davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
MARGARET.

Margaret's birthday was April 2 and
Margaret wanted to have birthday
party but her mother would not let
her. April 2 Margaret arose feeling
very badly because she couldn't have
a party.
After dinner that day Mrs. Grey sent
Margaret up to the grocery store an
an errand (;
When Margaret reached home her
mother said. Margaret go into the
parlor and get my book.
Margaret ran into the parlor to get
the book, but, when she reached the
door she stopped short for there were
six Of her little friends Marjorie,
Dorothy, Ruth, Gertrude, Gladys and
Vivian and they were saying happy
birthday Margaret, then the little girls
had fine time playing games and
playing on Margaret's piano.
Refreshments were served. Mar
garet received many presents and that
evening after her little guests had
gone Margaret thought that had been
the happiest event Of her life.
III Grace Ragan,
Sigourney, Iowa, r. r. No 3.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
MY OPINION OF THE SPECIAL
EDITION.

MY opinion of this. special edition.
(Which is the Courier Junlor) that
it is of very much use to the young
folks. It's stories teach us many
things 1t teaches us obedience,
morality, politeness, honesty and many
other. things. 1t tells us Of how dumb
brutes, or animals, should be treated
with kindness. 1t tells us to respect
our parents, our brothers ana sisters,
and every. one who is near US.
Many little children who are
cripples or, sick are always glad to
see this part of the paper. 1t cheers
their little sad hearts to read 1t and
to write to it and see their letter IN
print Some little children who have
no parents or are too poor to buy the
paper will borrow it Of their neigh
bors or some of their friends to read
the Junior part. They will always
look for it and when they get It there
will be smiles where there were once
tears.
II it were not for this part Of the
Courier lots Of little children would
never see a happy moment. always
look for the Junior part every Friday
evening II it should not come I
would feel very badly about 1t. So
think this part Of the Courier is very
useful especially for poor children.
OF course 1t Is useful to all or us. It
is great helper for the young folks.
Genevieve' Mincks, I.
r. N. 8, OttumWa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
NY OPINION OF THE SPECIAL
EDITION.

Dear Editor:-I think the special
edition Is just fine.
The Courier was so large that l
thought / would never come to the
Junior page, but / was 80 glad to see
that my. story was printed.
There were some very nice stories
in the Junior and was very inter.
ested In them. / thought Martha
Scott. Doris SlAught. Mabel Skinner
and Arlie Lyon wrote very nice
stories.
The picture on the Junior page about
four Juniors ready to take walk with
father. was pretty and called them
nv. sisters, Ethel, Cecilia, Agnes and
my brother James.
7 think the Courier people are very
nice to furnish q children's page.
Essie Godlove and leila Rush wrote
good stories, too, and was interested
in all the rest.
Elva Mae Huffman, Age IA.
Chillicothe, Ia, r. No. /.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
MARY.

Mary is good girl, with long gol-
den hair and blue eyes. She is thir-
teen years old, and likes to help her
mamma.
She washes dishes and helps in
sweep and dust.
She is learning how to cook now.
Mary goes to school and 1s in the
seventh grade.
When Mary gets her work done she
gets up her pony and puts the saddle
ands bride on it and goes for ride.
She likes to ride over the broad plains
and see the stock grazing.
When she comes home in the even
ing, she brings up the mich cows, so
her papa can milk them and finish up
his chores for the day
Mary writes letters to the Courier
Junior, and likes to read the letters
and stories that the other Juniors have
written.
I love Mary for she is my sister.
From new Junior.
Lois Sutherland, age s,
Gillette WyO.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
FEEDING The BIRDS.

AS have never written to the cour.
Ter Junior will write for the hrst
time. am going to tell you about
feeding the birds. When was smaller
than 1 am now heard mamma telling
how her. little brothers used to try 20
catch birds so / tried It. would get
some bread or meal and take 1t out
and scatter it in the orchard and then
I would run to the house and get n
handful Of salt and slip behind the
trees. I would chase the birds around
trying to put salt on their tails 70
catch them. Sometimes II they ate the
bread and meal all up would slip IN
the granary and get q small ear OF
corn and shell 1t for them.
60 to school in Union, Ia. am in
the first grade. can learn fast. never
went to school until we came to town.
We have been here over year. will
close.
Teddy G. knapp, age 8,
Unionville. Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
EVA WRITES 70 MARTHA.

Miss Martha M. Scott. North Court
st. Ottunwa, Iowa.
Dear Friend:
saw your nice letter In the Junior.
and as you wanted tho Juniors to write
you a letter to be In the Junior page /,
though would. and hope you will
answer 1t, either In thst, Junior or by
personal letter. A
went to the Lincoln school when we
lived in Ottumwa, but we live In Chill
licothe. Iowa, now and I go to the Elm
Grove school.
You said you had sweet little
nephew. I have the sweetest little baby
sister, two years old. She has blue eyes
and yellow hair and her name is Ber-i
nice. Don't you remember when my
sister Ethel and'I would go to my
cousin Pearl Huffman's. and We would
stop little while and play with you. I
would like to exchange cards with
you.
Elva Huffman. age IL.
Chillicothe, Ia, r. No. 4. s
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
MOVING TO CEDAR
RAPIDS.

Dear Editor and Juniors:
suppose you all thought that had
forgotten the Junior. because I have
not written for 50 long q time. but
haven't. I have just been too busy
with my school work and getting ready
to move that could hardly, find time
to write to any one. think every week
when read the Junior that will write
fof the next issue. but I always have
something else to do.
I quit school March 10 for good
here. We are going to move to Cedar
Rapids, Ia. this month. II we went
from her to Cedar Rapids we would
have to change cars at Ottumwa, and
wait there about three or four hours
and then would get to visit the Jun
Tor office, but we are going by Oska-
loosa to visit my Grandma Norton. 80
will not get to stop off at Ottumwa.
will try 90 write moro often after we
get to Cedar Rapids.
Josephine L. Norton, age Is.
Melrose, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
any. OPINION or The SPECIAL
EDITION."

My opinion of the special edition.
Is that 1t contains about the pest
stories of any contest. We can ma
in this contest that the Juniors VINO
wrote about their future, want to ne
honest, good and sincere. think
that this is one thing that we should
all try.
We all like to have good time but
we can have good time ana eulae
ourselves at the same time, II we
but try. 1t also contains many nice
stories about the good things IN our
state, from which we can find many
different things that our state con-
tains.
There are more stories in the spec
ial edition about the doll and her Dirtn
place, than any other subject. Iney
are very good stories too. But tnink
that the stories about, what expect
to do when am woman and me
good things in my state" are the pest
stories in the special edition:
Matilda Matthews, age Is
Abba, Iowa, r. r. No. 2.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
NY SCHOOL.

+ have never written before, so I
thought would write. I am a little
boy eleven years old. 80 to the OAK.
land school. My teachers name is Ella
Dewey. We like her fine. study read
ing, history, arithmetic. grammar.
physiology, geography and spelling.
There are about thirty scholars In our
school, We play q good many games at
school, We are going to have pro.
gram the last day of our school ana
maby we will have a dinner the last
day, too. We are going to have two
hours at noon the last day. =
Frank Rogers, age IL,
Abba, Ia, r. No. 2.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
HOW NoRWEGIANs FEED THE
BIRDS.

An Englishman travelling in Norway
during the winter saw wheat sheaves
fastened to the tops Of poles at nearly
every house. AS there were not many
Norwegians who could speak English,
It was some time until he found out
what it meant One day finding man
who could speak English he asked him
why they put them there. He said
that nearly three-fourths Of the year
was cold and that .on Christmas the
people liked to make Christmas offer.
ing to the birds.
think the children here out to do
something like that. Don't you?
Loren Chisman, Age II.
233 North Sheridan Ave-,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
STORIES AND LETTERS.
WHAT ! LIKE BEST IN THE SPEC
lAL EDITION..

The Courier Junior which was in the
special edition published on March rs,
with LIP pages Of ten sections In 1t,
asks the Juniors to write chat we like
best in it.
| like the Junior best. 1t always
has so many interesting stories in It,
especially in the special edition.
read the story put in by the editor
of the Junior. entitled "The Little
Wind God" and found it a very pretty
story. read my sisters story in the
Junior and also one OF my friends,
Maud Belgard's.
Since the Junior started have no
ticed that many of the Juniors have
improved in their stories. Perhaps
they have learned to write heater, as
that is what the editor said and am
sure we all ought to take her word. /,
1t helps them lat school in their
lessons for sometimes they have to
write compositions and could write a
better one If they had written many
stories to the Junior
I think that all little boys and girls
ought to write to the Junior as It
would be good practice for them.
Then, too, like the funny page that
is printed in the Courier each week
and was also printed in the special edi-
ton as the Junior was. 1t has so
many funny things in it that some
times can't help laughing at them.
In lots of the sections there was
good many advertisements that filled
a whole page.
Then there was lots of news, too
Papa is going to send this large
edition to Mr.. John Ellis, an old friend
who lives in Bloomington, Indiana,
some of these days.
Maude Skinner, Age II.
Floris, Ia, r. r. No. q.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
The Pie" Strong
Box

Il was during the days before the
telephone and in new part Of the
United States. Only few white peo-
pie had dared to push beyond "the
border" meaning the line Of safety
from the red men. In the county OF
Dash, In a western state adjoining the
Rocky mountains, there was small
settlement Of people from the middle
west. A town of perhaps 800 souls
was the county seat, and round 1t lay
the few dozens Of titled farms. On
one Of these new farms lived family
consisting of four persons, father,
mother and two children. The father
was one Of the prominent men Of the
county and had been elected county
treasurer. The county having no
court house yet, the treasurers Office
was in the rear Of harness dealers
shop.
After the county taxes had been paid
there was quite sum Of money in the
treasury, and the treasurer, Mr.. Heal
ly, thought 1t wise to carry the funds
home with him to his farm adjoining
the town site. There was small safe
In the harness dealers shop, but MIR.
Heally knew that If thieves desired to
break open the safe they would find it
a very easy matter to do. So he kept
the county's cash under his pillow;
beside 1t good revolver.
One day at noon, and just as the
Heallys were sitting down to dinner,
there drove into the yard stranger
But as strangers were not rare In a
new country, where people were CON-
ing every day from the east in quest
Of new homes, Mr.. Heally thought no.
thing of seeing a new face and Of hear
ing strange voice calling out to him:
"Is this where John Heally lives?"
Mr.. Heally was at the door instant
ly and replied that he was John Heal
ly. Then the stranger said: Mr..
Heally, I come from Blank county. I
have Just bought the farm that ad-
joins your fathers farm. 1 have come
to tell you that your mother is very
sick-dangerously so. She wants to
see you at once. Can you return with
me this afternoon"
Mr.. Heally was much disturbed by
the news. His parents as the stranger
had said, lived in Blank county, and
his mother had been ailing all the
spring. He was very anxious to go
to her at once, and asked the stranger
to alight from his buggy and to join
them at dinner, after which he would
arrange to go to his mothers sharing
the strangers buggy and leading his
horse behind.
After the stranger had enjoyed a
good dinner and his horse had been fed
and restss- Nj. ideally, who was grow
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
The Courier Junior
Published by
THE coURlEr. PRINTING CO.
oT1UMWA. IOWA.
MATILDA pEvEREAUx.
EDITOR.
EASTER SUNDAY. APRIL IS.

Dear Juniors :-Easter will soon pc
here. and so soon that we are allowed
only few days in which to have an
Easter contest. However, we only
want short stories. In return we Will
send some beautiful Easter remem-
ORANGES.
Tho subjects for this contest "n1cn
opens today and closes Thursoay'
April Is, follow:
EASTER At SUNDAY SCHOOL,.
THE ORIGIN OF EASTER EGGS
WHY WE CELEBRATE EASTER.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
SUSIE LIKED Mr.. CALDWELl'S
LETTER.

Dear Editor:
| have never written to the Courier
Junior. and so thought would try
my luck.
I have read the special edition and
l am sure that l enjoyed 1t Immensely
for 1 love to read Of pioneer life. Mr.
Caldwell must have had some jolly
times in his youthful days, and from
what his story tells he must have
been plucky little lad.
think the younger generation
ought to be thankful they have no
such hardships endure as the older
ones did in pioneer days. +
The younger generations are set
ting down to the refined life which
their forefathers gained for them and
working all the time to make greater
improvements for their children and
grandchildren to enjoy.
AS we study United States history
and see how brayely our forefathers
fought that they might become free
and independent nation, we are and
ought to be very thankful that we are
a nation of our own:
Then again we see how the men
who invented great things for our
use, suffered that the world might
become convinced of their great
powers to make life more easy and
pleasant for the people.
What liked best In the special
edition was Mr.. Caldwells story of
driving the herd of cattle to. sell, and
/ would have liked to have had his
fleet little Indian pony to have rid
den awhile. ss
His adventures relating to his ride
on the mule, and the fiddler, who fell
off the table, and his adventure with
his friend at the. time of the flood
were very amusing.
Susie May Holland,
P. o. Box 1O3, Milton, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
Dear Editor and Juniors:

Dear Editor and Juniors:
AS have not written to the Junior
page for long while thought
would write. have written once be-
fore. 60 to school but our school is
out now. There are about nineteen
pupils that go to our school: I live al
most one mile from the school house.
My teachers name is Alma Mechem. r
have seven sisters and two brothers.
My studies are arithmetic, reading,
history, geography, music, writing an 4
spelling. AS my letter is getting long I
will close.
Mabel Oliver, age Is,
Selma, Iowa. r. No. l.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
PAPER DOLLS DELAYED.

We arc awaiting new supply OF
paper dolls, 60 all the Juniors Will
have to be patient little while.
We will send out until April 3. post
cards and paper dolls to all the Jun
tors the week We receive their letters
or stories, consequently the writer's
VIII be rewarded for their efforts
ris11t away. We want plenty OF good
letters and some short stories on the
following subjects:
THE ROBIN IN MY YARD.
THE EASTER BUNNY.
AN EASTER PARTY.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
BERTHA HAS BEEN SICK.

Dear Union:
. lam a little girl 10 years old. / have
been siok nearly all winter. 80 have
not been. going to school. miss my
dear teacher, ] hope she misses me. !
have a pet rabbit. It is black with
white front paws and white spot hns'
der it's chin. called 1t collar button.
When it gets hungry it stands upon its
hind legs to- ask for something to eat.
call it. Bunnie, I also have a black
cat. 1t. has collar boutton, too. call
him Mig. have sister and brother.
They go to school get real lonesome,
while they are gone. u Il
Bertha Bolibaugh. is
Eddyville Ia, r. No. 3.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS,

1. Use ono side Of the paper only.
2. Write neatly and legibly, using
ink or q sharp lead pencil.
s, Always sign your name in full
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 prize on
q separate piece Of paper, with name
and address in full.
Z. Address the envelope to Editor,
Courier Junior, tOtumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
WHAT 4 Like BEST IN Til
SPECIAL. EDITION..

l like lots of things in the Special
Edition, but the best thing l like is
the Courier Junior.
I like the sporting news too, but
like the Courier Junior the best of all.
l love to read the Special Edition.
When evening comes am the first
one to read it. / can hardly wait
till Thursday comes for like to read
the Courier Junior. There are many
good stories and letters In the Junior.
Vernetta Collier, age II,
1902 W.. Second ST., Ottumwa, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08

the lady that give 1t to me- She said
she didn't know unless It was the ten
cent store. That IL where she got 1t. It
is q baby doll and has curly hair and
blue eyes and 1t moves it arms and /
make dresses for It. One day was
making dress for 1t and I let It fall
and broke til leg and got some glue
and fixed 1t and 1t IL all right now.
Lura Kinney, age 8,
RiChland Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
sLURA KINNEY A NEW JUNIOR.

Dear Editor:
This is my first letter to the Courier
Junior. My name is Lura Kinney and
! am years old. / live in Richland,
Iowa / am in the 4th grade and
study writing and arithmetic, reading.
language physiology. am going TO
write about my doll. did not know
where my doll came from. SO asked
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
VALERA A NEW JUNIOR

Dear Editor:
AS / have never written to the Cour-:
Ter Junior. before / thought would
write for the first time. 1 am a nttle
girl years old. I have three sisters
and five brothers. Their names are
Mamie, Jay, John, Abigail, Francis,
Thomas, Edmond and Genevieve. i go
to school and am in the kindergarten
class .".E d.
Valeria Mullin, age s,
r. -.. Melrose Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
WHAT ! LIKE BEST IN THE SPEC
IAL EDITION..

l like to read the stories and letters
In the Junior page that tell OF tneir
pets, homes. their school and bapy
sisters ad baby brothers, nieces ana
nephews. also like to read the
stories that are written about the SUD
jects What the Juniors expect to pc
when they are grown" / think tho
editor and Juniors keep tho Junior
page very interesting.
'What-I like best in tho Special Fol
ton" are the many nice letters from
so many nice girls and boys. Iney
tell Of their different opinions and odfl-
ferent parties, Of their school house,
the town in which they 1.-Two, the state
in which they live, the ways In which
they spend their vacation days, the
way they spend their school days, OF
their Sunday school, their Sunday
school picnics, school picnics, birthday
parties, their neighborhood and many
other interesting things.
They also tell of their pretty postals
of which the editor has sent them ana
the postals and letters that the Jun.
iors have sent them. And they tell
of their playmates, friends and Jun
ior correspondence and how tney neip
their fathers, mothers, grandfatners
grandmothers, aunts, uncles ana OF
their playthings.
They tell Of their birthdays and
birthday presents, Christmas presents,
some visits they have enjoyed, visits
to the Courier ONCE to see the editor
and visits to see their Junior friends,
Of their daily work, Of their teachers,
music teachers, Sunday school teach
ers, of their books that they have
read, their library at home and their
library at school, the books they like
best. the writer's that they like best,
the poems they like best and many
others that will take up to much room
in the Junior page.
Leona Vest, Age IA.
Ottumwa, Ia, r. F. NO. g..
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
Were Up The
Spout"

"Why do you shed such bitter tears?'
Inquired friendly crow.
"A squirrel like you of tender years
Can surely have no woeH''
Alas! alas! the latter sobbed,
''1've much to grieve about;
Our home in. yonder tree was robbed
And now we're up the spout"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08

We children felt. SO big because
father had been called out Of town to
a sick persons bed, and had left the
house and all the silver In our care.
1t so happened that few days after
father had gone ! was going to town,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
THE PRIZE WINNER.

Maud 5lktrvin. according to the
unanimous opinion Of the judges, Is en-
titled to the prize in the recent con-
test, che subject for which was founa
in thu biz special edition OF March 20.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08

10 E. Court ST., ottumwa, a. Gage 1s)
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
MABEL WRITES AGAIN..

Elva Huffman, age II.
Chillicothe, Ia, r. No. i
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-04-08
WHAT HAPPENED WHILE FATHER
WAS AWAY.

Gillette, Wyo.