davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
Alden Doud

I like dolls very much. When I'm
not at school or busy | like to play
with them and make dresses for them.
The first dolls were called idols.
But that was long, long ago, so long
that none Of us think of what they
used to be used for when we look at
the nice dolls we have now.
| have some china dolls, some
clothes pin dolls and some paper dolls.
/ sometimes dress my Teddy Bear that
the Courier Junior sent me, UP like a
doll.
Sometimes we play with our china
dolls. When we get tired of them we
play with our clothes pin dolls. We
make clothes for them, we have
schools for them and the largest dolls
teach. At the end of the term we
have graduation class and we make
white silk dresses and put lace all
over them. We take two kinds of baby;
ribbon and pin it on them. Then we,
get tired of the clothes pin dolls and
play with the paper dolls. y
We play with the paper dolls most,
of the time We are playing with them
now. Irene Duggan and my sister
Josephine and I play together with
our dolls and we have schools for
them. We vote for the ones we want
to be teachers.
think the stories about the dolls
will be real good because every little
girl likes dolls
Your Junior friend,
Frances E. Norton. &
Melrose Iowa r.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
sToRlEs-LETTERs.
FOUR DOLLS OVER 70 YEARS OLD.

Elizabeth Trott's great-aunt in Bos-
ton had four dolls brought from Lon
don that were over seventy years old.
When Elizabeth was child her great
aunt would lay one doll at a time in
her arms and let her hold it few min
utes and then it would be packed care
great longing for those dolls. When
she was a young lady her great-aunt
gave them to her.
The largest doll is lady doll and
came from England in 1862, Her body
is made entirely of wood and is TWEEN
ty-one inches long. Her head is carved
out by hand and her arms and legs
are jointed. Her face and neck are
painted the color of flesh, her hair is
now somewhat thinned, and her eyes
resembling shoe buttons in their
b1ackness are firmly set in her face.
Her dress of rich pink brocade is made
in the style of her time, which style
we call colonial. There is full
skirt, and long train falling from the
neck, and the sleeves are tight at the
shoulders and ending in long faring
ruffles at the elbow. Her cap is of fine
linen, trimmed with pale yellow rib
bon. The dress fits her figure perfect
ly and she has on knit white stockings
and pink kid shoes with pointed toes.
Her hands are of wood with the fin
gers cut out by hand.
Another one of the dolls was bought
in London for twelve dollars. by Miss
Trott's great-aunt's grandfather, who
was a sea captain and who brought
| it as a gift to Boston in 1909, SO 1t
is now one hundred years old. This
doll is twenty-five inches long, and
has kid body and wax head and
arms. She also is dressed in the
costume of her time. Her gown is OF
pale pink barege cut low in the neck
and the elbow sleeves are of cream
colored lace. caught up with tiny
rosette of green velvet to match the
green around her waist. There is g
band of cream colored satin ribbon
cut in points around the bottom of the
skirt. She wears cream colored
/ satin shoes laced with pink ribbon
the soles of which are black velvet
Her smile discloses two tiny white
teeth and her eyes can be closed b!
1 pulling a string on the inside of hel
body.
The other large doll was bought IL
London by the same man. Her heat
and arms are also OF wax. Her dress
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08

Dear Editor
When l was a little boy, just big
enough to walk, my mamma bought
me a great big rubber doll with a
whistle in it, for Christmas. Every
time / picked it up or touched it it
would squeak. 1t was dressed in red
and blue knit suit. took that rubber
doll with me every place that | went
and one day l lost it. A little neighbor
girl found it and kept it, and that was
the last of my rubber doll
After that / had birthday party
and my aunt Annie gave me little
jointed boy doll, and one day dropped
1t and broke it, and we glued it togeth,
err and then when my little baby
brother came to live with US, gave
it to him and he broke it, so that was
the last of that doll. Then one Christ
mas my aunt Annie gave me a large
paper negro doll, holding a chicken
Every time mamma cleaned up the
house she had it to pick up and put
away. So one day mamma stuck it in
the stove, and that was the last of my
negro doll.
am a large boy now and wouldn't
claim the prettiest doll in the coun
try. Your friend,
Lewis Eisenbeis, age s.
| Ottumwa, Iowa.
| 401 West Park Ave.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
THE PAPER DOLL CONTEST.

We will again announce the Paper
Doll contest because it does not close
until Wednesday August IL. We have
already received some splendid stories
but we want many more. The rules OF
the contest follow:
The Courier Junior has secured
five of the famous Fluffy Ruffies paper
dolls, and these will be mailed to the
five girls who send in the best stories
on the subject of DOLLS" This doll
is ten and half inches tall and has
five different costumes-a winter coat
suit, a spring jacket suit, golf cos
tune, reception gown and little
summer dress with a hat to match
each costume.
The older girls will enjoy these
dolls as we'll as the younger girls. 1t
is great fun to cut out and make the
different dresses and fit them on.
In your stories you can tell of the
last doll you received or of some old
doll that has been in the family for
years, or my First Doll'' would make
an interesting subject. Some OF you
may prefer to tell of the dolls of the
different countries or about the evolu-
ton of the doll from the rag doll OF
our ancestors and coming down to
the dolls of today that sleep, talk and
almost think.
Of course this part Of the contest
will appeal only to the girls probably,
but the boys have not been forgot
ten. To each boy who sends in a
Letter viii be mailed picture post
card; if accompanied by good orig
inal story, leather card will be
mailed.
Forsthis one time we will allow the
Juniors to use as many words as they
they find necessary to express their
thoughts.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08

had given him in his coat pocket, and
he had left his coat in the car.
Manuel was SO close to the ground
that the ticket man couldn't see him
and he thought 1t was little boy who
was speaking, so he said: You see
that old gentleman going down the
street there, sonny? He's going to
Bingham Bros, so you just follow
him.
Thank you, kindly" said Manuel.
And he ambled off after the gentle
man. Now, this gentleman was Mr..
Bangs, and he was the husband of the
lady with the parrot, and he couldn't
find either of them, SO he was going
to Bingham Bros, to wait for them
there. AS he turned the corner he
looked back and saw Manuel crawling
gracefully after him.
wait minute" called Manuel; 81
want YOU Mr.. Bangs Gid not wait
On the contrary, he walked faster
than before. But SO did Manuel, so
that by the time Mr.. Bangs got to the
next corner and looked back Manuel
was nearer than ever. Then Mr..
Bangs began to run; but so did Man
uel. He ran, and he ran, and he
ran; but so did Manuel. He turned up
one street and down another; he ran
criss-cross and zigzag and doubled on
his tracks; but so did Manuel.
What an extraordinary mani" said
the alligator to himself. What re-
markable behavior! What an aston
ishing way to go to the store! He
seems in hurry, but I mustn't lose
right of him, or I'd be entirely lost.
And he ran faster than ever
Just then Manuel heard shrill
voice behind him crying, Tickets,
please! Tickets, please! Tickets,
please!"
It's that conductor thought Man
nel with a SILVER.
But it wasn't. 1t was the old lady's
parrot, who was being so severely shak-
en- up and down in his large cage
that he thought he was on train. The
reason he was being shaken up and
down was because Mrs. Bangs, who
was holding the cage, was running
after Manuel as fast as she could
She had come out of the waiting room
just in time to see Manuel start off
in pursuit of her husband, and she
had been running after them ever
since
At last Mr. Bangs saw crowd of
people ahead of him. "I'll get lost in
the crowd" he thought, and be ran in
among them and criss-crossed and zig
Jagged and doubled on his tracks. But
it was all of no use. Manuel had his
eye on him. The crowd scattered
quickly, and Mr.. Bangs was left with a
clear road ahaad of him On apd On ho
ran, till at last he came to his own
house and turned in at the gate. The
front door was locked, SO he ran
around to the gack. But the back
door was locked, so as he saw Man
uePs nose appearing around the cor
ner of the house he ran around to the
front again, and scrambled up into
the big apple tree.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08

wrote my last letter and we went to
Edinburgh Exhibition and spent a
whole day there. We saw many won
derful things there, too numerous to
mention. But one thing Interested
us most was our own country repres-
ented. They had everything you could
think of. All the different kinds CT
and wheat and the wild animals thar
run loose. 1t was a grand display
and was lovely to look at.
Next day we went on the street car
They are all double decked. That Is,
you can ride on the top of them and
can get fine view all over. We rode
to Partsbella down to the sea shore
playing in the salt water. The rest
were gathering sea shells. Loretta
and Rosalie enjoyed nlaying on the
sands on the shore. Next day we
went to the museum and oh, dear,
sister 1 wish you could see the Won
ders that are there. Some of the
things are centuries old. There is one
of the largest elephants that ever was
captured and every animal you could
think of stuffed and standing like life.
There is a monster of a whale also.
Next day we went to Holyroad
Palace. That is in the queens palace
There is soldier keeping guard all
the time outside the gate, marching
all the time. 1t dates back to Mary,
queen of Scots time century ago
and we saw the bed that she slept IN
and the bed of Charles H., also. There
is wire fence all around them. They
say if you touched them they would
fall to pieces.
Edinburg Castle is another won
derfu, place also 1t is built on Il
rock and Queen Mary's crown is there
also. There are lots of soldiers there.
Next day we took the train to
Gourock, that is another sea port.
We got lots of nice shells there AMI
the tide was in when we were there.
Waves make an awful noise. You
would think it was thunder. Then we
went to Blackwood and spent few
days there and then we went back to
Lanark. This is a very interesting
place. There are over sixteen hun
dred soldiers camped on the Moor at
present. 1t was grand sight to see
them march into church on Sunday
They had two bands with them.
Now we are in Broxburn visiting
papa's cousin This is lovely place
also. We are going to Blackwood this
afternoon to visit an old castle there.
Then back to Lanark and get ready
to start home. We will sail on the
first day of August on the California
for New York, then I will write you
a letter and tell you of the sights 1
see there and my trip on the ship.
Hoping to see you all soon as thera
is no country like the land Of the free.
Your faithful pupil,
James Robertson.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
THE EVOLUTION OF THE DOLL

The dolls of today differ much from
those of our ancestors, which were
mostly rag dolls.
Grandma tells of the days when she
was proud of doll made out of
cloth with string around it's neck
and black pencil marks for it's eyes,
nose, and mouth. She was as proud
of it then. as we are of our flaxen
haired dollies today.
But when grandmas daughters
were large enough to want dollies she
had the task of making them out of
muslin and stuffing them with cotton
or rags. Then she worked their eyes,
nose and mouth with thread
And mamma says she has spent
many happy hours rocking her favorite
| doll Betsy Jane.
My oldest sister played with china
dolls most of which had blue eyes,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
MY DOLLS.

I have six dolls. Their names are
Ethel. Annie, Alma. Helen Sarah AMI
Ellen. l had sleeping doll but gave
is to my little niece who lives in Mil
lersburg. Her name is Celesta Jane
Wagner. Almas eyes keep falling
out when ever we play with her. She
has brown hair and brown eyes like
me. We have a little wee doll. Her
hair is brown and got blue eyes /
would like to win one Of the pretty
dolls.
I thank you for the pretty postcards
received a while back. Think they
are very pretty.
1 have sister named Bessie, AMI
little brother five years old named
Ivan. I have a big rag doll. it has
blue eyes and brown hair.
Bessie has a big doll with brow,
hair and brown eyes and a little red
dress. I had a little bed once and !
would let my dolls sleep in that and
take them a ride in my little brothers
wagon and play in my play house with
them.
Hoping to win one of the prizes I
remain, Very truly,
Rosa KeriSove, age 10,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
The Courier Junior
Published by
THE COURIER PRINTING co.
oTTUMs4A, IOWA.
MATILDA DEvEREAux.
EDITOR.
THE PRIZE WINNERS.

Dear Juniors: We are ready to-
day to announce the prize winners in
the contests closing last week. The
Juniors fulfilling all the rules of the
contests are :
May Davis in the Painting Contest.
Juliette Eisenbeis in the Postal
Stories.
Leona Vest In the Letter Contest.
Several of the Juniors would have
been included among the prize win
ners but they forgot to tell their age.
1t is very necessary to observe all OF
the eight rules. However, these Jun
Tors will have another chance.
We still have many postal stories
and letters to publish. The writer's OF
these letters will be included in the
August letter and postal contests.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
PRIZES FOR POSTAL STORIES.

The Junior Postal contest has
proved to be such splendid one that
we have decided to have another one
during August. We want the Juniors
to write interesting stories about the
places represented on the postals
which we send out each week to the
Juniors whose letters or stories appear
in that edition.
We do not want the Juniors to
simply send us few lines but we
wish them to find out many of the
historical facts of these places and
write splendid essays. This contest
will not close until Sept. l, so the
Juniors receiving postals this month
will have a chance for the prizes. We
will publish the stories as soon as
they are received but will not judge of
the merits of the essays until the con-
tests closes. The prizes for these stor-
les will be rs beautiful souvenir cards
or a large souvenir postal album. We
thought that many of the Juniors
would like to exchange postals with
their friends so decided that such a
prize would enable them to do so.
OF course we will still send out pos
tails to all the Juniors the week fol
lowing the day on which their let
tiers, stories or receipts appear. How
ever, we do not want the Juniors to
acknowledge them by simply thanking
us or writing a receipt, but we do
want them to write a nice little letter
telling us of their pets. their home
the beautiful flowers or something
else of interest.
We will still give souvenir albums
to the Juniors when they have rs pos
4als from the Courier Juniors. Alden
t}ouds gets an album this month as
4e has already received Is postals.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
"THosE BOYS.

ooh dear those sboys!. sighed nurse.
s"They are always in mischief" said
Priscilla. And Priscilla who was
feeling very grown up in her new
dress, sat down on chair and drew
a letter out of her pocket. The house
was very quiet but the stairs were
creaking queerly. Priscilla was too,
full of herself and her letter to notice
it. She was very much astonished
when voice behind her said, Darling
Fannie, | have new dress and Il
thing l look lovely" Priscilla Jumps
ed up to chase them but her dress
caught and there was a sound of
stitches giving away. ooh, dear. those
boys" sighed Priscilla.
Alden Doud
Do,,deJ oopdo Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
MARY JOSEPHINE AND HER
TROUBLES.

2
I got Marie Josephine the 25th of
December, 1907. We had Christmas
at our house. Marie Josephine and
Gertrude Louise were on that tree.
They both looked mighty dear to me.
Marie had yellow natural curly hair
and blue eyes. She was a foot high
and was happy only when she fell
and hurt herself
One day she met a terrible accident.
She was lying in her bed and fell to
the floor and that one time didn't
see a smile, neither on her face nor
mine, but guess took it the hard
est.
never thought as much of any 9th
er doll as / did of this one. No other
doll seemed like Marie Josephine to
me. Marie Josephine and my Teddy
bear got along just fine.
Your little Junior,
Minnie O'Dean, age 8.
Eldon, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
EsTELLA's FIRST LETTER.
Dear Editor

Dear Editor
l have never written to the Courier
Junior before. so though I would do
so.
am a Tri-Weekly Junior.
live about two miles and halt
from Covina, Cal. go to the Charter
Oak school. 1t is one mile and a mali
from my home. live in California.
came from Monroe county over a year
ago. I never saw mountains until
came to California. I have never been
to the ocean yet.
Well, as my letter is getting long
will close.
Estella Mccoy, age II.
R. R. No. Box 55.
Coyina. Cal.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
oRlN's SISTER WRITES FOR HIM

Dear Editor and Juniors:
l am little boy four years old. l
cannot write but got my sister to
write for me.
l have eleven post cards that were
sent to me by my friends and kin.
l have two sisters. Their names
are Anna and Ferne. My birthday is
the twenty-seventh of October. My
sister Annals birthday is just ten
days before
We have little gray kitten that is
full of mischief When you want it to
pet you have to call it severa! times
before it will come.
Your loving Junior,
Grin Epperly.
Ottnmwa r No <
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
AN OLD DOLL OF MAMMALS.

Dear Editor:
I thought I would write about an
old doll of mammals. A lame girl
gave it to her. 1t is dressed like Z
Pilgrim. Its dress is white and blue.
1t has blue cap that is knit and
1t has got a sash of blue ribbon. II
has got black hair. Its waist is white
and blue but it's skirt is all white.
/ have received one postal card. j
was very pretty. 1t had an OLD
rooster pulling a cart with flowers.
thank you very much for it.
Your friend,
Freda Fouts, age 10,
Drakeville, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08

of canary-yellow silk is worn over
linen petticoats, her skirt, short
sleeves and low neck are edged with
net fulling and the waist and belt are
fastened with curious pins. She has
on high kid bootees, ornamented with
kid bows. Her high ?crowned hat is
tied under her chin and she wears a
necklace and bracelets of pearls.
The baby doll Is also made of wax
and her hair is painted on her head
Her eyes are black beads and her
dress is cream colored lace made
over pink silk, while her necklace is
of tiny colored beads. These dolls
have never been loved and petted nor
have kisses of childhood disfgured
their prim little faces for they still
live on to tel lof their age in their
box homes.
Juliette Eisenbeis, age IL,
401 w. Park Ave-, Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
LIE RoY,s PETS.

Dear Editor
| will write and tell you about my
pets. have one dog, four cats, two
of them are kittens.
My dogs name is Shep. He is a
good dog to drive cattle, hogs and
other things.
He is year old now. He got his
leg cut on the barb wire fence and it
is hard for him to get around.
The little kittens are black.
They are cute.
The little kittens are playing near
ly all the time.
LIE Roy Copeland, age 10.
Libertyville, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
JAMES WRITES FROM BROx-
BURN, SCOTLAND.

Broxburn, Scotland, July %, 1905,
Sister Mary Madeline,
Dear Sister:-How are you by this
time? Hope you are we'll and enjoy
ing your vacation for l am having a
jolly good one myself.
Now I must try and tell you about
some of the principal places / have
been since I wrote last. I could not
begin to tell you everything as that
would make my letter too long. Now
think we were in Lanark when :
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
MY SISTERS BIG DOLL.

My sister. Bessie, used to have =
doll that was as big as a real baby
and larger. It was larger than my
hitler sister is now. Bessie got il
for Christmas. 1t wasn't dressed
when she got it but mamma made &
nice dress for it. There was a litti:
doll with it and she gave the little one
to me. Bessie had to keep it out OF
sight a good deal and not let Mar
garet my little sister, get it.
But at last it got broken.
Well, l guess I will close as this is
all / remember about it, so good bye
/ remain as ever your friend,
Glare Hanson, age IL,
Ottumwa, Iowa, r. r., No. 8.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
ANOTHER SURPRISE LETTER
PRIZE.

We hope that many more OF the
Juniors will write letters. We will Of
fer another surprise prize and all the
Juniors can work for 1t besides work
ing in the regular contests.
The Juniors might write letters to
some absent member Of their family
or else they might pretend to be away
on trip and write home.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
EIGHT RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

1. Use one side of the paper only.
2. Write neatly and legibly, using
ink or sharp lead pencil
8. Number your pages.
a. At the bottom of the last page
write your name, age and address.
5. Do not copy stories or opetry,
and send us as your own work.
6. Always tell whether you are a
Daily Junior or a Tri-Weekly Junior
Z. Address the envelope to Editor
Courier Junior, Otumwa, Iowa.
8. Your stories must not contain
more than 800 words.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
HickoRYNUT MAcARooNs

Take meats of hickorynuts pound
fine and add mixed ground spice and
nutmeg. Make frosting for cake. Stir
meats and spices in, putting in enough
to make it convenient to handle. Flour.
the hands and make the mixture into
balls the size of nutmeSs. Lay thew
on buttered tins giving room II
spread and bake in a quick oven.
These are delicious.
Mabel Reifsnyder, age IL. IA
Ottumwa, Iowa. 522 East Second ST
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
PEPPERMINT DROPS,

One cup of sugar Just moistened
with boiling water, then boil five min
utes, and take from fire and add
cream of tartar size of a pea, Mix well
and add four or five drops of oil soa
peppermint or one-half teaspoonful of
peppermint essence. Beat briskly UNI
til the mixture whitens, then drop
quickly upon white creased paper. f
it turns to sugar before all is dropped
add little water and boil a minutd
or two.
Your friend,
Ferne Epperly, age 10.
Ottumwa, Iowa. r. r. No. 5.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-08
MABEL PLEASED WITH GIFT.

Dear Editor:
| thank you for the souvenir spoon
sent me as prize for the battle con-
test. l thank you very much for the
pretty postal card you sent me. 1t
is a picture of the Westminster Alb
hey in London. First of all temple
of apollo here, then in GIG Sebert, an
Anglo saxon king built here the first
Christian church. Edward the con.
lessor rebuilt Westminster and is
buried here. In poets corner rest our
English singers from Chaucer to Ten
nyson.
Mabel Myers, age IL