davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

one day Loratn Smith ran In tna
mousse to ask her mother IL she could "a
70 own. Mrs. Smith told her to 70 over
20 BroWns. While I.orain was enne
!a MIS-: smith invited thirteen boys and
u salrteen girls. L4orain was Is years oid.
aS mrs. smith made thirteen little cakas
anu GO ~ ohe Dlrthday cake. When Lorain
came nome she was so surprised thai
she cried. They played games until thew s
were tired. Then Mrs. smith served
cake and ice cream. Avoo
AFTER dinner Lorain's uncle car,>
over IN the auto and took then, f1shirs e
Lora1n was playing in the sand when
sne heard sound in the brush. s1a
s.ooped 70 see what it was when q
screamed >A ~ sao NO
Her uncle took her home as fa.t :.
ne ne 8 soqld. She She had blood poisoning: She
Mho sa,o she she ana not have q very good time.
me children said they did,
Alice Davidson. age 10.
Belknap, Ia., R No. L
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
IMPORTANT EVENTS OF 1912
Cup to July 26.)

There has been many important
events of 1912 to July 26, at least
think so. had few import
ant events in January and February,
although it was dreadfully cold. The
river was in fine use for skating In
January and February. A lot Of US
would go skating quite often. and
sleigh riding.
There were not many important
events in March and April. In May
we had quite a few picnics, and then
Henrietta Plaster, Leona Vest and !
got up the Courier Junior Society
Club In April and May. It kept us
pretty busy, although we thought It
important, in getting it up.
Then in June was the last OF school,
in which our school had big picnic
and program, which we all enjoyed
very much. Z
July the 4th l had a fine time. In
the afternoon we went up to the Rock
Bluff. In the evening and night we
had lot of fireworks. Joe and
Willie Zwer shot off most Of the Ro-
man candles and sparklers. We have
fine boat rides in July while 1t Is so
hot.
Elva M. Huffman, Age IL
Chillfcothe, Ia, Route I.
Chairman of Committee Of G. ]. 8.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
MY GREATEST SUMMER PLEAS
URE.

Mamma and I went to Sioux Falls,
South Dakota to visit my sister who
lives near the big falls which Of course
we went to see. There wasn't much
water going across 1t then and we
could see the rocks all around them.
Then We went across the river on step
ping stones which was lots Of fun. The
little falls had more water going over
them than the big ones. We only saw
one sumach bush while we were there
but there were three kinds of golden
rod and all kinds Of cactuses.
Then we visited the school when
they unveiled statue and went with
a girl friend. We crossed the big
Sioux river to get to 1t and saw a man
fishing.
We visited the new packing house
and the buildings down town which
weren't near as nice as those In
town and saw the penitentiary. The
time passed so quickly that it wasn't
anytime before the two weeks were
up and when we came back we stopped
at Des Moines to visit my aunt. I saw
the capitol at Des Moines.
Rosebud Park, age 8,
1246 North Elm st., Ottumwa, Ir.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
THE PANAMA CANAL.

Ine Panama canal may be consider
81 tne most important public improves
ment IN the western Hemisphere.
II Will eventually excel the anticipa-
tlon OF It's advocates. since it win onen
q route or travel OF much greater I'M
cred from a national point Of view. an
regards both Canada and the United
states, 1t will permit the passage az
a large traffic between the coasta Of tha
Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Panama canal Is an tsthmanian
canal extending from the city OF Colon
on the Atlantic to Panama on the
Pacinc, a distance of forty-seven miles.
me Canal begins In Limon Bay about
a mile northwest Of Colon with q
channel five hundred feet wide and
forty feet deep at low tide running
south to the shore line Of kmon Bay.
From there the canal passes through
a low, sWampy region for about
three miles to Gatun. Vessels coming
through the canal from the Atlantic
side proceed to .Gatun, a distance Of
eight miles, where they are lifted hv
means Of three locks to the next sum-
init which Is eighty miles above SEQ
level.
For the next twenty-three miles tho
navigation proceeds over the artificial
Lake Gatun to the Guard Gate.
The chief hindrance in digging the
canal Is the great series Of mountain
chains which run north and south
alon~ the west side Of the Americas
from Alaska to the Strait Of Magellan.
But the pass through which the canal
goes is not so high as Washington
monument. Still. the mountains are
masses Of rock and 1t will take some
time. by blasting and drilling to cut
them down enough to make canal
of the necessary depth and wideness.
Another difficulty is the heavy rain
fall Of the canal zone and the Chagres
river crosses the line Of the canal and
1t sometimes rises in one rainy night
as hight as a four story house, SO that
1t will take great dam to hold back
it's waters.
Six miles from the Guard Gate 10 the
Continental divide, pierced by the
Culebra cut, the excavation Of which is
the heaviest on the canal line. The SUE
face at this point ranges from $50 to
5000 feet above sea level
The descent to the Pacific is begun
when the Miguel locks are reached.
The sea level is reached through the
Mirafores lock, two locks In flight at
the Pacific end of the canal line.
Ruth Goodrich,
Richland. Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17

Dear Juniors:-Thfnking you might
| like to know how I am enjoying my
new home in Canada I will tell you
some of the places of interest that
have visited.
Early on the morning Of Good Fri.
day we boarded the Michigan Central
train for Buffalo. There we spent the
day shopping and looking around over
| the city. We landed near the foot OF
| McKinley's monument which is very
beautiful and of great interest to us
as one Of our friends helped to erect
| it, That evening we attended the
opera house. AS we came out Of the
theater there was large search light
turned on. We looked around to see
where it came from and found it was
from the theater. 1t was turned on
from one of the largest hotels In the
city.
Not long after that we were walking
down one of the main streets when
noticed several whistles blowing and
the people came running out of the
stores. The fire bell rang and nearly
all of the whistles blew. We found
!; that the fire was in the back end OF
this hotel that the search light was
on. It was soon put out by the fire
department. 1t did not damage any
thing.
We went down to the depot to wait
for the train. AS I was hungry we
got some fruit at a store nearby. II
was not long until the train came and
we got in Welland at midnight. The
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
WHEN MY GRANDPA WAS A LIT
TIE BOY CONCLUDED)-
RUTH HUTCHINGS.

Grandpa's papa would shear MS
sheep, take it to the river and WASH
! it and take it to a carding mill and
have it carded Then grandpa's nam
ma would take and spin 1t and then
weave 1t into cloth. She would weave
J all week and Saturday night she
would sit up until 2 O'Clock and make
grandpa suit of clothes to wear
when he was visiting on Sunday
Then when fall came the nelehbors
would help one another pick corn. In
the evening all the families would go
to the place where they picked corn
and then they would have a good old
time. In the summer when the crops
were all planted and their corn laid
by. they would have brush pilings In
the day time and at night they would
burn It and the neighbors would all
come In 1..i H..
\ The women would make a fire out
at one side. They would hang up a
big kettle and fill the kettle with
roasting ears. When the brush was
burned they would all eat roasting
ears and then they would all return
to their homes talking Of the good
time they had.
My grandpa came to Iowa when he
was eight years old and settled on
farm a half mile from where he lives
now. They drove through from Mis-
souri, In a big wagon drawn by yoke
of oxen. They brought a colored wom-
an and her baby through with them
to help with the work.
Grandpa had one brother and one
h1 {e,o or1 SiSfar1
and two brothers younger. His papa
had to go back to Missouri for an
other load and grandpa and his
brothers had all the work to do.
There came a snow storm and his
papa could not get home. They al
most starved, the snow was so deep
and so cold and the people were so
far apart that they could not get any
help.
When my grandpa grew large
enough to work away from home he
went to one of the neighbors and that
evening when he was returning home
bear got after him and almost
caught him before he got home. AT
that time there were lots of wild AMI
mails in Iowa.
The first house my grandpa owned
was a log house and there was where
nv mamma was born. At that time
there We're not very many carriages
and buggies.
When my grandpa was a boy ne
said the young men took their girls
on horse behind them and went to
church. The churches were made OF
logs and the father would yoke up a
team of oxen to the big wagon and
load in his family and go to church
Well, what would the boys these
days think if they had to do like ou1
grandpas did when they were boys
Ruth Hutchings, age y.
Box 16. Bloomfield, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
Vida Wahle
Tells Of
Picnic

Dear Editor and Juniors.
Saturday occurred our Third annual
Courier Junior Picnic, and like the
other two days when we mad our PIC
mic, 1t rained. When morning came, IL
seemed to promise everything but a
pleasant day for our picnic. | dldnt
try to get to our meeting place untll
about 1 o'clock. We were supposed to
meet at 10 a. M, but not many sue
ceeded In reaching the park at the
appointed time. guess had the blues
In the morning but little Tom Snyder
cheered me up by saying, Never
mind. Vida, it rained for the best. l
Frightened up then, for thought that
we could do like we did last year
eat our dinner in the band stand. 1t
ceased raining after eleven but 1t be-
came cooler. started from home
about a quarter till one thinking all
the time that when reached the
park I wouldn't find any Of the Jun,
Tors. But was mistaken.
Eighteen Juniors succeeded In get
ting there ahead of me. They were
beginning to think that wasn't com.
ing at all.
After we had finished eating our
dinner we all went to the swings. Be-
fore we started for the boat house
three OF us Juniors took all the names
and addresses Of those present.
Those present were as follows:
Leona and Hazel Vest, R. No. 6,
city; Elva, Ethel and Cecilia Huff
man, Chillicothe, R. No. l; Forest and
Lawrence Weber, 1906 e. Main ST.,
city; Avis Garretson, 52S Mary street,
Ottumwa; Neva Espy, Centerville, K.
No. 4: Edith and George Ziver, 1880
West Second ST.; Maude and Mabel
Skirvin, Agency, r. No. I; Caroline
Tout, 521 Ottumwa ST., city; Lillian
Deevein, 726 Grove St, city; Florence
and Lillian Dah1en, 907 Cara St., city;
Creta Huston, ITO Sheridan Ave-, Ot-
tumwa and myself.
Last year we only had nine.
Mrs. Weber took our pictures at
the boat house and soon after we all
took the west end car and most of us
departed for home, except the Skir-
vim girls, Leona and Hazel Vest and
myself We five went to Giltner's and
had our pictures taken. If good, We'll
send one to the Junior page.
We all then went on our way, prob
ably not to meet again until next
year.
was glad most of the Juniors wore
their new &c. ]. S." pins.
Altogether we did have a nice time
I thought. The fact that most of us
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17

asked him to tell me funny one
WELL" he said, "the funniest thing
ever seen in my life was when
was 16. A boy friend and myself were
down to the river fishing and as we
sat there saw a canoe coming
across, one like the Indians used
Twas log dugout. And says !. II
here don't come Hewitt and two girls.
AS he padded away he chattered 70
the girls, who were riding backwards
and was so taken up with them he
didn't see he was padding straight for
q big rock IN the middle Of the river.
Slam! Bang! In the air the canoe
went, turned turtle and split the three
of EN- out head first. The girls had
on hoop skirts, about four feet wide,
and when they went down head first
those hoops wouldn't let them up un-
til Hewitt came and set them up
straight. IT'S sure you girls would not
have any such trouble nowadays, ne
remarked, with your hobble skirts
About two years later was swim
ming around there and sat down on
that rock. AS watched the fish nib
Bile my toes, I saw something shine,
and looked down, and If there WASH I
q silver dollar, and another. l got
excited and dived down for them.
suppose Hewitt had lost them when
he went down head first. And do you
know how carried them to shore?
In my mouth and one hand. But !
never saw that rock but what didn't
have a good laugh remembering how
those folks looked standing on their
heads"
Norma Daniels, age IA.
Eldon, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
LETHA'S FATHER HAS ElN,suEn
HARVESTING q

Dear Editor:
a. As nave not written for long time
tnought would write again. Papa
linlsned harvesting last week, and We
expect to thresh soon.
Our school was out June II W. h.a
2 picnic and had very nice time
Ihere were about fly at dinner Our
teacher was Miss Fern Parker. W.
iiked her fine. School will open again
me nrst OF September. will be Elad
NY 6rother Kenneth is four years old
n0"' we nave lots Of fun playing.
Letha Orndufr, age Z.
Batavia, Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
JESSIE LIKES TO GO TO SCHOOL

Dear Editor:
AS have never written before I
thought would write. live in the
country.
My father farms.
I have six sisters and two brothers.
Their names are Lille, Fora, June,
Ruth, Grace, Allie, Byran and Albiam.
We have eight months school in the
winter and three in the spring. Our
school is out now. My teachers name
in the winter was Flora Clark.
1 go to Forest Hill school.
I like to go to school fine.
Jessie Williams, age IL,
Eddyville, Ia, r. No. 2.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
1246 North Elm St., Ottumwa, Ir.
MY GREATEST SUMMER PLEAS
URE.

The very jolliest time have had this
summer was camping. On Monday
afternoon, just bakers dozen Of we
Camp Fire Girls started in launch
for Rock Bluffs to camp a whole week.
It seemed awful "Indianish' when we
filed through the narrow path among
the trees and up the big hill to the
tent.
Everything was just beautiful, the
river below and the four mile bridge
northwest of us, all the big trees, and
then our two row boats looked so pic
turesque tied to our landing! Then
the long trains going across the tres
tie and the pink sunset while still later
on the full moon, the fire-f1ies. and the
whip-poor-wills, Just made 1t ideal.
It took all afternoon to straighten
up, put up the hammocks, and become
thoroughly acquainted with everything
1t was lots Of fun getting the milk, al
though we we're bit afraid Of pos
sible snakes. Two Of the girls killed
house snake and we saw three others
that were too lively for us.
In the morning it looked so pretty to
see the mist over the river, just exact
ly like steam and then the river was
so pretty and smooth that we could
easily see the eddy. Then, when It
was half past six two girls got milk,
two others water and two Others got
breakfast Each girl did two things
day and everything was scheduled
so that we knew what We were to do.
After everything was clean we took
row up to the bridge. Once we
were under the bridge when the train
went across and the roar was almost
|deafening.
| I think it was Wednesday when we
| first went exploring. At any rate. we
found wild goosberries enough for two
pies, place where the snails We're
| just thick, a birds nest in the stream
bank with five little speckled eggs in
| it, and then there were wild turnip
plants, maiden hair ferns for our
tables, funny varieties of fungal-some
shaped like cups, others brick red
and Isfound out what poison ivy looks
like.
The time passed so quickly that
Thursday arrived before knew it and
had promised to come home then.
In spite of the good times I'd been
having, l was so glad to get home
that went to my room and cried like
goose and yet I wasn't quite sure
what I cried about. However, start
ed back to camp that evening for l
wouldn't have missed the hare and
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
LITTLE CALF At FERNS Homz.

Dear Editor:
school will begin in September. I
will be glad, only mamma viii hava to
stay by herself. =
We have little cali. It will be =
week old Wednesday. we call her
panste We have two kittens ana two
old cats. The old cats namas 49,
Young Puss and Old Puss. ME ar
tens names are Esther and MarEa.
we have one dog and his name -,
Teddy. AA'l'1o "1 :
e. Fern Rohrer. age IL.
Russell. Iova.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
BLANCH PICKS BERRIES; WANTS
A POSTAL SHOWER.

Dear Editor and Juniors:
How are you all? 1 am fine and
dandy. received my post cards from
the Junior editor.
What have you all been doing this
summer? I have been picking berries
for almost two months. I am getting
rather tired Of them.
My birthday is the 18th Of Septem-
ber will be 13 years old. I am going
to have a post card shower Would be
pleased to hear from any Of the Jun
iors.
MY school begins the second Of Sep
tember.
We take the Daily Courier. like to
read the Junior page.
Blanche Dunning. age IL,
Agency Ia R. No
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
FERN HAS 6 BROTHERS AND
SISTERS.

Dear Juniors:
thought would write few lines as
I have never written before.
I am a little girl 10 years old.
I live in the country on farm.
I live ten and one-half miles from
town. They are building railroad
near our place.
l have a little banty chicken, a
pigeon, a calf and a pony.
We have six little calves.
We have two pet chickens.
I have six brothers and four sisters.
Fern Edwards,
Charlton, Ia, r. 6.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
A Boys Song

Where the pools are bright and deep,
Where the gray trout lies asleep,
Up the river and DER the lea,
That's the way Tor Billy and me.
Where the blackbird sings the latest.
Where the hawthorn blooms the
sweetest,
Where the nestlings chirp and flee,
That's the way for Billy and me.
Where the mowers NOW the cleanest,
Where the hay lies thick and
greenest,
There to trace the homeward bee,
That's the way for Billy and me-
Where the hazel bank Is steepest,
Where the shadow falls the deepest,
Where the clustering nuts fall free,
That's the way for Billy and me.
James Hogg.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
THE COURIER JUNIOR
Published b.
THE COURIER PRINTING CO..
oTTuASvNA, IOWA.
MATILDA pEvEREAU%
EDITOR ..,.... .
soMEThlNa FOR The '@'
WINNERS.

near Juniors: Today Norma > son ON,
p,,t,,,s snecial edition stories are con
an,dad % ! = Norma,s is headed uncls Saas
iha,s Stories" and Ruth 3 "When IVY ny
nSandna ~ = Was q Little Boy" Botn
~ wa want all the recent prize van
ners to be patient. We WIN % senu We We
prizes out within the next we0n w. n,,or+h
have been so busy the pas. p. % ~ at
helping with the special eul.on How. low
We had to neglect the juniors:
aver we will soon make amenus'
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
ny GREATEST SUMMER PLEAS
URE,

NY greatest summer pleasure Is to
have a picnic out in the woods and
have hammocks and swings to play IN.
Last year, on August A. my friends
and had a picnic in the woods. we
had ice cream, lemonade, candy and
apples. We made q stand and my
friends, Bessie Young, and would
play we we're selling the things.
: Lucille Leazenby. (
Route No. 8, Box 79.
Ridgeway, Mo.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
A NEW CONTEST.

we wish some Of the Juniors woula 10
,~,te ond tell us what they think OF
the special edition. Hundaeas t1nea ,o1a ID
their papas and mammas have t1la tha
ia hut we want to know what tne
We We will give nice little clock Il, 10
~. 1un;or who writes the best stoIy
m m the special edition, short one. og.
Tbis viii do for a big contest, Whlch
viii open today and close, MONDAY
August 26.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17

next place of interest that we visited
was Niagara Falls It is very beau
tiful place on both the Canadian and
the American side. We spent the
day there and ate our dinner and sup
per in Victoria park. We took several
kodak pictures. We spent the fore
noon on the Canadian side and we
went on the American side after we
ate our dinner.
Then we went to an ice cream par
lor and had some ice cream. We
went to Prospect park, we waited
there for awhile watching the rapids
just above the falls. We had de.
lightful drive over Goat Island where
we had good view of the rapids and
also passed the Three Sisters Islands
and were soon back to our starting
point. After resting and refreshing
ourselves with ice cream we went
back on the Canadian side. After q
while we took the train home and ar.
rived there about sundown.
On Wednesday. July II our Sunday
school had picnic at Port Colborne
on Lake Erie which we attended Ar
irving there at noon we ate our dinner
with friends. When we had finished
eating we watched the races and con-
tests, then we went down to the
beach. We put on our bathing suits
and went in the water. There was q
large crowd of children In bathing.
The water was warm and as it was
our first experience in the lake we en-
joyed 1t very much and we regretted
very much when 1t was time to take
A. T. ~ =
Next Monday we are going to visit
the city OF Toronto on Lake Ontario
which will be made by water.
would be pleased to hear from any OF
my Junior friends.
Pauline Wilson, Age H.
Welland, Ontario, Can, Box 648.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1912-08-17
WANT NEWsY LETTERS.

We want some Of the big Juniors 70
,,,;+e good newsy letters again. Wr1te
to friends, relatives, eacn otnei - a+a. ~
the Junior. We will give boxes Oh "st s.sa.
tionery and pens for the nVe ' uvst -
letters sent in before MONDAY August
26. ora tho Jun.
The prize winners among tne JUL ~
iors who wrote on the suD]ec1s an,
nounced August l, will be selecteu
next week.