davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
s.WHAT THE COMET SAW U
AMERICA"

Now that we have all seen the
comet. we will tell how nice it looked.
I guess will tell what the comet
saw when it passed SO near the earth.
The comet saw many strange sights
on the earth. 1t could hardly believe
1t was the same earth 1t passed seven
ty-f1ve years ago. There were SO many
changes and improvements.
The great network of wires, tele'
phone wires, telegraph and electric
light wires; the many thousands OF
miles Of railroads from the Atlantic
to the Pacific oceans, and the automo-
biles spinning In country and city.
And then the airships in which peo-
pie were riding, trying to get better
view Of the comet
The many. many great factories
with their high smoke stacks.
And then, too, it saw the great
steamships on the ocean and how fast
they could CO. Seventy-f1ve years ago
there were very few, II any, steam
ships.
And 1t passed over the great ditch
they are digging between Central
and South America, which will take
the many men that are working on 1t
until 1915 to finish.
These things do not seem strange to
us, who are here all the time, but It
we should go away and be gone as
long as the comet has been, and then
return, it would seem strange.
Your Junior friend,
Josephine L. Norton, age IA.
Melrose, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
HAZEL MAIN WRITES TO LOIS.

Miss Lois Griffin, Abba, Iowa.
Dear Junior Friend.-How are you
now? am fine and dandy. l hope you
will get better SO you can write 70 INC
Junior. ~,
How many little chickens nave YOU
folks? We have about 500 little chick
ems and "a little ducks.
How many post cards have you got:
7 have received about fifty
Did you get the postal sent you?
When is your birthday? My birthday
is October 80. will be IL years OF
age. r
I have two sisters and one brother'
NV. brothers name is Glenn, age 10.
Ethel is IA years old and Esther f1ve
Hoping to hear from you soon re-
main, your Junior friend.
Hazel Main, age IL.
R., r. No. 2, Box %,
Moravia, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
A COMET STORY.

A comet is member Of the solar
system with q luminous train.
The comet we. are going to talk
about is Halley's comet. It was dis
covered by an English astronomer
named Edmund HALEY who first fore
told its return. Edmund HALEY was
born in 1866 and died in 1742. This
comet is supposed to return every .
years. The comets last appearance
was made in 1885, during Andrew
Jackson's administration. l suppose
there are very few If any people liv.
ing now that saw it the last time it,
was here. In the time Of the Greeks
and Romans, it was thought that
comets were signs Of war, plague,
famine. deaths, etc. There were OF
course very few philosophers then.
The first certain record of Halley's
comet was in II B. G. The earth was
supposed to enter the tail OF the comet
at 4 y M, and pass out at 10 O'Clock.
It is said that the Hawai-: Islands was
the best place to view it. When The
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
FORESTS COMET STORY.

"A comet is something don't know
much about, but I have wanted ito see
one, and we watched for It, saw 1t
the night of the eclipse OF the moon
which was May 23d, early in the even
ing, but saw the eclipse .good-saw
1t when II was clear over the moon at
IL o'clock. had never seen one be-
fore. Mama got up two mornings at
! 4 O'Clock and she couldn't see any
thing OF the comet She intended
to call me If she did. This comet was
called Halley's comet because man
by the name of HALEY discovered 1t a
number Of years ago and 1t Is only
visible every IS years, so If we see it
again we will be quite old. l saw the
comet the best last night. I saw
1t for about one hour, and the tail
looked to be about 2 yards long in the
sky Some people were scared. They
thought the comet would sweep the
earth, but so far 1t hasn't done any
damage. was not bit afraid Of it..
Our teacher at school told us not to
be afraid of 1t but some Of the chill
dFen were. Mamma saw comet
about 81 years ago, when she was a
little girl, but she saw 1t at o'clock
in the morning, and 1t just looked
like ball Of fire with q long tail, and
the tail was the same color Of the
stars. It wasn't white looking like
this one. It seems strange to me to
look so small and then they say 1t is
larger than the earth. Well, I guess
this Is all I can write on the comet.
so l would like to tell the Juniors
am going to be 10 years old the sec
Of June like to receive some birth
day cards and will return them.
think If we Juniors couldn't have a
picnic, it would be nice to have an
imaginary picnic. Well, will close
for this time.
Forest Weber, age 9,
1905 E. Main. Ottumwa, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
JosEPHlNE's SCHOOL OUT; SHE
IS COMING TO oTTUMWA.

Dear Editor and Juniors
Our school was out Tuesday and
on Wednesday night we had our en-
tertainment at the opera house. we
had beautiful night for 1t.
l was the fairy queen" In a playlet,
"Dottie's Dream"
/ wore white veil and long white
skirt, gold crown on my head. and
carried a gold wand In my hand.
Friday night the high school grades
had their entertainment. The whole
school sang two songs, Anchored
and "The Morning Ramble."
/ am glad that school IS out. NV
I can 20 visiting. Can hardly wait
until can go to Ottumwa and visit
the hospital and some of the Juniors.
Your Junior friend,
Josephine L. Norton, age a.
Melrose, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
r. r. Nc. I,
Bloomfield, Iowa.
A COMET STORY.

Halley's comet has been quite an in
teresting thing since the first time It
was seen by people. At first it look
ed like dandelion floating in the
breeze 1t was very small at first and
looked like a star with tail. This
comet began to grow and grow, get
ting larger every day. I heard thar
this comet contains gas which no
one can stand and that the star was
burning rock. 1t was told that If this
Genet falls to earth it would fall the
18th of May. It.has been known that
more people have become Christian
people than there has been for years
and have become good church people.
We all know that this comet was sent
for some reason and this is my reason.
That there could become more Chris
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
HOW FAR WENT AND WHAT
SAW FOR ONE DOLLAR.

Dear Editor: One day my father.
mother and two brothers and myself
started out early in the morning for
Sigourney. When we got there we
went to the depot to wait for the
train. We wanted to go to Oskaloosa.
It cost me seventy-folr cents there
and back. On the road there We
crossed river and up the river was
mill and a pleasant road winding IN
and out among the trees.
When we got to Oskaloosa, we went
to the circus and as had twenty-six
cents left, I bought me q ticket and
went in the animal tent and there
were tigers, lions, elephants, llamas,
giraffes, zebras, monkeys, camels,
bears and hippopotamus. With my
one remaining cent l bought some
sailed peanuts and gave them to my
brother.
Your friend,
Melvin Goeldner,
Age II, September rs,
R.F. d. No. Sigourney. Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
LOIS is BETTER.

Dear Editor and Juniors:
l thought would write and let you
know how am getting along. got
up and dressed this morning for tho
first time in two weeks. feel q little
weak when walk yet but not much.
/ just got through reading the Junior
page and read the two letters that
were written to me by Lula Tickle and
Caroline Tout. want to thank them
very much for writing to me and will
answer them soon. also want to
thank the other Juniors for the postal
cards and letters they sent me. re-
ceived cards and letters from the
following: Forest Weber, Caroline
Tout. Hanna Sandahl, Iona Hancock,
Frances and Josephine Norton. It was
great amusement to me to get to hear
from the Juniors and others who sent
me cards, besides the Junior. l must
close, hoping to hear from the Juniors
soon.
Lois Griffin, aged 10.
r n No A1hia Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
FLOYD LIKES ALL THE JUNIORS.

Dear Editor:
have not written to the Junior for
long time hope all the Juniors are
well. go to school everv day. Wei
have stars up at our school house. III
we are not tardy and absent week.
we get a star. have five OF them now,
and have never been tardy in my life.
There are 20 scholars in our school.
Their names are Jim Fulton. Homeri
Curtis, Howard Henry. Lloyd Gillespie.
Newton Gillespie. Helen Wright, Yer
one smothermon, Roy Barger, Wesise
Fulton, Jay Barger, Hattie Barger.
Dessa and Oren Eaton, Coda Barger.
Blanche Young, Ethel Smothermon.
Ada Champlin, Howard Curtis, Claire
Fulton and myself. Some Of the pupils
lust have one star. Wessie Fulton. /
think, has never been tardy or absent
in her life. There are four pupils In my
class. Their names are Wessie Fulton.
Roy Barger. Howard Curtis.
would like to exchange postals with
any of the Juniors.
F'loy E. Young, age 10,
r. No. z, Charlton. Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
RAINS NEARLY EVERY SUNDAY.

Dear Editor:
We are not having very nive wealth
er here now. It rains almost every
Sunday. l am not going to school
now by my brother John goes and
they are going to have home talent
play at his school the Goth and goth.
I have "a little chickens and 10 little
ducks and they are doing fine ard
have five more hens setting with
Rhode Island Red eggs. They are my
own and I want to see what can
raise, but mamma says she is afraid
they will all die before get them
raised. have 800 post cards. |
don't think there will be much fruit
this year for it all froze while in
blossom, but think we will have all
the strawberries that we want and
blackberries If they don't dry OUT.
Three Of my cousins were here to
visit us Sunday and l had dandy
time.
Edna Margaret Horras,
r. F. D. No. 1, Box 80, Richland. la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04

Dear Editor: I.
We have lived in Wyoming about
two months. like it very well. We
have had mild weather nearly all OF
the time. We can see the mountains!
from our home, about thirty miles
distant. we go down in some deep
canons for wood. We saw an eagles
nest about half way up steep cliff. q
hundred feet high or more that looks
like solid rock. do not think the nest
could be reached. At least am not go
ing to try it. We have climbed many
high bluffs and picked up many pretty
rocks. We have filled up some coyote
dens viii rocks. My cousin, who was
with us a few weeks. shot coyote.
He was very poor and hungry look,
ing. We wondered whether he would
OF liked some nice chicken for his din-
ner We were very sure we did not
want him to have any of our chick
ems. We boys have rifle We hope we
can get rid Of some Of these animals.
I like to read the Junior letters.
Rolin Eslinger, age 10.
ChugWater, Wye.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
BLUE BELLS, FLAvINA'S FAv-
ORITE FLOWER.

Dear Editor:
AS have not written for some time
I will write. MY teacher is Miss Stella
Haskin. I like her fine. There are
twenty-seven pupils in my school. Our
school will be out in two weeks. We
will have a program and picnic the
last day. did not get to attend
school last winter as had the whoop-
ing cough. There were many beautiful
flowers on our place before the snow
in April, but not many now. like to
go flower hunting. My favorite
flowers are blue bells.
Flavina Harvard, age IL.
Doutls-Leando, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04

comet appeared in 1851 the air and the
sky took on peculiar sight and the
sky was Illuminated. The head or cen-
trail part Of the comet Is said to be,
solid matter az iron or meteoric
stones. The tail is made up Of gas
eous matter. As the comet near the
sun these gases come forth and are
repealed by the suns forces and that
is why the tail points away from the
sun. It is though that the comet will
be visible with the naked eye till tbs
LIST Of July, but 1t will be seen with
telescopes until the end Of the year.
The comet will again appear in 1856.
AS the 18th OF May Is over when the
comet was supposed to pass we have
no need to worry. There was no
change at all and it was very pleas
ant evening and bright moon shone
all night.
Hedveg Carlson, age Ii
1915 Locust St., Ottumwa, Ia
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04

home from church as we passed along.
We crossed the Charlton river which
overfows sometimes and gets into
peoples homes and washes away their
crops.
When we got to Centerville we
walked short distance to the street
car which runs only two blocks from
the hospital. When we got there we
swung in the hammock. They gave
us some Ice cream.
There were lots of flowers and trees
in the yard.
will never forget the time he took
me to the hospital for he is dead now.
Your Junior friend,
Ethel Hunt, age 10,
Bunch, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
The Courier Junior
Published BY
THE couRIEE PRINTING &C.
oTrUMWA, IOWA.
MATILDA pEvEREAUx.
EDITOR.
An IMAGINARY JUNIOR PICNIC

Dear Juniors: Today we have an
excellent subject for q Junior contest,
ana It Is q Juniors subject, too. For
est Weber suggests that the Juniors
usa for their subject an Imaginary
Picnic" and we Immediately ENDORSE
1t. Consequently, the above subject
VIII BE- our re wc..ntest, which opens
today and closes Monday, June Is.
And the prize, too, will be q regular
picnic basket filled with q delicious
picnic lunch. We want all the Jun
fora to work IN this contest.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

Il Use one side OF the paper only.
2. Write neatly and legibly, using
ink or sharp. lead pencil :,
8. Always sign your name IN Iull
and state your age.
4. Number your pages
5. DO not copy stories or poetry
and send us as your own work
s. 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.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
WHAT A DOLLAR BOUGHT.

am going to tell you what bought
with dollar.
I bought two yards of baby ribbon
for s cents, and plant for 10 cents
for little sick girl and rattle Tor
my little cousin at 5 cents; and a
pair of side combs for a friend at 10
cents, and then l bought my mamma
g pair of silk gloves for IS cents and
a flower vase for grandma at Is cents,
and 2 post card for cents.
Then l went home and showed
mamma what I had bought for one
dollar.
Blanche Byrum, age 10.
Ida Route,
Be''c Fourche, S. D.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04

Dear Editor:
l received a beautiful postal from
the Courier Junior. This is my second
letter to the. Courier Junior. live on q
farm two miles east Of Abba and I
like the place fine. My school was out
May 6. have been having lots Of fun
during vacation. have been down to
my grandmother's and stayed three
days since school was out. My grand
mother had one hundred and seventy
nine little chickens when was there
and they have thirteen little calves. I
like to stay with my grandmother for
always have lots Of fun. My grandma
lives on farm four miles and one
half east OF Abba.
Grace Billings, age II,
r, No. 3.Albia., Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
NY ONE DOLLAR JOURNEY.

Dear Junior
/ was making trip on the train.
1 went by the beach. On that beach
there were some little boys at play.
i was going to see grandma. like to
go to see her for she is so good to mo.
She has been sick, but is better now.
saw a wreck there. There were
three cars. The wrecker was there
picking 1t up. The section men were
there at work just as we stopped at
the station to change cars.
There were no people on the car
when we got on 1t.
We went to the pond. There were
geese in it, and three boys were fish,
ing in it.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04

May 16, 24O ID. G.. Marcn lVoo Ino
people Of Europe were very badly
frightened at This strange long tailed
star. In 1456 It was visible soon after
the Turks. had captured CONSTANT
nople. The western people were filed
with terror. for they thought that the
Mohammedans were going to overrun
the whole Christian world, and that
the comet was the sign Of their COM
ing. In ancient times comets were al
ways regarded with terror. People
thought that these ''long tailed stars
as they were called, were the fore-
runners of disaster. When Haley
first studied this comet he said IT
wSuld again be visible In 1888. When
the year came the comet appeared Just
as Haley had said 1t would, which NIL
ed the people with wonder. He did not
see it though because he had Deen
dead sixteen years. The last Tune
the comet appeared before this was IN
1888 and after long absence OF 70
years It is again visible. 1t was seen
by the naked eye sometime IN April.
Astronomers have noticed this ever
since the first Of the year. The aver
age time it takes for the comet TO re-
turn is 76 and eight-tenths years, but
the next time will be "A years ana
Ave months from now. which Will De
in 1885 March Is the comet passed
behind the sun so that the eartn, SUI
and comet were in straight line, the
sun being between the earth and the
comet The comet then passed TO
the westward so that from March 20
until May 16 was seen in the eastern
sky before sunrise. On May - the
comet was nearest the earth, the as
lance of about eleven or twelve NIL
lion miles and was about one-e1ghth
distance between the earth and the
sun. On May 10, the earth passed
through the tail Of the comet but ala
no harm although many feared tnat
1t would. The comet may be seen III
the western sky about an hour ana
half after sunset, but 1t IS gett.ns
dim now and looks almost like very
dim star with light streak extending
from it. II people do not see II tiis
wear I doubt whether many OF US VIII
live to see 1t in 1885.
Mildred Ollie, age IL
r r D. No. 2, Douds-Leando, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04

tian people in this world. II TINS
comet should have fallen to earth the
astronomers were going to send a
message to four parts OF the earth ~
let people know 1t is coming. put IN
stead OF that it gradually disappears
as 1t came.
I hope Lois Grifln Is better now.
would like to hear from her.
Mary Palreyman, age Is,
r. F. D. No 1. Lucas, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
nv ONE DOLLAR TRIP.

On a bright Sunday morning in
June my uncle came to our house and
asked me to go to Centerville with
him to see my Aunt Rose, who was IN
the hospital We had to go on the
train. and as we rode along we saw
woods and hedges, and birds flying IN
them.
There, were beautiful flowers, too,
in full bloom. People were just going
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
MOVED OUT WEST IN MARCH.

Dear Editor:
We moved out here from Iowa In
March. We take the Courier. We like
our home very much. I have seen a
jack rabbit, coyote, four antelopes
and some prairie dogs. Our dog, Bus
ter Brown caught porcupine. He got
a great many OF its quilts in his
mouth and all over his back. Papa
and a neighbor had hard time get.
ting them out. We felt very sorry for
him because they hurt him SO. We
have no church nor school house near
US but hope to have soon. like to go
to church and Sunday school. We are
thirteen and one-half miles from town.
This is my first letter to the Courier
Junior
Louise Wells, age z,
Ching Water WyO.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
EAGLE GROVE CALLED THE PINK
SCHOOL.

Dear Editor
This is my first letter to the Junior.
/ am little grid years old. My
birthday is May 30. :,
90 to the Eagle Grove school. it
is called the Pink school.
For pets I have kittens and dog.
His name is Major.
have two bantam chickens.
have two sisters and one brother.
Their names are Iva. Bertha and
Otto Your little friend.
Coca Weed, age 6.
R. F. D. No. Z.
Bloomfield, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
Z HALLEY's COMET.

Halley's comet is one of great i'm
portance. It was first discovered by
Edmund HALEY In 1852 and it interest
ed him as it had millions of theirs.
He began studying the orbit of the
tail and found that the comet of 1881,
1907 and 1852 were all the same. This
wanderer was traced back as far as
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
WANTS MARGARET TO WRITE.

Floris, Ia. May 2, 1910.
Miss Margaret Smiley,
$3.50 Garfield Ave, st. Louis, Mo.
Dear Junior friend:
thought would write you let
ter and send it to the Courier Junior.
I have never written letter to you
before. / have been exchanging cards
with you for over a year and now
have eighteen postals from you. They
are all very pretty and thank you
very much for them.
now have over seventy postcards
from the Juniors. / have exchanged
postals with tn, following Juniors:
Ferne Epperly, Mary Sutherland,
Forest Weber, Garnett Marie Gilyeart,
Margaret Mccoy. Retta Ruark, Bertha
Ruark, Mamie Hale, Helen Roberts,
Nellie Baird, Lena Davis, Juliette
Eisenbeis, Lois Griffin, Orpha Baker,
Callie Moore, Josephine Norton,
Frances Norton, Desdemona Eisen-
beis, Nellie Stuart, Eva McEwen,
Hazel Vest and Leona Vest, besides
you.
l live on farm near Floris, Ia. l
like to live here alright. write to
the Courier Junior about every week.
now have nine prizes from the
Courier Junior and they are as fol
lows: A book. a fluffy ruffles doll, a
Billy Sunday post card, two post card
albums, Santa Claus pin cushion,
some letter paper, a jig-saw puzzle
and a fountain pen. thank the
editor very much for them. also
have over forty post cards from the
Courier Junior. I think they are all
very pretty. I also thank the editor
for them
For my birthday got twenty post
cards and fourteen of them are from
Junior friends.
I have three brothers and three
sisters and my brothers names are
Clyde, Frank and Johnny. My sisters
names are Ethel, Florence and Maude.
My oldest sister Ethel, Is married and
has the sweetest little girl have
ever seen. Her name is Martha Mary
Box. She was thirteen months old the
Goth Of April, 1910.
do not go to school now as school
was out March 25. l did not go to
school from December "a, 1909 until
February 81, 1910. This summer I
want to go and visit my grandma but
i don't suppose I can get to go.
think I will go and visit my sister
Ethel. We baye about so little
chickens which we Matched out of an
incubator. We din have over hun
dred but they all died but about SO.
For pets we have a dog and cat.
Our dogs name is Shep and the cats
name is Tiger. Our little chickens
are also pets. They will follow you
around.
Well. will close, hoping to. get a
long letter from you soon.
am your friend.
Mabel Skirvin, age IL,
r. F. D. No. g. Floris, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
THE SOUVENIR CARDS.

We want the Juniors to continue
To write nice letters. The Juniors
show great Improvement IN tnelr
letter writing
We will give a surprise prize at the
end Of June to the Junior who writes
the best letter, as well as send souv-
enir cards whenever their stories or
letters appear.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-06-04
BIRD AND BILL. COLTS.

Dear Junior:
AS have not written for some time
will write. I go to school. We live
a mile and a half from school. There
are twenty-seven pupils in our school
My teacher is Miss Haskins. We
moved from near Eldon last March
l like my new home very much. We
have two little colts. Their names
are Bird and Bill.
Lowell Harvard, age 10,
Douds-Leando, Iowa.