davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
PAUL AND HELEN's PETS.

Once Helen and Paul went to the
pasture to pick flowers. AS they We're
coming home they found quail that
had it's wing broken. They took II
home and fed 1t until it became well
and they called him Fritz. When ne
became we'll the children let him out of
his cage into the kitchen. He ran all
around and then ran under the stove.
He stayed so long that the children
looked under to see what had become
Of him and there sat Fritz on the big
cats head. One day Helen and Paul
went on visit and stayed one day
and half, so when they came home
they found that their pets were miss
ing and they began search and they
found them in the crib where they had
been shut up. They had been in there
a day and a half and the big cat had
not bothered Fritz. So I think they
were good friends, don't you?
Ruby Graham, age 10.
R. No /, Selma, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23

I want my cousin Reva Hart to come
home with me and we will have good
time. We will have my brother to
take us to- the camps. We Will go to
Avery and to Hynes and then home.
Will write to the Courier Junior. |
will help mamma to cook for the har-
vesters and thrashers and other help
can do. l have planned to take
music lessons on the organ. am
going to pick flowers. am going to
try to go to Sunday school and church
every Sunday. I am going to 20 to
town with papa when ever mamma
can spare me. am going to take
care Of the children when mamma
goes to town. expect to go to some
picnics and to Children's Dav at Sun
day school, and am coming to Ottum.
wa with papa some time. expect to
see some Of the Juniors or the editor.
I will answer any card receive.
Lille Myers, age ID,
r. Ed. No. 4. Abba.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
GRACE Is GOING TO SPEND HER
VACATION ON THE GILT.
NER FARM.

Dear Editor
This is the first time have written
to the Courier Junior. I thought I
would write few lines My father
takes the Junior paper and I like to
read the letters very much, 20 I
thought I would write one, too, and
tell you where I am going to spend
my vacation and what am going to
do.
am going to school now, but It will
be out soon, then l am going to hoe
in the garden and take care of the
little chickens and ducks and turkeys
and geese and gather tho eggs and
play with my little sister, Mildred:
she Is only two years old. but she is
very cute. I have three sisters and
one brother. My sisters names are
Lille. Eva and Mildred. MY brothers
name is Neal. For pets I have q kit
ten named Teddy and a little calf
named Bessie,
We have seventeen cows and nine
little calves and have eight hens set
ting, but we haven't any little chick
ems I will close for this time. hop
| ing to hear from some OF the Juniors
soon.
Grace Billings, age IL.
Route No. 8,
Abba, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
ROBIN REDBREAST.

AS / have not written for several
weeks I thought I would write about
Robin Redbreast. The are pretty
birds and sing sweetly from morning
until night. The old mother bird builds
her a nest in an apple tree and lays
four or five eggs and goes to sitting.
When they hatch one of the birds
stays on the nest and the other goes
and gets food for the little ones. The
little ones grow until they get big
enough to fly then the mother bird has
a hard time. The little ones start 10
fly and drop on the ground and moth
err bird has to fly down and pick them
up and put them back in the nest.
Kennel Pottorff. age H.,
r. No. 1, Moulton, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23

sent to her aunt. AS coon aa Aunt
Amy received the letter she started to
get ready to go after her.
Just as Mildred was sitting down to
dinner she heard wagon coming: she
looked out at the window and then
cried, "Oh, mamma, here comes Aunt
Amy after me-"
Mildred was so excited she did not
know what to do.
Aunt Amy staid little while and
talked to Mrs. Tuiliver and then, aft.
er Mildred had said Goodbye" ana
kissed them all, they started on their
journey.
It was about supper time when they
reached the farm. The first thing
they did was to gather the eggs and
feed the chickens. Mildred thought
this was lots Of fun. She soon learn
ed where all the nests were, SO she
could gather the eggs every night.
Mildred was to go home on her
birthday. When it was time to start
she said, II wish I was just coming"
Mildred got home about I O'Clock,
Her aunt had to 60 right back to meet
her Uncle John. Mildred ran into the
house crying, ooh, mamma, had the
best time" Take your hat into the
bedroom and put it on the Ded," said
Mrs. Tulliver. Mildred started in and
she was greatly surprised when she
saw ten OF her best friends sitting in
a row.
Ihey played games all afternoon.
and then they had nice lunch which
MIS-. Tulliver had fixed for them.
At 5 o'clock they all went home.
say; they had never had better
When they had gone Mrs. Tulliver
sent Mildred into the parlor. Mildred
went in and found many presents and
in the center Of them all was a big
doll and buggy. In it there was note
which said ITO Mildred from mamma
and Mary"
Mildred said she had never had
such a nice time before.
Olive Lemley, age 8,
Melrose, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
AN OLD JUNIOR COMES BACK.

Dear Editor:
1T has been long time since have
written to the Courier Junior, but
have not forgotten it because read
it every Saturday. think you have
a very interesting contest on now.
This is my first year in high school
and like It very we'll. We celebrated
Arbor day by giving program on
which had to read a paper on THE
Origin of Arbor Day." and all classes
in the school planted a tree.
The spring festival has been here.
Tuesday and Wednesday in which the
Minneapolis Symphony orchestra was
heard. They had the finest orchestra
and soloists that has ever been heard
in Kirksville. was at one Of the
concerts which was Elijah. I have two
brothers, one 7 and one 10. | would
like to exchange post cards with some
of the Juniors.
We used to live in Fremont, Iowa,
but moved here six years ago.
Lucille White, aged IA,
Box 256, Kirksville, Mo.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
SOUTH DAKOTA GIRL WRITES.

Dear Juniors:
l will write letter to the Junior
page My aunt takes the paper and l
enjoy reading the Junior page. I live
in the prairie state of South Dakota
and can see far. We can see the
Black Hills and different mountains.
My parents have q claim up here. We
have been here one year. l had to go
about three miles to school. went to
Dry Creek school. My teachers name
was Miss Montgomery. There were
eight scholars and we sat on chairs
around tables. My grandma lives In
Iowa. I would love to see her.
Ethel Evans,
Horse Creek, S. D.
Butte Co.. Box So.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
MARY's FIRST LETTER.

Dear Editor:
This is my first letter to the Junior.
I live in the country and go to Eagle
school No. s. My teachers name is
bessie Roberts. like her fine. My
playmates are Orpha and Ira Clark,
Edith Anderson Hazel Creek, Mabel
Buchanan and Helen Rafferty,. I have
a little baby brother. He is awful sweet
My school will be out the last OF
May. I like to go to school. For a
pet l have dog and cat. The dog 8
name is Pug. My mother has been
sick and my sister and have been
doing the work I wash and wipe the
dishes and sweep the floor.
I have four brothers and two sis
tiers. MY oldest sister is married.
like to read the Junior letters.
Mary Tweedy. age 10,
r. F. D. No. 7. Fairfield, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
HAS 11s POST CARDS.

Dear Editor and Juniors:
AS | have not written for long
time will now write you all letter.
have 113 post cards and eight OF
them are from the Junior. have re-
ceived post cards from Leona Vest.
Mae Shaffer, Edna shrimp, and Joseph
Inc Norton. They were all very nice
and I thank them all very much for
them. I would like to exchange pos
tails with any Of the Juniors. have
never worked in but one contest.
think the guess who contest was
fine one and I think Norma Daniels
had a splendid letter. I am not going
to school now as we have no teacher. l
have two brother and one sister. Their
names are Edna, Dale and Darrell.
was IS years old March 20. re-
ceiyed very pretty birthday card
from Josephine Norton.
Vida Conger, age Is.
R F. D. No. 1, Fairfield. Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
TIE PETERKIN'S
AT DIN N E r

This little incident happened in the
Peterkin family. 1t was at dinner
time. ....
They sat down to a dish Of boiled
ham. Now the children liked tat ana
half liked lean. Mr.. Peterkin sat down
to cut the ham. But the ham was
very unusual one. The fat and the
yean came in separate slices-frst
one OF lean, then one Of fat, and 80 on.
Mr.. Peterkin began by helping the
children according to their age. NOW
Agamemnon who liked lean, got fat
slice; and Elizabeth Eliza who pre-
ferred fat, had lean slice. Solomon
John, who could eat nothing but lean,
was helped to fat, and so on. None
had what he could eat.
1t was rule Of the Peterkin family
that no one should eat vegetables with
out meat Although the children saw
upon their plates, apple sauce, squash,
and sweet potato, no one could take 4
mouthful, because no one was satisfied
with his meat
Mr.. and Mrs Peterkin, however.
liked both fat and lean. They were
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
The Courier Junior
Published BY
THE cOuRlEE PRINTING CO.,
oTTUMNA, IOWA.
MATILDA DEvEREAUx.
EDITOR.
A JUNIOR DEBATE.

Dear Juniors.-We think Junior
debate will be very interesting. Wh1le
cur debate cannot be an oral one
THAT is OF the mouth) still we thlnN
the Juniors can write excellent essays
on the following subjects, so excellent
that every one will be interested IN
them:
OF BOYS OF II, OR
ARE BOYS or II YEARS AHEAD
OF GIRLS OF 127
We want all the Juniors to work IN
this contest, but We also want their
debate confined to $50 words. THIS
contest win open at once and close
May 2. We also hope to have the win
ners picture when the prize debate Is
published. o.,
lowing:
A croquet set, solid silver spoon
book or a brooch.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
MEADOW LARK.

The meadow lark is a rather small
bird but larger than a sparrow. Its
back is brown but its breast is spotted
and yellow. 1t has black streak
around it's neck. 1t lives mostly in the
fields and is about the color of the
ground and so you can hardly tell 1t
from the ground. 1t has a beautiful
song and scars high up in the air. 1t
builds its nest on the ground in the
tall grass and its eggs are white spot
ted with brown. 1t walks on the
ground instead Of hopping like robin
Oscar Root, age II,
312 North Court street,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
sro2lEs-LETTERs.
ETHEL WRITES AGAIN.

Dear Juniors:
I thought I would write again. have
got two cards from the Juniors and
thought they were nice and hope to
get another this time. My school be-
gan the 18th Of April am in the
fifth reader. l live little over mile
east Of Bunch and four miles west OF
Drakeville. My playmates are Nellie
Hutch, Dollie Darnielle and Bertha
Benge. We have twenty five scholars
in our school, We had six months Win
ter school and two months spring
term. was down to my grandpa's on
Sunday. We had good time. I have
two brothers and no sisters.
Ethel Hunt, age 10,
Bunch, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
MlLDRED's PARTY.

"Mildred's birthday will soon be
here" said Mrs. Tulliver. Don't you
think we could arrange to have par
ty for herr" Il do not know" said
Mary. Mildred ia very fond OF par
ties and T am sure she would like 1t
very much.
Just then the door opened and MIL
dred came in, ooh, mamma she
cried. "can I have party on my
birthday" 81 do not know" said
Mrs. Tulliver. 1T may not be nice
day" But she made a motion to Mary
that meant they should have one.
Mildred did not say anything about
her party. She thought her mamma
was too busy to be troubled with 1t.
A few days before her birthday
Mildred was playing in the yard when
the mail man drove up She noticed
that he put a slaall envelope in the
box. AS soon as he had gone she ran
out and got the mail. She looked at
the small envelope and her eyes
danced with Joy; it was addressed to
her from her Aunt Amy.
Her Aunt Amy lived on farm
about twenty miles from Mildred's
home.
Mildred ran into the house with the
letter and gave 1t to her mamma and
said, Read it for me, mamma" Mrs.
Tulliver opened it and read:
my Dear Mildred.-Your Uncle
John is going away for few days.
thought you might come and stay
with me while he Is gone I get very
lonesome by myself. Write at once
and tell me If you will come. I will
come after you as soon as I hear
from you Your Loving Aunt"
When Mrs. Tulliver finished reading
1t she turned to Mildred and said:
would you like to go and stay with
your aunt?'' Eyes, yes" said Mil
dred. II should like it ever SO much.
Can I really go" Eyes, If you want
to- said her mother. Mary you go
up ana pack her clothes while l GO
and write to Aunt Amy and tell her
she will come"
Soon the letter was finished and
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
A MAY PARTY.

It was in April that Bessie came to
visit her grandmother. Bessie was
used to having a party every May and
she wanted one this May. So her
grandmother told her to invite ten
children to go with her. They We're all
there that morning, each carving a
lunch basket with refreshments in it.
Bessie's grandmother had made her
cake, candy pies and tarts and so the
gay party started off: But the worst
trouble was where they should eat.
Jim, the oldest of all wanted it beside
bid tree Tom wanted 1T on large
rock. But Pauline said Lets make
crown of flowers and put it one some
ones head and let them be queen and
let the queen decide where we will eat.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
LIKED Mr.. sklNNER's LETTER.

Dear Editor
I have not written to the Junior for
some time and will now write. It Is
showing and our garden is all up, and
our fruit trees in full bloom. saw
Mr.. SINNERS letter in the Courier.
and 1t interested us, as they were our
next door neighbors for several
years. and I used to play with Howard
and Eva. My birthday was yesterday
and l got for presents new dress
and q pair of hair ribbons and q num-
Der OF other things, besides several
postal cards. We are coming up to
Ottumwa Decoration day and visit my
sister We have two hens asserting
and we will have little chickens to
take care Of when school is out. It is
out the 3rd Of June My baby brother
Is twenty months old; he talks and Ia
as sweet as sugar. y
Grace Musgrove, age 10,
Ill Linchon Street,
Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
MAUD HAD A POSTAL SHOWER

Dear Juniors:
I wish to thank you all for the pretty
birthday cards you sent me. I will an
swer them all in a little while. l have
now received fifteen cards and eleven
of them are from Juniors. l received
one from Susie Stewart, one from
Juliette Eisenbeis, one from Madge
Heron. one from Helen Roberts, one
from Callie Moore, one from Mary
Baird, one from Bertha and Retta
Ruark, one from Edna Cary, one from
Winfred Hunter, and one from jose
phine Norton. The rest are from rela
tives and friends. would like for all
the Juniors to tell me when their
birthdays are.
Maude Skirvin, age II.
r. No. 2, Floris, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23

making a good meal, when they looked
up and saw the children eating moth
ing.
"What is the natter" said Mr..
Peterkin.
But the children had been taught
not to speak at table. Agamemnon,
however, made a sign Of disgust at his
fat, and Elizabeth Eliza at her lean.
So the parents understood the diff
Guilty. :,
"What shall be done now" said
Peterkin. They all sat and thought for
awhile.
At last Mrs. Petergin said, Suppose
we ask the lady from Ph1ladelpnla
what Is best to be done"
But Mr.. Peterkin said he didn't Ike
to go to her for everything; let the
children try to eat their dinner as II
was.
They all tried, but they couldn't.
Very we'll, then,' said Mrs. Peter
kin, "let them go and ask the lady
from Philadelphia
"All of u.s." chied one Of the little
boys.
Eyes," said Mrs. Peterkin, "only put
on your india-rubber boots" And they
hurried out of the house.
The lady from Philadelphia was just
going in to her dinner, but she kindly
stopped in the entry to hear what the
trouble was. After Agamemnon and
Elizabeth Eliza had told her, she said,
"But why don't you give the slices OF
fat to those who like the fat, and the
slices of lean to those who like the
lean?"
They all looked at one another.
Agamemnon looked at Elizabeth Eliza,
and Solomon John looked at the little
boys.
why didn't we think of that?" said
they; and they all ran to tell their
mother.
-Lucretia P. Hale
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
NY SCHOOL.

Dear Editor
l will write you something about my
school. My studies are arithmetic,
reading, physiology, language, geog-
raphy, history and spelling. MY teach
er's name is Miss Ada Morgan. |
have seventeen schoolmates. There
are nine boys and eight girls. | have
a mile and half to walk. l have one
brother who goes to school. His name
is Wesley, and my sisters name is
4,ildred.
Ella White,
r. F. D. No. 2.
South English, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
ONCE UPON A TIME, ETC.
Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:
I thought I would write a little
story. Once upon a time there was a
little girl. She was very selfish and
naughty. So one day her mamma told
her she could take her dinner and go
to the woods. She was going along and
she came to an old man sitting on a
bank. He stopped her and asked her If
she would give him something to eat.
She said mo, I want it myself" This
old man was fairy so he knew she
frog so she hoped along all day, and
at night her mamma and papa got
and so they started to hunt
for her. They passed her and she
couldn't speak to them at all so the
fairy took pity on her and changed her
back to her self and never again was
she selfish or naughty. .-
Sarah Snow. age Z,
Belknap, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
LITTLE BOYS At PLAY.
Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:
Bernard was age eight and Neil was
age three. They both lived in town
about one half Of a block from each
other. Every now and then they
would 20 to visit together. One after
noon Bernard went over to see Nell.
After he had been there while Neil
brought out his new tricycle. and
showed Bernard how to ride it. After
thew had ridden until they were tired
went in and played with Neil's build
ing blocks and his little wagon. After
they had played cutie while 1t was
time for Bernard to 60 home and aft
er bidding each other good bye, Ber-
nard started home having enjoyed 4
pleasant time
Winifred Hunter, age s.
Blakesburg, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
The Lost Doll

I once had a sweet little doll, dears,
The prettiest doll in the world;
Her cheeks were so red and so white
dears,
And her hair was so charmingly
curled
But I lost my poor doll, dears,
AS played on the heath one day:
And I cried for more than a week
dears,
But l never could find where she lay
found my poor little doll, dears,
AS l played on the heath one day; :,
Folks say she is terribly changed
dears,
For her paint is all washed away.
And her arms trodden off by the cows
dears,
And her hairs not the least bit curl
ed;
Yet for old times sake, she is still
dears,
The prettiest doll in the world.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
THE SOUVENIR CARDS.

We want the Juniors to continue to
write nice letters. The Juniors show q
great improvement in their letter
writing.
We will give surprise prize at the
end OF April to the Junior who writes
the best letter, as we'll as send sow
enir cards whenever their stories Or
letters appear.
The Juniors can write on one Of the
following subjects and receive beautl'
full souvenir cards, II they do not care
to write letters:
THE JOURNEY OF A focENT
PIECE.
A MAY PARTY.
TOMS FIRST BALL GAME.
NY VACATION PLANS.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
NY VACATION PLANS.

Dear Editor:
This is my first letter to the Junior.
I am little boy seven years old.
live in the country and 60 to Eagle
school. My teachers name is Bessie
Roberts and I like her just fine. Our
school will be out the last Of May, and
am going to gather gooseberries and
help my mother all can. When the
work is all done am going to the
city to visit my cousins and have a
fine time. My mamma has been sick
all winter and we have darling baby
boy just three weeks old. His name
is Harold LIE Roy.
Well, I will close for this time.
hoping to hear from the Little Jun
iors.'
Dannie Lee Tweedy, age Z,
R. F. D. No. I, Fairfield, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
LEILA HAS OVER SO LAMBS.

Dear Editor:
AS I have never written before
thought l would write. I like to read
the little girls and boys letters. Our
school was out March IL. l was not
tardy nor absent the entire six months
of school. My teachers name was Miss
Bessie Smith. liked her very much.
We have over so little lambs. have q
black one. We have two black calves.
MY birthday is Feburay %. I was a
twin but my mate died when she was
about seven months old. My sisters
and I hid twenty-four eggs for Easter.
NV great grandmother lives in Bloom
field. She will be IS years old this
month.
Leila Waggoner,
Bloomfield, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

1. Use one side Of the paper only.
2. Write neatly and legibly, using
ink or sharp lead pencil.
4. Number your pages.
5. Do not copy stories or poetry
and send us as your own work.
6. Always state choice OF prize on
q separate piece Of paper, with name
and address in full.
Address the envelope to- Editor,
Courier Junior, Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
PAUL WORKS At THE BOX GAR
LOADER.

Dear Editor:
saw the letters in the Courier Jun.
Tor and thought them very Moe ana
thought that I would like to have q
letter in the Junior. work at the Of
tumwa Box Car Loader Co like to
work there very much. also go to
school. go to the Douglas school. It
Is very nice building. am in the
last room which Is the seventh grade.
Ny teachers name is Miss Baker.
have been working on the multigraph
today and I am very tired, SO will
close.
Paul D. Green. ago II,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-23
FroYpE's FIRST LETTER.

Dear Juniors:
AS I have never written to the Jun
Tor mage I thought I would write. am
little boy six years old. live IN
South Dakota. NY parents came here
a year ago in March from Iowa.
like the country up here. The coyotes
howl around and chase our dogs back
to the house. I have seen lots Of them.
NV two grandmothers live in Iowa.
I would like to see them. will close as
my letter is getting long.
Floyde Riggs,
Horse Creek, s. D., Box So.