his
instruction to other children.
Instead Of fishpond or grab bag
at the Halloween party, try Chin
csc Laundry" Have a grown person
dressed in costume of a Chinese laun-
dryman with long queue, funny
false face and big covered basket on
his arm. Wrap toys in mysterious
bundles. Give children grains Of pop
ped corn and let them bid for a
chance to put hands into the basket
and draw out a bundle. OF course
the laundryman will make many fun
ny gestures. talk pigeon English and
make lots of fun. He can be accom-
panied by two little boys as Chinese
dwarfs or monkeys to help the fun.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-30
JUNIOR LETTERS.
ID 40

SSNlSn en0s i
!. ir<.'s'x .a44t4O
Dear Editor
AS want all the Juniors to know
what pretty cross got for the prize
for the MARY" jingles, I will thank
you again through the Courier Junior.
1t was a very pretty little thing and 1t
working for. I will write a story next
time.
Helen Rowe, age 8,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Dear Editor
I have never written to the Junior,
but will write and answer your prize
poem now. THE Barefoot Boy" fill
ed our the blanks and cut 1t out of the
my essay about the author: His name
is John Greenleaf Whittier. He was
born near Haverhill Mass, Sept. II,
1907. He had one brother and two sis
tiers. He has written lots Of poems, but
like Snow Bound" and 1.-THE Bare
foot Boy" best. Whittier was color
blind, so lost many Of the beauties of
nature He lived to be 81 years old,
but he did not write poems in his last
years. He said that the mere thought
of a pen made his head ache He died
will close, hoping to win prize.
Yours truly,
Merle Sloan, age II,
Drakeville. Iowa
Dear Editor
I have never written to the Junior
before, and thought I would do so
now, as l wish to enter the contest
concerning the"Declaration of Indepen-
NV 70 Yac ~
1t is a good paper. like to read the
Junior letters. I have a shepherd dog,
geese, and two pet pigs. Well, as my
letter is getting long, I will close,
wishing the Courier success.
Your friend.
Lloyd Rime age IA,
Floris, Iowa.
Dear Editor
full gold locket. it was so much nicer
than thought it would be.
Again thanking you for my beautiful
locket, remain your friend,
Norma Daniels, age 8,
Eldon, Iowa.
Dear Editor
will write a letter. For pets I
have a dog and two cats. The dogs
school and my teachers name is Miss
Mccormick. I like to go to school. ]
am in the third year and when school is
out come home and do some Of the
work. AS my letter is getting long, ]
will close for this time.
Your friend
Otha Mccoy, age 10.
Dear Editor
received the book yesterday, which
you sent me in answer to the four lines
of poetry I wrote concerning Merry