davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
In Sunderland

By Lucille Fellman, Aged 10 Years, 210
South Tenth Street, Omaha. Blue Side.
Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Johnson lived to-
gether and were close friends. Mrs. Rogers
had two children, Harold and Helen. Mrs.
Johnson had a little girl named Elizabeth.
Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Johnson, wanting
to go away, called their children, who were
playing. The children were put to bed, but
Elizabeth began to cry. What is the mat
ter?' said Mrs. Johnson. q" want my doll"
said Elizabeth. "You might break it, so 1
will put her here on the bed" Mrs. John
son said. Elizabeth was contented with the
plan and soon fell asleep. She had not
been asleep long when, to her surprise, she
saw her doll fast disappearing and in its
stead q fairy dressed beautifully in a pink
dress.
The fairy told Elizabeth that she was
going to take them on a journey and said
that Harold and Helen could come. So,
waking the other children and telling them
not to be frightened, she lifted them into
a boat standing near and sailed up TO
Greenland. There they saw the polar bears,
icebergs and mounds of snow. Leaving this
island they sailed farther south to another
island. They went into q theater and saw
a large automobile, which was prettily
decked with flowers. The fairy and the
children went up to the stage and monkeys
Jumped out at them. The children were
frightened, so the fairy took them home.
They woke up in the morning and found
It was only a dream.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
Mischievous Dolly.

BY Charlotte Larre, Aged IL Years, 1ES
North Twenty-fifth, Omaha. Red Side.
Dolly was a very mischlevous little girl
and often played tricks on her mother.
Dolly disliked school and tried to get out
of going every time she could.
One morning she woke up with a little
pain in her head. and she went and told
her mother that she didn't think she could
20 to school that morning, because she had
a headache. SO her mother fixed her some
headache medicine and said she needn't
go to school that morning.
Sc Dolly went into the other room to play
with her pet kitten. She had been playing
with him for about an hour. when her
mother came into the room to see how
she was, and found she was better.
Then her mother went into her uncle's
room after something and her eyes CHANGED
to rest upon the alarm clock, and to her
surprise saw it was only fifteen minutes
to 8 o'clock. So she went and told Dolly.
So Dolly had to go to school after all,
and Just as she was on the steps she met
her favorite friend. Ethel, and they went
to school together.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
A Squirrels Gratitude

By Edna Rohrs, Aged u Years, Pip Locust
Street, Omaha. Red Side.
Ben was going TO the country right near
where he had caught Frisky. Mamma had
said be must take Frisky with him. When
he got there grandpa was waiting, so in
they clambered and drove away. When
they got there Ben went to the grove with
Frisky and a book. lie set Frisky free
and started 10 read. Pretty soon thump
came something on his head. Ben looked
up and there sat Frisky and another SPUR
rel showering nuts. apples and different
fruits, SO glad were they that Frisky was
free. Ben picked up the nuts and fruit
and started home. Well, he said to him
self: What do you know about that? Ny.
I'm glad ! let Frisky go!'
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
Pink-Eye's Unusual Experience

squirrel the one would have entirely too
much of a task on his shoulders, while the
idle one would become a drone on his kind
and would eventually become a helpless,
Worthless squirrel. So, in squirreldom each
must work for himself after ne has reached
a certain age and size.
And so, after Pink Eye became an orphan,
she fell into the regular squirrel routine
Of work and play. These two occupations
were admirably mixed, for the squirrels
could run and scamper about even while
they hunted for food. And each day Pink
Eye managed to put just so many nuts
into her house, providing for those rainy
DAYS when she could not go to the ground
to look for a dinner or supper. And also
she would soon begin TO lay up her win
ter S sore and then she would have to
work longer hours than she did at present.
one lovely morning about 10 O'Clock,
while Pink-eye was out looking for nuts,
she fell into a cruel trap. II had been set
by some very bad boys who wanted to
catch squirrels to sell to the town people
for pets. Poor Pink-eye's soft little paw
was caught in the trap and the spring
which held II hurt her so terribly, When
ever she tried to pull her paw from It
the flesh was torn and Pink-eye was
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25

cause the train to run off the track
Lucinda wondered. Even as she stopped,
undecided what to do, he threw the loa
across the track and fastened It with tho
chain, then slipped back in some bushes.
Just then Lucinda heard the train whistle.
She at once ran down the cliff and stood
on the track waving her red sunbonnet
wildly. The train whistled, slowed up and
stopped. All the people came out to know
the reason why the train stopped here,
and they took up a collection for this
brave girl and when It was counted there
was enough to send Lucinda to school the
next winter. Lucinda was very much
pleased, but more so when she learned that
her brother was on hat train and hat
she had probably saved his life.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25

the Fourth Of July. The people Of the sky
celebrate also.
"What an idea" omeone says, but it is
true.
After the Fourth is over the air is
heavy with smoke and so stirred up that
it storms, we say. but it is only the peo-
pie of the sky celebrating. Thunder and
lightning are cannon and skyrockets being
shot off from Mars, a planet supposed to
be inhabited.
When you hear a rolling peal Of thunder
you may think Of it as the report Of
gunpowder that some mischievous lad
has put in the track of the sun chariot.
The very bright flashes of lightning you
may imagine as some especially glorious
skyrocket or roman candle.
OF course, this is all imagination, but
isn't it pleasant to think that the people
of Mars sympathize with us in the cele-
bration Of the glorious Fourth, on which
day hundreds of years ago our fore
fathers fought for the independence Of
our country?
Many fell on the battlefield Of that war,
but not one shirked to do his portion to
help free this country from England's rule
and to set his children and grandchildren
free.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25

rel will fetch a dollar. I'll bet my boots"
Then the crowd about the cage dispersed,
leaving only the little girl who had ex-
pressed admiration for Pink-Eye, and who,
inwardly. felt pity for her. What a shame
she's been looked a prisoner" she whis-
pered to herself. what a pity she can't
get out of the cage and run home. She'd
find her way, I'm sure. I've heard that
animals always know their way back to
the place they're taken from. But-maybe
may be l could But the little girl
glanced about her. fearing some Of her
older sisters or brothers had heard her
talking to herself. Then, seeing that she
was quite alone, she picked up the cage
and carried 1t out to the front yard. Later
she told her brothers that she had put the
cage where the squirrel might ave more
air AMI less noise from the kitchen, dairy
and stables. Her brothers made no objec-
ton, saying Leave the cage out there to-
night. Tomorrow wen take the squirrel
to town and sell her"
About 6 o'clock, when all the members
Of the family were busy in the kitchen,
dairy, stable and COW lot, the little girl.
who was still too young TO have any regu-
lar work assigned her, crept around to the
front yard to the squirrels cage. She felt
secure in the front yard, for the windows
and doors at the front of the house were
tightly closed over spare room and par
Tor, and no one wdIld be entering that part
Of the house during the evening, or at any
time unless company was present.
Picking up the cage the little girl ran
out of the gate, down the road toward the
wooded river, which was about a mile dis
tant. After having gone some distance
perhaps a quarter Of a mile-the little girl
paused, glanced uneasily about her and
deliberately opened the door of the cage,
allowing Pink-Eye to make her escape.
And the way the dear little squirrel did
run off through the grass that grew along
the roadside WAS a sight TO behold, Lib
erty-sW Get liberty-was hers once more.
Ard she ran on and on, stopping now and
again to rest, and most happy she was to
climb into her own tree once again and TO
sleep off the terror Of that awful expert
ence she had suffered that day.
And the little girl returned 10 the front
yard, placed the cage on the front porch
with door open-and went into the house
for her supper.
And when, the next day, the squirrels
escape was discovered, not a word did the
sympathetic, kin~d-hearted little maid say
about the part she had taken in liberating
the poor captive, for she knew that she
was in the right and the others In tb@
wEons, Therefore she kept silent.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
How Edith's Doll Went to
Heaven

By Esther Newman, Aged 9 Years, 2601
st. Mary's Avenue, Omaha. Red side.
1t was the Fourth of July and Edith's
dolly was dead. She had died from small
pox the day before. They had dug a grave
and had a funeral and Edith did not shoot
fire crackers, but instead mourned for her
doll. She always thought she must
mourn for her doll. Suddenly a bright
idea struck her. Getting her little shovel
she dug her doll up. oh! Harry she
cried, running to her brother. Here, here, "
said Harry, don't get so excited" Then
Edith told brother Harry to let her have
one Of his air balloons, so he gave 1t to
her and then Edith tied both her doll
arms to it and then in fifteen minutes 1t
was out of sight and this is the way
Edith believed her doll went to heaven.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
His Kindness.
anette Mcbride Aged p Year.

BY jeanette Mcbride. Aged y Years, Elgin,
Neb, Blue Side.
Herbert was a rich boy and his best
chum was a poor boy, whose name was
Paul.
one day as they were going to school
Herbert said: In a week school will be
out and then we will go across the ocean
to Holland and probably to italy"
"Oh, dear. 1 will be so lonesome when
you are gone; none of the other boys think
! am nice enough to play with. How long
are you going to stay?" asked Paul.
Il don't know exactly, but 1 think about
a couple Of months" said Herbert.
No more was said about It that day, but
two DAYS afterwards Herbert said:
Mamma, l have been thinking OF some
thing for a long time and now l want to
tell you"
well, my dear, what is it?' asked his
mother.
Now, mother, I have been thinking OF
how nice It would be If Paul could take a
trip"
That would be NICE said his mother.
And l want to ask II you wouldn't take
him along on this trip instead OF me-"
why. Herbert!' said his mother, I'VE
could not think of taking a trip and leav-
ing you here!'
Herbert's father, who was sitting there
reading, heard the last part of the con-
versation and said:
Il think you have thought of the right
thing, my boy, and now 1 think I will
take you both along, with Paul's fathers
consent"
The next day Herbert's father went over
to ask If Paul could go, and with some
coaxing they consented.
on their journey they saw many Won
derful things and they always remembered
that time,
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
Rich and Poor.
Venice Churchill, Aged 10 Years. villisca,
Ia, Red Side.

Venice Churchill, Aged 10 Years, villisca,
Ia, Red Side.
Mrs. Greenly, a widow, was walking
through the park with her four children,
when she met Mr.. and Mrs. Moore with
their daughter. She stepped to one side
to let them pass and spoke in a friendly
way, saying, Good evening. Quite a
chang in the weather, isn't it?" Nobody
answered, although they did hear her, but
when she had gotten by, Martha Moore,
a girl of p yearskvtwentyutto uwm WIN
and glad you didn't speak to her. She
thinks because she used to be wealthy
before her husband died that she can still
be considered in good company with us
rich folks and speak to us when she
pleases, but she's mistaken"
Mr.. Moore spoke up in reply, saying,
You right, Martha, but you must not
talk so loud or people will hear you. You
know Ralph isn't our son and Mrs
Greenly lost a child ten years ago and he
was never found. Ralph told us his name
was Ralph. but he was too small to know
his last name. He is rich and we are
poor. We nave used up all his money by
having us a fine house built. 1t all be-
longs to him. When he came to US he
had earned ten thousand dollars. He had
nine thousand dollars Of which his father
gave him, and he earned the other thou
sand"
They were drawing near the house so
the conversation was stopped.
The next week II was proven that Ralph
belonged to Mrs. Greenly.
In an hour later, If you were near by,
you would have heard Mr.. Moore begging
to take care Of Mrs. Greenly and her
children for the rest of their lives on
Ralph's money, but Mrs. Greenly said:
Il used to be poor. Then you wouldn't
speak to me and shifted your nose up at
me, but now I'm rich and you won't take
care of my children and l on my sons
money. No, I should say I won't let you
do it, but if you will please remove from
your house l will take IT and your property
for part Of what you owe my son, and I
wish you to pay the rest as quickly as
possible"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
The Travels of a Dog

By William Davis, Aged 9 Years, North
Platte, Neb. Blue Side.
That night Charles and his friend went
stealing quietly up to the gypsy camp.
They saw Duke, their own dog tied to a
tree. About 10 p. IN. the gypsies went
to bed. Then the boys went up to the
dog, united him and got him to follow
them. They were half way to town when
the dog ran away. The two boys followed
him two miles in the country, when he
came TO a ditch of water. He jumped
across. Charles was going to jump across
when we heard his voice called. There
was Duke lying in the yard. I'm glad 1t
was only a dream" he said, for 1
wouldn't like to lose Duke"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25

Eye iVed alone in the cozy house her fond
mother had provided for her, namely, a
SINUS cavity In the body of a huge tree.
As this little house was far up In the side
Of the tree Plnk-I1ye was always safe while
indoors. But it is the nature of all crea-
lures 70 love the open. the freedom Of fresh
air and The soft ground and running stream.
Ana besides, Pink-Eye's mother had left
such q small store of food in the house that
her little daughter had soon eaten it all
ond was obliged to go to the ground to
hunt her daily food.
Pink-Eye did not mind hunting for food;
indeed She enjoyed doing so. She would
scamper about under the trees, picking up
nuts. And in company with her would be
many other child squirrels also hunting
for nuts. IL is the rule among squirrels
that ~each-after a certain size-must find
his own food, for no one will work to pro-
vide food FOR another. Doing so would at
once make certain squirrels lazy, for II one
squirrel began to find food for another
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25

Helen Goodrich, $40 Nicholas street, Onahs
Mary roWu. 81 Boulevard, omaha.
Eva Hendee, AO2 Dodge street. Omaha.
Jutnita IunCs. ziJ9 Fort street, Omaha.
zach Coad. BIS Farnam street. Omaha.
LIIIan writ, 4l5S Cass st. eet, Omaha.
Meyer Cohn, S45 Georgia avenue, Omaha.
Ada Morris, 1914 Franklin street, Omaha.
Myrtle Jensen, 2SJD lizard street, Omaha.
Gail Howard, 4722 Capitol avenue, Omaha.
Helen Eouck, 1875 LothrOp street, Omaha.
Et2erson Goodrich, 40l0 Nicholas, omaha
Maurice Johnson, 1927 Locust ST., Omaha.
Leon Carson, u2t North Fortieth, Omaha.
Pauline COad, 3IlS Farnam street, Omaha
Wilma Howard, 472J Capitol Ave, Omaha
Hilah Fisher, 1910 South Eleventh.. Omahs.
Mildred Jensen. 2iU7 L~chvenworth, Omaha
Edna Heden, 27S9 Chicago street, Omaha
Mabel s%heifelt, 40ll North Twenty-fifth
walter Johnson. 2D5 North Twentieth
Emma Csrruthers. S2l1 North Twenty-fiftl
street, Omaha.
Leonora Denison, The Albion. Tenth and
Pacific streets, Omaha.
Mae Hammond. O'Neill, Neb.
MsCge l. Daniels, Ord Neb.
zola Beddeo, Orleans, Neb.
Agnes Richmond, Orleans, Neb.
Marie Fleming, Osceola, Neb.
Lolita Woods, Pawnee City, Neb.
Earl Perkins, Reddington. Neb.
Edna EMS stanton. Neb.
Ethel EMS. Stanton, Neb.
Lena Petersen. 2211 Locust street, East
Omaha.
Ina Carney, Sutton. Clay county, Neb.
Clara Miller, Utica. Neb.
Mildred +. Jones. North Loup, Neb.
Alta Wilken. Waco. Neb.
Mae GTunks. West Point, Neb.
Elsie Stastny. Wilher, Neb.
Frederick Ware, Winside, Neb.
Pauline Parks. York. Neb.
Edna Behlins, YORK, Neb.
Mary Fredei lex, York, Neb.
Carrie b, Bartlett. Fontanelle, Ia.
irene Reynolds. Little Sioux, la.
Ethel Mulholland, Box Il, Malvern, la
Eleanor Mellor, Malvern, Ia.
Ksthryne Melior. Malvern, Ia.
Ruth Robertson, Manila, Ia.
Mildred Robertson. Manila, Ia.
Margaret +. Witherow, Thurman. Ia
Bertha McEvoy, r. F.. ID. 3, Box Is, Mis-
souri, Valley, Ia.
Adlena Sorry, Monarch, Wyo. Box 50.
Fred Sorry. Monarch, Wyo.
John Barron, Monarch, Wyo.
Edith Amend. Sheridan. Wyo.
Pauline Squire, Grand, Okl,
Fred Shelley, go Troup street, Kansas
City, Kan.
Henry l.. W~orkinger. care Sterling Remedy
company, Attica. Ind.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
RULES FOR YOUNG WRITERS

/. write plainly on one SIDE Of the
paper emily n number the pages.
2. Use pen and inf, not pencil
2. Short ana pointed articles Will
be given preferences. DO not use ever
$50 words.
:. Original stor4es or letters only
will be used.
8. Write your name, age and Id
dress &C the top OF the first page.
First and second prizes Of boohB
will be given for Jhs best W CON
tributiohs to this page q week.
Address all communications TO
CAILDREN's DEPARTMENT.,
Omaha Bee.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25
(Birst Prize.)
Mrs. Graham's Christmas
Present

BY Louise stiles, Aged 70 Years, Lyons,
Neb. Blue Side.
1t was the last meeting before Christmas
of the girls &c. T. club" the whole Of
which was the Good Times club" The
club was composed of girls from Ii to 10
years Of age, and it certainly lived up to
it's name. At this particular meeting, how
ever, the girls were all very busy making
Christmas presents. At last Ruth McLane,
the president, finished her work, and look
ing up, said: Girls, do you know old Mrs.
Graham, who does our washing? L think
it would be very nice II we took her a
basket of food and clothing for a Christ
mas present. She Is trying to support her
crippled nephew and they are very poor.
girls all voted this a good plan and
agreed that they would all furnish some
food or clothing Of some sort either for
Mrs. Graham or her S-year-old nephew.
On the evening of December "a you might
have seen nineteen girls hurrying to the
McLane home, where they we're to meet.
Soon after you would see a large crowd
of girls going rapidly toward a small but
neat home about six blocks away, two of
them carrying a clothes basket between
them. Arriving at their destination, they
hid themselves in places where they could
SNS' ~ " NC oNtlt Nllll OHS pldCcu III
basket on the doorstep, and knocking
loudly, ran around the house. Mrs. Ora
ham came to the door, and seeing the
basket, she did not instantly comprehend
the situation. She looked around for some
one, but seeing a note pinned to the bas-
ket, she read it and saw why no one had
remained at the door. The note read
Dear Mrs. Graham-We wish to give you
this for a Christmas present, and hope you
will like it. Twenty Friends" For a full
minute the poor old woman was so aston
ished that she did not know what to do,
Then she called loudly: Twenty friends,
l thank you kindly for this present. You
do not know how badly it was needed. -
That night twenty girls crept into bed
very happy because of the happiness they
had given old Mrs. Graham. After that
many such baskets were left at Mrs. Ora
hams door, which had two important re-
suits: First, Mrs. Graham and her nephew
had a much easier time; second, the girls
found out that the way to gain happiness
for themselves was to give it to others.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-25

and valleys OF SYRIA. It contained a GER
tain character which much admired
Fribosa, a little brown-eyed, raven
haired, sunkissed Syrian lass. As l sat
and pondered over the story. I suddenly
became very DESTROYS of some day meet
ing a little Syrian maid, like the one l
just mentioned.
One evening, shortly afterward, good
Dame Fortune, aware Of this, led my per-
sonage to a shady elm grove, when all at
once ! met a little dark-eycd girl about 10
years old. She gazed so inquisitiveIy at
me that 1 stopped her, and presently we
two were unconsciously led into a very
interesting conversation. And almost be
fore l knew it, she was telling me the
while story of her sad life, and l here tell
it to the Busy Bees as she told it to me
(only using a little better English):
MY name is shefei Cshe-fee-u), and l
came from Syria a year ago. We came
not here of choice, but the horrid old
sultan pronounced in Syria 'sool-ton'D
threatened to take all the inhabitants
money.
Father resolved to go up to CONSTANT
nople Immediately to the obstinate ruler
and ask permission to go 70 America. But
Alasl The %sultan's reply was: No! If
you're not satisfied with this, perhaps i'm
prisonment would please you more!'
But at a. m. one moonless s~tarless
night father boarded the Constantine
and several days later landed on the glori-
Gus Land Of the Free
Some malicious Persian women, finding
out about fathers escape, became indig-
nant and sought revenge. They appeared
very treacherous, yelled in their long,
black, loose-fitting garments, while from
the middle of their faces were suspended
black sacks, decked out IN bright coins.
Brother Myrus CHANGED to be out playing,
and the enraged women seized him and
dragged him to some underbrush, where
they tattooed his whole face with a most
hideous design, while across the forehead
they tattooed Prisoner
Now, you must know that tattooing is
a most painful thing, for the skin is raised
up by means Of tiny needles, and then
the poisonous coloring is applied. Tattoo
ing remains on the skin a lifetime, and
thus Myrus must bear this savage emblem
forever.
THE terrible women then forced me to
come also, and I, too, went through this
horrible performance.
Mother became indignant at the Per-
slams, and one month afterward she fled
with her brood of five ill-clad children one
night, and when the ship had sailed five
miles into sea, we received the thrilling
message that some of the sultan's soldiers
were approaching the ship as 1t lay in
anchor. and had they reached the ship in
time, all who boarded would have been
captured and thrown into prison; but, be-
cause the jolly old captains watch
CHANGED to be five minutes fast, the sui
tan's and all his mems plans were luckily
thwarted.
Imagine our JOY when we once more
hailed land. not a land of distress or exile,
but the land DER which Old Glory shall
float as long as the sun watches by day
and the moon and stars by night"