davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
1.-THE CUCKOO"

The cuckoo is one Of the well known
class of birds.
It is best known by It's 100000 cry
with which 1t tells of it's coming and
that of spring. They are little over
Ia foot long, their bills are as long
as their heads; their wings are long
and pointed and their tails are also
long and rounded. The upper surface
Is ashen gray and the breast and
legs are whitish with brown wavy
cross lines. They are a shy restless
and unsociable bird, but are very
valuable on account Of their great
appetite for caterpillars. Among the
cuckoos there the honey guide Of
Ethiopia, feeding on wild bees and
Jay cuckoos, using the nests of crows
young; the road runner or ground
cuckoo of California; the coucal or
|spurred cuckoo and the cuckoo of East
Africa, which Is q fine song bird.
The American cuckoo Is very Inter
esting, since 1t makes its rudimentary
nest, has an irregular way Of laying
and cares northing for its young. Its
eggs are sometimes found in the nests
Of other birds.
Formerly the cuckoo was thought
to be a prophet Of spring, of long life,
of prosperity and was also said to be-
come hawk in winter and good or
bad fortune was thought to depend
on what one was doing when he first
heard the cuckoo" in spring, and the
direction from which the sound came.
Ruth Goltry, age IL,
R. F. D. No. 2, Russell, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
Richard And His
Brother Are
Explorers

Richard was from the country. His
home was on farm far from town
or city. He had come to pay a visit
to his cousin, Harold, whose parents
had very recently removed from the
country (where they had also lived
on a FARM to q pretty and bustling
railroad town. Mr.. jackson, Harolds
father, had gone into business in the
town, and had written his sister, Mrs
Peters Orchards mother), to send
her son to town for nice little visit
with Harold.
The two boys were almost of a size,
Richard being eleven and Harold
twelve years Of age. AS neither had
a brother, they were rs close In CON-
radeshtp as could be, none coming be-
tween them. Harold was very happy
when his cousin Dick came rolling in
on the train one day, and expressed
his intention Of stopping for two
weeks.
Lets go exploring the country
about town." suggested Harold to
Richard few days after the latter's
arrival. "As yet, I've not been out
side the town, except to go to a fishing
pond a mile below the railroad sta
ton. I've been waiting for you to
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
STORIES and LETTERS
HOW LIKE SOUTH DAKOTA.

Dear Editor:-I will write letter
about my new home in South Dakota.
I lived near Oskaloosa, Iowa, all my
life until March the first this spring,
when we got here there was lots OF
snow.
like it up here just fine. 1t is an
awful pretty country.
We live near a lake called Clear
lake. It is over two miles long and is
over one mile wide. When the wind
blows the waves on it are four feet
high.
We live eleven miles from Water.
town, 1t is a large and beautiful city.
It has pretty parks and buildings.
And we live within one mile and a
half Of q little town called Thomas.
We can see 1t from our house it has
bank, postoffiee, hardware store,
lumber yard, mill, two elevators, no.
tel and restaurant, general store of
everything and quite few dwelling
houses and one railroad, (the South
Dakota CENTRALLY. 1t has large church
we have Sunday school and preaching
every Sunday afternoon. Last Sunday
there was over ninety present. There
are about twenty-five boys and girls
in my class.
Quite few of the fapme-- come to
church in automobiles.
We live one mile and half from
school. We live on a farm of 400
acres. We have 1872 acres of wheat,
twenty.eight acres of oats, twenty-nine
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
A Danger Every-
1uhere

"Please, mother, may Jimmy and l
Jack
Go out for play on the railroad
track?"
"Yes, chicks, but look out when you
cross the street
For any stray automobiles you may
Dear mother, may Jackey and l and
Jim
Go down to the river to learn to
swim?"
Eyes, darlings; but do not forget how
it feels
To be flattened out by the automo-
biles."
"Oh, mother, Jim, Jack and want to
90
Up in balloon with a man at the
show"
"Why, certainly, dears; you must have
your spells, ~
But do keep away from the automo.
biles."
&C. A. G. Journal.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
A "cHEERFULLED.UP" BOY,

Some way the sun didn't seem to
shine very bright for Terry that
morning. The sidewalks felt cold to
his bare feet, everybody was in q
hurry and didn't buy as many of his
morning papers as usual, and, alto
gether. Terry didn't feel cheerful at
all.
Now the little mother at homo had
taught Terry that it was wrong not to
be cheerful SO he began right away to
see what could be done about. It..
Perhaps II could find somebody.
else that's uncheerfuler than am and
do something for 'em, I'd feel. better.
l guess I'll try and see."
He hadn't very far to look for at
that very minute tiny bit Of a girl
going past him tumbled down and
bumped her head.
well, WE'LL" cried Terry, what's
the matter here?" And before the baby
had time to cry he had set her on her
feet again, and was making her laugh
instead.
Already he began to feel better and
as he started off through the park he
was almost ready to whistle.
And old gentleman sat on one OF
the benches, looking very tired and
lonesome
Hello" thought Jerry, II guess
here's my chance. What can do for
him? I might give him one Of these
papers I've got left. He looks as II
he'd like that
In minute he stood in front Of the
old gentleman with his hand up to his
forehead in funny little way that
meant he would have tipped his cap
If he had had one.
Good morning, sir; think praps
you'd be cheerfuller il you had q paper
to read" he said. 1--WE got lot left
over that don't want to carry"
why, bless your heart, boy" said
the old gentleman, that's the very
thing that will do me good. Thank
you, sir, thank YOU"
Terry was whistling when he left
the old gentleman reading the paper.
and hurried on again.
It was surprising how many people
he found to help that day. His even
ing papers sold better, perhaps, be-
cause he looked so good natured.
BY the time he went home he was
SO "cheerfulled-up' that the minute he
put his head in the door his mother
said, Here's my bit of brightness
come home. don't believe I will need
any lamp tonight"
And Terry went to bed, the happi.
est boy in the city.
Your Junior friend,
Hazel Yeager, age IL.
Agency. Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
CANARIES.

The prettiest and most beautiful
singing bird Is the canary.
Some canaries are light yellow and
some are dark yellow with black
winds.
The wild canaries are dark yellow
with black wings.
The Linnet canaries are brownish
yellow. Wild canaries are a beauti-
full singing bird They often sit near
house and sing. They build their
nest with hair and cotton. They hang
them on limb of a tree about half
way up and sometimes higher.
The Linnet canary has much
sweeter voice than yellow canary.
There are no wild Linnet canaries
or yellow canaries but there Is only
the one kind of wild canary I know Of.
It is the one which l have mentioned
in the beginning of the story.
The Linnet canary is kept In a
cage like the yellow canary. They
cannot live outdoors, they are kept in
cages to sing. When one is lone
some they need canary to keep them
company.
A tame canary cannot fly like wild
birds. They are. fed hemp, seed, grape
seed, fax seed and egg and water.
When female canary wants to set
she tears the paper from the bottom
Of the cage. Then you make a nest
and sew it in one corner of the cage,
then the cage is supposed to hang
where it was when the eggs were laid.
If the female is not satisfied with the
cage or nest she will not set.
After the birds are Matched the sing.
er and female feed them with bread
and milk.
When they are week old they will
sit on the edge Of the nest. when
another week has past they will be all
feathered out and sitting on the perch
feeding themselves.
Some tame canaries will fight you
when you come near the nest where
they are sitting.
Irene Smith, Age 10,
Greeley, Neb., R. R. No. 3.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
HAZEL GETS A NURSERY
ROCKER"

Dear acknowledgements is my
birthday and will be eleven years old.
My papa is q mail carrier and rides
a motorcycle. The first day he rode
it he didn't know how to manage 1t
very well. He got along all right un-
til he was about two miles from the
office when something went wrong
with the engine and he could not
make it go. Pretty soon man with
an auto came along SO they fastened
the motorcycle to q rope that was
on the automobile and the man started
to pull him in to the Office, they got
along all right for about mile.
It run off to one side and threw him
of and hurt his leg SO he could hard
~ use it for two or three days but
he can ride 1t all right now.
Hazel G. Brown, Age 10.
Cedar, Iowa, r. r. No. l.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27

through the air. It goes very swift
and at last 1t rests on the limb OF
tree. Again it starts on It's journey
and stops once or twice to eat fisn:
When 1t reaches home 1t tells all
about it's journey and In what particu'
lar stream the best fish are found. The
kingfisher is not a large bird. 1t has
long beak with which it carries the
fish it catches to shore. 1t is swift
flying bird and Is very quick.
It is found mostly in England. Some
are found, in the United States. In
olden days it was thought that the
kingfsher built it's nest upon the
waves of the sea and the young were
Matched out by the heat of the sun.
They thought there were fourteen days
Of calm weather on the sea and these
days were called "halcyon days the
Greek word for kngfsher.
Allen Doud, Age IL.
Douds-Leando, la.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27

| by the singing Of many an inferior
canary. A single bird with superior.
voice, especially Compantni, Will
sometimes command price for which
bought.
Singing canary birds are bred IN
the Hartz mountains In Germany
Large numbers are raised by the cot
tagers Of this region. How much the
industry means to the peasants near
St. And1easburg, the Brocken. anu
other localities In the Hartz mountains
may be gathered from the fact that
thirty years ago it was estimated that
the trade amounted to 100000 year.
Some canaries sing much more freely
than others, and Immediately after the
arrival Of consignment at the store
| OF the importer the interesting process
OF testing the singing qualifications q
the different individuals is begun
Cages are piled one deep in a tier con-
tanning forty or fifty rows. In front OF
this large, ) somewhat semi-circular
pile, each cage containing single oc;
cupant, sits the tester. watching ana
listening. Many notes are to be hearn,
but it is difficult to determine from
which of the many scores OF throats
they proceed. This is the duty assign
ed the tester, and when he Is certain
that any particular bird Is singing, ne
tanning it. Marked cages are suisse
quently removed and their occupants
are sold as guaranteed singers. On :.
clear, sunny day when the birds sing
freely an expert will sometimes marx
500 cages.
Belgium has given us the broad
shouldered canary with. its little head.
Scotland has given us a canary that IS
bent like bow SO that when the bird
is one the perch line drawn from bill
to tip of tail would pass well IN front
Of the feet. Other fancy canaries are
the Norwich, the London and the liz
ard. The last named Is dark bird
with gold or silver spangles and yell
low crown. All canaries are either yell
low or buff. A yellow Cor 'joque) canary
is one whose plumage Is lustrous, but
the buff Cor mealy)t are dull.
BY feeding young canaries 1reely on
cayenne pepper, the yellow Is deepen
ed into a rich orange. Norwich, York
shire, lizard, Manchester and Belgium
canaries, in order, are $50 to $50 a
pair But the finest singers among the
rollers" may command as much as
$3.50.
Well, dear cousins, I want you TO
send me some cards and win answer
them
\ La Rue Fresh, age IT,,
Townsend, KanS.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27

Dear Editor and, Cousins:
l thought l would write you little
sketch about several kinds of birds
and hope that you will find it inter-
esting. I will first write you about the
canary. SO widely known has the
sweet-singing canary become that
should an inhabitant of one Of the CIV
ilized countries Of the world visit the
Canary Islands and hear the wild birds
in their native home the strains would.
IN all probability, bring to the traveller
memories Of his own home. The clear
and varied notes of this favorite sing
err are familiar to young and old, and
many dwellings from the great man
sion to the obscure cottage are alike
frightened by their beauty.
The position Of the canary among
cage birds is unique-not only because
Of it's widespread popularity, but also
from the fact that centuries Of domes-
tication have rendered 1t peculiarly
dependent on man. Its cage has be-
come its natural home and to it liberty
would probably mean death. The bird
is a native of the Canary Islands, the
Azores and Funchal (Madeira) and is
said to have been brought from the
Canaries to Spain and kept as cage
bird by the Spanish nobility shortly
before the time Of the discovery Of
America. Other accounts make Italy
the first country into which 1t was in.
troduced and place the time early N
the sixteenth century. 1t Is sufficient
for present purposes to note that It
has been domesticated and priced as
cage bird for the past four centuries.
The wild bird is smaller than the bird
now so familiar, and is also differently
colored, having less bright and yellow
and considerable olive and brownish
in its coloring. Nor does 1t sing SO
sweetly. Nevertheless, 1t is so attrac-
tive that soon after It's Introduction It
became a general favorite, and was
bred SO assiduously that It Is said that
by the beginning Of the eighteenth
century twenty-seve different va
rieties were produced. It Is Interesting
to note that canaries are now exported
from England to the Canary Islands.
The canary Is a very good imitator.
Mature birds have been known to re.
produce very closely the songs Of even
such birds as chewinks, house wrens.
and Others, and the faculty has been
utilized by breeders to determine to a
certain extent the quality or character
Of the song of a young bird.
The fine singers are called; Com
paninis" and command high prices
Singers are measured by the richness
and sweetness, not the strength, of
their tones. Thus the voice d
one of the choice ST. Andresburg roll
Iers'' (Which sell at wholesale for $24 to
s36 dozen) could easily be drowned
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
~. altar Prize Winners.

Lois Griffin got the Home, SW ,s
Home last week, and R 9nssta s mise
the Nursery Rocker. Hattie Sm 1h;a
oa1s The Home, Sweet Home" this
week and Hazel Brown the Nursery
Rocker" "t1ora
Sweet Homes to give away, SO tne
minors will have four more chances
If they comply with the following
rules: .4 On
that we can send out Home, sweet
Home" each week for four weeks
These dear little homes are folders
Each folder constitutes the floor,
front and roof. There Is also Two 70
room section. Directions tell now 10
hniid the cottage. The furniture Is on
a separate sheet ready to cut out ana ana
Mace in the room. Besides these
Home, Sweet Homes" we have a Ten
"Nnrsery Rockers" The second ana
third best letters each week will get
a ..N1rsery Rocker"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
PArIE NCE.

One evening, as friend and I were
out calling, we came to the house of
q very old lady who had once been
very kind to us i'm sickness, and whose
name was Patience.
LET us stop and see her." l said,
and as my friend consented, we turned
into the little board walk, which was
bordered with mignonette and sweet
Williams.
We were shown many quaint relics
of her past, which she priced most
highly, and while there met with an
uncommon example of patience.
A small boy, whom she had hired to
care for her garden and otherwise help
her, fed by mistake a bucket of salt
to her small chicks. instead of their
customary diet.
The fatal action of the salt soon be-
came apparent, for when she took us
out to see them we found them nearly
all dead or dying.
But most remarkable was her
patience. Instead of lamenting over
it or discharging him, she said that
such things were bound to happen and
could not be helped. Therefore there
was no use of becoming angry or
scolding him as many would have done.
We thought she deserved her name,
for such an example Is not often
found.
Mildred Walker. age II
COrydOn, Iowa, r. r. No. 3.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
THE, cow2elRp.

The COW bird is what I call mean. It
Is a very lazy bird, so lazy that 1t will
not build its own nest.
When the other birds have built
their nests, especially canartes, and
have laid their eggs, and the mother
has left her nest for q short time, the
COW bird slips around and lays her
eggs in the same nest, SO that the bird
that the nest belong to will sit on her
eggs at the same time she Is sitting on
her own. ~
The canary knows the cow birds
eggs are not her own and, II she has
hid her nest in a good place she will
build another nest on top OF the old
one. But IL she does not like her nest
ing place she will build another nest
In different place.
Canaries are known to have their
nests three stories high, SO If she sits
on her own eggs she won't keep the
cow birds egsg warm underneath
her. ~
The COW bird eats many cherries.
But God puts enough fruit for the
birds to have some too.
II you put a scarecrow or old rags
Tapping around In the orchard to keep
the birds away from the fruit it's a
hard tosk to keep the COW birds away,
for they are not afraid of anything.
II you saw a COW bird on bush or
limb of tree, you would thinkrhe was
a very pretty bird, but pretty is as
pretty does.
You may often hear COW bird
chipping at night If you listen.
al q
until lately.
would like to be Junior
remain,
Mary Randel, age 10.
Ottumwa, Ia, r. r. No. 8.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27

Of barley and forty acres OF corn. :,
We are all through our spring WORK
and the crops look fine now.
Il There are lots Of wild game mere
such as jackrabbits, badgers, prairie
dogs and prairie chickens. There are
quite lot of ducks here yet: ,
We have over 140 little chickens and
ten hens setting.
l expect all the Juniors have gone
flower hunting. There are lots OF
flowers In bloom here.
We have planted two acres OF pota-
toes and all Of our early garden.
It has been nice weather nearly ever
since we have been here.
I have four hundred and fifty post
cards. I have one from the Courier
Junior. I have written three times
to the Junior page. My papa has TAX
en- the Ottumwa Courier for fifteen
years. As my letter is getting long
/ will close.
Hattie E. Smith, Age 13.
Thomas South Dakota.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

Dear Courier Junior:-I thought !
would write story about BENJAMIN
Franklin have read it two times and
will write what remember. On
the day Benjamin Franklin was seven
years old his mother and brothers
gave him few pennies. what shall
do with these coppers, mother" he
said, "Shall l keep them In my
pocket" "You may spend them for
something you like, said his mother.
May have more when these are
gomez" he asked. His mother shook
her head. "No, cannot give you any
more, so you must take care how you
spend these
The little boy ran out into the street
the yellow pennies gingled In his
pocket as he ran and made pleasant
music. for him. Should he buy candy
or toys, he liked them both. He had
not tasted candy for long time and
he could not remember that he ever
played with a toy of his own.
He thought that the pennies In his
pocket kept saying, candy or toys,
candy or toys and he could not make
up his mind which he wanted most.
AS he was running along he met
boy blowing whistle. "That 1t just
what I want he said. And he hur-
ried across the street to the place
where whistles were sold. Have you
any good whistles" he asked. He
felt as if he were almost man. eyes,
plenty of them" said the shopkeeper.
II will give you all the money for
one of them"
"All right, little man. And he went
home and blew it till he got tired.
AS my story is getting long will
close.
! Lee Roy Brown, Age 10.
Chillicotne, Ia. R. R. No.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

l. Use one side Of the paper only.
a. write neatly and legibly, using
ink or sharp lead pencil. ;,
3. Always sign your name IN 1uii
and state your age.
4. Number your pages.
5. Do not copy stories or poetry
and send US as your own work.
6. Always state choice of a prize on
a separate piece Of paper, with name
and address in full,
4. Address the envelope to Editor,
Courier Junior, Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
MINERAL PARK IN PUEBLO.
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
I thought l would write and tell you
about the Mineral park in Pueblo. 1t
was q grand place. They were work
ing on a fine building when I was
there. There were many pretty flowers
in the park and the fountains were
sprinkling the green grass all the time.
We went around and looked at the an
finals. There were monkeys, bears, rab-
bits, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines
and many pretty birds.
We went to see a lake and just
on the edge of this lake was band
stand. There were about fifty swings
in the park for children to swing un-
der IL years old. My cousin and had
a nice time swinging.
Anna Lawson, age IL,
Batavia Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
aEAuTlFUL POST CARDS OK
DOLLS.

we hope the Juniors are getting tne g
beautiful post cards we are seholns
out now. We will send out post caras
or the circus paper dolls to all juniors
who write either letters or stories anu
who are not numbered among the
prize winners. If you do not care TO-
write q letter, write short story on
one of the following subjects:
A CIRCUS HORSE.
A CIRCUS DOG.
BILL At THE CIRCUS.