davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

Grandmother sits in her white char
lined with red velvet. her face is wrin-
killed., and her hair is quite white, but
her eyes are like two stars, and they
have a mild, gentle expression, which
does you good. She wears a dress OF
heavy rich silk, with large flowers on
it, and it rustles when she moves and
then she can tell the most wonderful
stories Grandmother knows a great
deal, for she was alive before father
and mother-that's quite certain. She
has hymn book with large silver
claps in which she often reads. In
the book, between the leaves, lies
rose quite fiat and dry. 1t is not so
pretty as the roses which stand in
the grass. Grandmother is dead now.
She had been sitting in her arm chair
telling us beautiful tale, and when
it was finished, she said she was tired,
and leaned her head back to sleep
awhile. We could hear her gentle
breathing as she slept, gradually it be-
came quieter and calmer, and on her
countenance beamed happiness and
peace 1t was as if lighted up with a
ray of sunshine. She smiled once more
and people said she was dead.
She was laid in black offin. The
hymn book in which the rose still
lay, and was placed under her head for
she wished it, and then they buried
grandmother.
Bessie Smith,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
Age
THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS.

In 1920 the Pilgrims landed. They
first went to Holland. The ruler of
Holland made everybody worship as
he did, and they wanted to worship as
they chose, so they left Holland and
came to America.
They were called Pilgrims because
they wandered so much. The Pilgrims
remained about thirteen years in Hol-
land. About one hundred of them babe
goodby to the rest and sailed for
America in 1920 in the ship called the
Mayfiower.
Captain Miles Standish came with
them. At first they landed at Cape
Cod. Then sixteen men went to look
for place to settle They found a
place that they thought would do, and
found some Indian baskets filled with
corn. Captain Miles tSandish made
his next trip in boat.
The Pilgrims landed on the twenty.
first day of December. They lived III
very rude houses. Many of them died
for want of food, and clothing. Capt
Myles Standish's wife died and he was
nurse to the sick, as he was very
kind man. The people We're divided
into nineteen families, as they were
very poor. A chief from the east came
to visit them. His name was Squanto
Suuanto showed them how to plant
corn, and catch cells by treading then
out from beneath his feet. Captain
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
Floris. Iowa.
ALVIN, TExAs-oLAF RENO.

The industries of this country arc
trucking, fig growing, oragne growing
and dairying, cattle and horse raising.
The people Ct mean the native
asoutherners") are kind OF go-essy
set. But the yankees or the north-
ern people, are getting new industries.
Figs have been grown successfully
here for about fifteen years. and or
anges about eight years. Tha oranges
are now coming in to where they make
money. There is one man VINO mas
six acres. He made thirty-fye hun-
dred profit, if understand right. Or
anges commence bearing the second
year; figs the first year.
Trucking is hopping and Skipping
along fine now. although few years
ago there was only enough to Keep up
the home demand.
The northern people have hunted
up northern markets. until now q
mean by this time) there is a good
market for everything.
Some northern products, such rs
corn, wheat, oats, barley and rhubarb,
gooseberries, peaches, apples, plums
(tame). and cherries, aren't hardly
ever seen here, growing. II you snow
them a. gooseberry, they'll think it's
jawbreaker
Such fruits that don't grow in the
north that grow down here are: Or
| anges, lemons different kinds OF
each), kumquats the oval and tbs
round), grape-fruits, ribbon sugar cane
and pawpaws pronounced papa?
Yes, in Southern Texas. Pomegranites
ara grown for ornaments l like them
to eat. but not so with everybody.
think this country within ten years
| will he the garden spot of the union.
Your Junior friend,
1 Olaf Cleo Reno, age IS,
| Alvin, Texas.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
THE PILGRIMS.

The Pilgrims were some people that
lived in England. They wanted to
worship God in their own way, but
King James wanted them to go to his
church. The pilgrims would not go
to that church SO they planned to
leave England. They packed up their
goods and had all on board ready to
start, but some of King James officers
came on board and looked through all
their goods and made them come on
shore. SO they went ashore. and
about month after that they got
ready to leave again. The boat came
and part got on and it sailed to Hol,
land where they lived happily for a
good while.
The pilgrims lived twelve years al
Holland until at last their children be
gan to talk the Dutch language. Theil
parents did not want them to forget
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
THE TOWN NEAR WHICH LEILA
LIVES is BLAkESBURG.

! live one and one-quarter miles
from the town of Blakesburg. Blakes-
burg is nice little trading point for
the people of the surrounding country.
1t is situated fifteen miles west of OF
tumwa in Wapello county. There is
railroad, the G. M. & st. p, running
through the town. In it is one school
house of three rooms.
There are two churches, the Baptist
and the Methodist Episcopal. There
are two hotels, a creamery, two hard
ware stores two savings banks, five
general stores and one livery stable.
There are no manufactures and no
interurban cars run. 1t is an incor-
porated town. A great many of the
side walks are paved. This town is a
great many years old. One of the first
things put up was mill.
Leila Saum,
BlakeSbure Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

| There were not many children in the
,little village of Brunswick, and all the
| children. who We're old enough to go 10
school, went to the little White Oak
school house. Miss Dale, the teacher
was a very kind, gentle woman. She
was always planning surprises for hef
| scholars.
| She once had surprise party on a
| little cripple boy, in the schoolhouse.
She furnished all the children refresh
ments and then they made taffy. Many
times she had done Just such things as
| this.
! Among her scholars Miss Dale had
Mary Brady and Ethel Hacks. Mary
| Brady's parents were quite poor, but
Ethel Hacks father was supposed to
be the richest man in all Brunswick.
| 1t was about two weeks before
| Thanksgiving and Miss Dale was WON
dering with what she should surprise
| said to them: Il am going to ask each
of you children to write q very short
story stating several things for which
/ you are thankful Each child did their
best. When they had all written their
stories and given them to the teacher.
she said: ITO the child that wrote the
best story / will give five dollar bill.
THE children were very anxious and
many wished they had tried harder
I than they did. But at last this anxiety
was ended. Miss Dale was to award
the prize that day. Many children were
glad when they saw it go to Mary. But
Ethel Hacks scowled at her. thinking
she should have had their five dollars.
! Mary started her story like this
IT am thankful that I have faith
err and mother, alive, that my sisters
and brothers are not sickly and that
we have enough to eat and enough to
wear, although not of the finest"
But then sorrow came. AS Mary
was going home from school, a boy
ran up to her and said: Hurry home
Mary, your father fell and broke his
leg, and you might be Of some use a,
home" Mary realized in an instant
that this accident would swallow VI
nearly every penny Of Mr.. Brady's
hard Learned savings, and the planned
Thanksgiving dinner could not be had
Marv said nothing about the priz'
planner. had thought of a plan. Mr.
Brady's injury had proved to be more
serious than they had thought it L
be, and the family We're left nearl.
destitute. On Thanksgiving morning
the Bradys, all except Mary. were sur
Iprised to see a grocer wagon stop a
their place and the driver run up t.
the door with a large turkey and sew
eral other eatables.
Mrs. Brady said the things did no
belong to her. and was on the point .
I sending the boy away, when Mar,
came to the door and told about tn
, prize. II said nothing about it, sh
said, because I knew that papa's in
\ jury would use up all our money an
) / knew that my five dollars would bu
something for today's dinner"
With the five dollars worth Of food
; eked out with what Mrs. Brady ha
prepared, very plentiful dinner wa
!. enjoyed by them all.
Mabel Johnson,
4 701 Wabash Ave-.
Age II. OttumWa Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
sToRIEs-LETTERs.
THANKSGIVING DAY.

The Pilgrims had trouble with the
King Of England because he wanted
! them to go to his church, but the Pill
grims wanted to 60 to the Puritan
church, where they could worship as
they please. AS a result they LETT
ENGLAND and went to Holland. After
staying there awhile their children be-
came like the Dutch children in their
manners and customs. They did not
like that, SO they went back to Eng
land to get ships, provisions and some
other friends to go with them to
America.
So they started three ships with
provisions. The largest ship was
called the Mayflower, in which they
landed ON the Plymouth Rock in 1920.
For awhile they lived in the ships
until the log cabins We're built. The
men would go on shore in the morning
to work and return to the little ship
at night, but at last the log cabins
were built and the sick were removed
ito them, and after awhile a whole row
!of cabins were built with a wide street
between them.
The Indians, who lived in tents
came and advised them in many
things, and in 1921 they sowed their
first seed The Indian chief, Massa
soft. showed them how to plant the
seed with the fish to make it grow bet
ter.
In the fall of 1921 there was a plen
tiful harvest and they decided to have
a day of Thanksgiving to thank God
William Bradford was their leader
and suggested this The day before
the day for Thanksgiving the mel
went into the woods to shoot wild tur
keys, geese and pigeons. They alst
shot after bears and deer, and spotted
dogs helped them catch the animals.
While the men we've ont hunting the
women stayed at home and made
cakes, pies, cookies and buildings.
The feast lasted for three days
Chief Massasoit came with three hun
ared Indians to help them enjoy TIL
feast. They had homemade brew TO
wine, and were all dressed in thei
best. In these three days there wa
much thanksgiving TO God. The frs
Thanksgiving was held at plymouth
Rock in 1920.
Hedveg Carlson, age II,
1015 Locust Street.
Ottumwa Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

day to come, for then he had turkey,
which was very good. Another rea-
son was that some Of his cousins
would come to see him.
When Charlie grew old and became
a man he was married and lived a
happy life till one day in October his
wife died and left a little girl named
Mildred, only one year old.
Charles father and mother took the
little girl and kept her.
Charlie stayed with them about two
weeks and one day he said he was go,
ing away to get him some work.
Charlie didn't have a very nice time
that Thanksgiving, for his wife had
only been dead about a month 1t was
the first time in his life that he had
not had a happy Thanksgiving.
When he left he kissed his father
and mother and little girl good bye
and left the farm in the country. He
went to a city far away and never
heard of his parents for a long time.
On the day before Thanksgiving,
when little Mildred was six years old,
she was crying very hard, for her
grandfather and grandmother were
very old and poor and she couldn't
have a nice Thanksgiving dinner like
she had the year before.
Just then her father came up on the
doorstep and knocked at the door and
little Mildred ran to open it.
She did not knew who her father
vas, for she was only a year old when
he had gone away. But he recogniz
cd her at once and lifted her in his
arms.
: Her grandmother came into the
room Just then and they knew each
ether at once.
Charley went into the other room
wher his father was. and he told how
Mildred had been crying that morning
because she would not have any tur
key for dinner the next day like the
other children would.
Charlie went to town that afternoon
and bought a large turkey already
dressed, and other good things for {
Thanksgiving dinner. He invited
good many of his friends and relatives
to come to his parents house on the
Text day.
| They all came and had a good time
Little Mildred had better time thar
She had mad for a long time. TIC!
| had a good dinner, which was: lul
| key, cranberries, apple pies, pumpkin
pies. apples, cake and two or three diff
| ferent kinds Of fruit.
That night when the people wen
home Mildred was very sorrv to SCI
them go.
The next morning Mildred heare
| her papa and grandpa talking abou
moving to the city and they moved il
a few weeks and Charlie stayed will
them, and Mildred was very glad 10
every Thanksgiving he bought then
4 turkey and good things to eat
| am a Daily Junior
Maude Skirvin, age IL,
R. F. D. No. Z,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

when they lost the trail because 1t had
begun to snow again. an dsnow Gov
cred up all tracks.
They then scattered, each going in
g. different direction In vain effort to
locate them.
One day Mr.. Jones saw lone Indian
coming toward him. He quickly hid
himself and horse and waited.
Much to his surprise the Indian came
right UP to the place and making
sign Of peace approached within talk
ing distance.
Mr.. Jones asked him about the hos
tile band that had carried off his wife
and children, at which the Indian told
him how it all happened, how he had
tried to help Mrs. Jones because she
had befriended him.
He then told Mr.. Jones to get his
squad together and he would lead them
to the Indians camp.
Mr.. Jones, giving the signal they had
agreed upon, soon had the men to
gether. Then the Indian started
straight for the Indians camp. 1t was
after dark when they came upon the
camp1res. Mr. Jones ordered his meI
to surround the Indians and charge
which they did The Indians were sc
taken by surprise that they made but
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
BARNuM-NELLlE HARPER.

l will write about the town nearest
to my home 1t is situated on the
Northern Pacific railroad, about forty
miles from Lake Superior. 1t is a
small town, and it has a bank, brick.
plant, and creamery. We take our.
cream to the creamery and nearly
every farmer around takes their cream
too. There is river running through
the town, and people fish there in the
summer time. There Is a large lake
near the town. The people have picnics
there in the summer. There is an
island in the middle of the lake My
brothers went to a picnic there last
Fourth of July. They had two boatt
and went over to the island. The
name Of this town is Barnum.
Nellie Harper,
r. F. D. No. /, Carlton, Co. MINI.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

kin pie and fruits. They also had
many other things.
The children had never had such a
good dinner before.
AS soon as the children got through
eating their dinner they went out to
play. They played long while and
then their mother called them and
they thought that they had to go
home, but she only told them that
they were going to stay at Mary's all
night and they were glad and so was
Mary.
AS it was getting dark the little
girls had to stay, in the house to play.
That night Mary and her little
friends had very good time playing
games. They went away the next day
yer happy.
am Daily Junior.
From your Junior friend,
Mable Skirvin, age II,
r. F. D. No. Z,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
The Courier Junior
Published by
THE couRIET. PRINTING CO..
oTTUMWA, IOWA.
MATILDA pEVEREAux.
EDITOR.
HEDVEG GETS IHANkS9iV'NS
BASKET.

Dear Juniors: We have some beau
tiful Thanksgiving stories today ana
the Judges last night decided that He'd
veg Carlson was entitled to the prize.
Hedveg's letter was written on nice
paper. with a good pen, and alto-
aether 1t was model of neatness.
The prize, Thanksgiving basket, was
filed with all the articles that go 10
make up q good Thanksgiving dinner
and was given to the Open Door mis-
sion by Hedveg. The mission gave II
70 a worthy family. Thus you see
dear children, that Helveg, through
her excellent work, is the means OF
making one family very happy on
Thanksgiving day.
Helveg complied with all the rules,
her letter being here by Tuesday
evening. the closing day of the con
test.
We hope that all the Juniors had d
happy Thanksgiving day and we wouiu
like to have them tell us all about IT,
we have a few more jig-saw puzzles
and we will let the Juniors have them
If they will write nice stories about
Thanksgiving of 1909" This contest
will close Thursday. Dec. l.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

a short fight and then they ran, leav-
ing Mrs. Jones and the children alone.
Mr.. Jones dropped his gun and threw
his arms around his wife and children
who were uninjured.
The Indian who had guided them,
sprang to the gun and fired, hitting
the old chief, thereby getting his re
venge.
1t was morning before they reached
home, but when they got there they
all fell on their knees and gave thanks
that they were all together and safe.
This day was remembered by the
settlers as real Thanksgiving day.
Hazel Turpin, age Is.
112 N. Willard st. South Ottumwa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

once a little girl whose name was
Mary.
One day she went With her mother
to poor friends. The poor woman
mad three little children. Their names
were Gertrude, Sarah and Clarence
If was lust two days before Thanks
giving and Gertrude and Sarah want
al Ia have as good Thanksgiving
dinner as they had the year before,
when their father had been there Witn
them.
When Mary and her mother were
Going home that evening Mary asked
her mother if she could invite her 1T
tle friends over for thanksgiving
dinner. Her mother told her that she
could go over the next day and tell
their mother for her and the children
TO come over Thanksgiving day, but
NOT to let the children know it.
When their mother started to get
them ready they asked their mother
where they we're going and she told
them that they were invited 10
Thanksgiving dinner.
They were very glad to think that
they We're going to have good
Thanksgiving.
The little children were very tired
when they got to Mary's but Were
glad to be there because they thought
Of the good time they would have.
4 After they rested awhile they went
out with Mary to play In just a lit
tie while Mary's mother called then
in to dinner.
Gertrude and Sarah We're very glaG
because they had such a good dinner
They bad turkey. cranberries, pump
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

visions for the family. He couldn't
get home that night on account of the
storm that was then raging.
Mrs. Jones and her four children
were left alone About midnight she
was awakened by hearing pounding
at the door. She was frightened, but
thinking it was her husband, opened
the door, but to her surprise an Indian
staggered through the door. She
quickly got gun and aimed it at the
Indian who fell in front of the fireplace
and made known to her that he was a
friendly Indian and was suffering from
the cold.
AS soon as he was warm enough 70
talk, he told Mrs. Jones that as she
had befriended him he would warn her
of band of hostile Indians who We're
coming that way.
Mrs. Jones thanked the Indian, and
| taking her children, bundled them W
and made vain effort to reach the
| fort. But for the darkness and the
| snowstorm she made but poor head
way and band of Indians came upor
| her before she was a mile from hel
home.
She and her children were captured
The friendly Indian who was an out
cast of the hostile tribe, made goot
his escape and vowed that he would
have revenge on the old chief and d.
| whatever he could to help Mrs. Jones
| Mr. Jones, on returning home thu
| next day, discovered that his wife ant
! children had been carried off by thu
Indians, went to the fort to get permits
sion to take squad of men to follow
the Indians.
] They only followed them a few mile
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

what It was all about, only to be told
that she must not come until sent for.
and father sent dozen messages say
ing he could not wait more than ten
minutes to know all about It, only to
receive the same answer. Little Dora
laughed at the big potato doll COLLINS
as she had not laughed at anything
since long before she was sick. 1t was
not until the procession was formed
that the rest Of the family were per-
mitted to enter The procession was
formed as ii it were making straight
for Dora's couch The COLLINS were ar
ranged in single file, the big ones first
and the little fellows tagging along In
the rear. Then father and mother
were invited to gaze upon the weird
sight.
why, 1t is a regular goblin party
they exclaimed. After they had been
introduced to the family, the COLLINS
had strange dances and ceremonies on
the bed, and Dora declared that
Thanksgiving was not a failure,
Ruth Smith,
R. F. D.. No. 2, Box 6,
Floris, Ia.
Age IA
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
THE SOUVENIR CARDS.

You all know that we give the Jun
Tors a souvenir postal tlbum when
ithey have twenty-five cards from the
Junior. We will not use the letters
when the Juniors simply acknowledge
1.-THE postals. We always want nice Ut
Tile stories. When the Juniors do not
want to select their own subjects or
to write nice letter they may write
on one of the following subjects:
MY PET BANTAM.
a SKATING PARTY.
A DEAR LITTLE GIRL.
WHEN BOBBIE GOES TO BED.
MILE, THE LITTLE HOUSE
KEEPER.
JOHN, MOTHERS LITTLE HELP.
Err.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27

u leave ttOlldnQ hllQ go W AiHciiSo'
At last they got ready and sailed
for America They sailed in two boats
the Mayfiower and Speedwell. They
got a few miles from shore and the
Speedwell broke down so they had TO
all get on board the Mayflower. On
the way over there was man died and
a baby was born.
When they started there were lOl
on board. and when the man died and
the baby was born that left 1O1. It
took sixty-five days to cross the ocean.
The pilgrims landed in America on
cold winter day and the mist froze
as it fell The pilgrims got Off OF the
Mayflower and went on land. When
they got on land they knelt and prayed
to God because he had brought them
across the ocean safely and because
they were once more on solid ground.
That winter they built seven log
houses and had to live in them until
spring The Indians were friendly to
them. Sometimes they each had only
five grains of corn at meal. Living
in that way many died OF starvation:
In the spring the Indians showed the
pilgrims how to fish, hunt and plant
| corn the way the Indians did. Ihat
year their crops were large and every
one had plenty to eat. And so with
all their good harvest they had feast
which lasted three days. The guests
were the Indians and they brought
with them meat of the wild turkey, the
deer and the rabbit. They all played
games. had shooting match between
the whites and the Indians. They al
! had merry time and ever since then
we celebrate that day as Thanksgiving
day.
Yours truly,
| Carnaan Harlan
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

1. Use one side of the paper only.
Q. Write neatly and legibly, using
ink or sharp lead pencil.
8. Number your pages.
4. At the bottom of the last page
write your name, age and address,
5. Do not copy stories or poetry
and send to us as your own work.
6. Always state choice of prize on
separate piece of paper, with name
and address in full.
Z. Address the envelope to Editor,
Courier Junior, Ottumwa Iowa.