davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Chandler, Okla, r. F. D. No. 2.
Alberta Eakins Would
Rather Live in Ottumwa

Dear Juniors: have lived in Pitts
burgh about five months.
would rather live in Ottumwa
though. e ss,s.
I will tell you about beautiful park
that we go to most every week. 1t is
five blocks from our house. 1t is called
Lincoln Park 1t is about as large as
Caldwell park in Ottumwa but not SO
billy. A creek runs through the park.
And several pretty bridges cross it.
There is a fine auditorium at the en-
trance. There are drinking fountains
at this place. There are beautiful
flowers at the front and either side OF
it. There are three different play
grounds in the park. One for babies
where there are four swings and three
hammocks and a nice pile Of white
sand. Here Is where my brother and
I play most Of the time Another place
where girls play. Here there are large
swings, teeter boards, ladders, trap
ezes and shoot-the-chutes.
The chutes are great. -.
The boys play grounds are about the
same as the girls only the boys chutes
and such things are higher.
I wish my little friends in Ottumwa
might visit me and go to this park to
play. ,&g ~
If see this letter in the paper, I
will write again to you.
Alberta Eakins, age 8 yrs.
r. l.- Pittsburgh, Kansas.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
King Made Kind Man !
~ NObleman ., .e,.

About one hundred years ago the
swedes and Danes were having war.
It was after long battle and water
was precious. The Danish soldiers
had beaten the Swedes.
A Danish soldier was about to take
drink and heard some one calling.
Looking around he saw a Swede ly'
ing on the ground wounded. He said,
"Give me a drink for am dying.
The Danish soldier put the cup to
the. lips of his wounded foe. ~.
Drink" said he, "for thy need is
greater than mine.'
The Swede drew a pistol and shot
the Dane but did not harm him. Then
the Dane said: 81 was going to give
you all of the water but now you will
only have half"
Then he drank half the water and
gave half to the Swede.
When his noble deed reached the
king he said to the soldier, why did
you not kill the Swede.' He said he
could not kill a wounded foe.
The king gave the soldier a title
and made him nobleman.
This is one of my school compost.
tons. t'.e
Catherine Murphy, Age II.
Melrose, Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08

them, but the rod bore her in safety
to the other side. When the farther
bank was reached, a wonderful thing
happened. The long cloak worn by
the old woman fell away, and there
she stood, not really an old woman at
ALL but a beautiful fairy. "1 am the
fairy of the woods, kind rod" she
said. ct came to see if my trees were
kind as we'll as beautiful. You have
done all in your power for a feeble old
woman. Now what can I do for your
The rod replied, 81 should like to
be beautiful, but most Of all I want to
be loved, especially by the children
"You shall have your wish" said
the fairy. "You are worth your weight
in gold, but the rod of gold would not
be loved by the little ones. I will
give to you fairy gold instead"
She planted the rod in the earth, and
it at once became green. From it
grew beautiful leaves and many stems,
and over all the fairy scattered mil
lions of tiny stars Of fairy gold till the
TOP of the plant looked like sunshine.
thereafter you shall be called Golden.
rod" said the fairy, 'and every one
shall love you
What the fairy has said has come to
pass. The lovely goldenrod has been
showing her yellow stars in our mead
ows ever since that day.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Little Child Teaches Kind
ness to Parents

Dear Juniors: I thought I would
write a composition l had to write
when was in school
Once upon time there was a very
old man. He was 80 years old. His
name was Mr.. Key His eyes were
dim, his ears were dull and his knees
trembled. When he sat at the table
he could hardly hold his spoon. He
often spilled his food on the table
cloth. .s
He lived with his son and daughter
in-law. They sometimes got very
angry with him. At last they made
him sit behind the oven In a corner
and gave him his food In an old earth
en- dish and didn't give him much.
The poor old man grew sad and his
eyes were filed with tears. Once his
hand trembled SO much that he could
not hold his dish and it fell on the
floor and broke, and the young wife
scofded him. He said nothing. Only
sighted when they brought him a wood
that, a
One day he was sitting in his usual
place when he saw his little grandson,
Wallace years old fitting together
some pieces of wood. What are you
making my son? the old man asked.
I'm making trough for father and
mother when I grow big, replied the
child. At these words the man and
woman began to cry. After that the
old man got to eat at the table and
they didn't say anything If he did spill
his food on the cloth. L
Ora Nelson,
Chandler. Okla. r. F. D, No g
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Talk of Adventures Until
IL O'Clock

About week before Halloween night
thought | would have a party. / be-
gan to write invitations. wrote about
twenty FIVE to my school mates and
friends. .Hos tx
I began to get ready for it all week
and I could hardly walt until the
time came. Some Of my friends helped
me get lot Of pumpkins and make
pumpkin faces
Just about o'clock the guests be-
gan to arrive. At 8 o'clock they had all
arrived. We played games until about
9 O'Clock. s.
Then we thought we would have our
supper. After we ate all the supper We
could we got our pumpkin faces and
though we would have some fun.
At first we went around in town and
tried to scare people by holding our
pumpkin faces up to their windows.
One man thought it was a ghost and
got his shot gun and we all ran away.
Pretty soon we came to an alley and
we were just going up to a house when
we heard noise behind us. We look
ed around and we saw q lot Of strange
white figures. We began to run and
they kept running too. We ran until
we came to our yard and then we stop
ped and looked around and the people
were gone. We went into the house
and the folks were just coming out Of
the other room.
We told them about our adventures
and they laughed and said they ran
after Just to scare US. Just then we
looked up and SOW something that
looked like a man. We though we
would slip around and see who it was.
When we got around there we saw it
was some Of my friends that had slip
ped away from us and was going to
scare us other girls. ..
We went into the house and talked
about our adventures while. It was
about II o'clock then.
They staid until about IL o'clock
then they said they would have to go
home. They departed saying they had
lots of fun and that they got the joke
on us that time.
Inez Hoffman.
Libertyville, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Ponto, a Large Shepherd
Dog, Rings Bell

Dear Junior:-As have never writ.
ten to you before, I thought l would
write composition.
Ponto is a large shepherd dog. He
has collar with his and his masters
name on it. Ponto will drive cows
and horses. He will hunt rabbits.
Ponto's master and mistress had one
little child. Ponto was very fond of
the child. The child's name is Ruth.
Ruth loved Ponto. Ruth's father own
ed big orchard. Ruth had bell
which she would ring when she wanted
him.
One day Ruth grew sick. Ponto
could go in the house when he wanted
to. People would come and ring the
door. bell. One day Ponto found a
bell and he went to the door of Ruth's
room, then he began to ring the bell.
Pretty soon Ruth's mother came to
the door and let him in. He went up
to the bed and licked Ruth s hand
over and over again. s.a
-. Wilmer Pelham, Age 10.
}-t ., Kirkville, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Dorothy Writes Interesting
Letter of Duluth Trip

Dear Juniors:
This summer mamma, my sister
and myself spent two weeks In
Duluth, MINI. - F."
While we were in Duluth we saw
many sights which greatly interested
us. We took one very nice boat ride
on a steamer called the "Easton" on
Lake Superior. While we were out on
the lake there was a flock of sea
gulls that followed our boat. They
are about the size of large hawk.
Some of them are light brown, and
some are black and white. They fol
low the boats for the scraps thrown
overheard. The people would throw
scraps in the water to see them dive.
Before we reached the city we were
going to the gulls left our boat and
followed passing one.
One day we went down to the aerial
bridge that crosses the canal between
the st. Louis bay and Lake Superior.
There are but two aerial bridges in the
world, one in Duluth and the other
is across the water. You can go across
the bridge free of charge. In the mid
die of the car there is a place for
automobiles and place for carriages.
Some horses scare so they have TO
chain the wheels down. Then the
horses can't run In each side at each
end Is the place where people can
stand or go in little room and sit
down. N.s
On each side of the canal there is
a long cement walk with high and
thick sides. These are called piers.
At each end of these piers there Is
a light house. In the night they flash
red light and then white that can
be seen from all over the city.
Then we took a ride down the st.
Louis river to the old Aston Indian
trading post named Fon du Lac. On
the way there we went through two
drawbridges. liked to Sc them open
and close. There is little house high
up in the center of the bridge where
the conductor stays. In the city Of
Duluth there is high point Of rocks
where you can stand ard look all over
the city. ..
We spent one afternoon in Lester
park It Is left almost in the state Of
nature and is very beautiful The Les
ter river flows through the park,
through piney woods, and over red
and gray rocks.
The park lies on the lake shore.
Over one Of the waterfalls there Is a
beautiful rustic bridge. Just outside
Of Letter park there is Lester park
green house. It is large and IS 4
very pretty building. Lester park also
has a fine play ground for children.
Dorothy Calhoun, aged IL.
E;1don. Iowa. r. rT#th- 'f1n -
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
EARNEST RAYMOND.

Dear Junior ...
I thought I would write about my
little nephew.
He is so cute. He has dark hail
and black eyes. sw
He came down to our house and
stayed week. He was only twenty
seven months old. ,a.
He lives in Foster, Iowa. I like fur
him to visit u.s. H.
He liked his Grandma and Grandpa
and he liked to ride on the train.
= I like to visit him too He is SO
cute, in SO naany things
When his mother goes to sweep he
gets the dust rag and dusts off things
He has two brothers and one sister
Well my letter is getting long so
will close.
Pansy Brown
Age 13 Bear Creek, Iowa
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Addie and Her Sister Milk
Three Cows Apiece
Dear Editor:

Dear Editor: ..s.
AS have not written to the Courier
Juniors for a long time, SO / guess !
will write.
I, go to school every day. My studies
are reading, arithmetic, history, lang
uage geography and spelling. have
not missed a day of school this term.
My teachers name is Vina E. Davis. I
like her just fine. We are getting along
Just fine at school know.
My playmates are Minnie O'Dean
and Thelma Wing. =
I have a sister and brother who go
to school with me. Their names are
Bertha and Eddie. Bertha is 8 years
old and Eddie is 10. gys
I have two sisters and four brothers.
One of my brothers is married. His
name is Pearl. My brother and my
sister-in-law are at our home now,
and we have a fine time.
My sister Reva and l milk three cows
apiece. -
My papa owns ten heads of horses
and has quite a bunch Of cattle and
quite a few hogs.
Well as my letter is getting long, I
will close Addie Hart,
Agency, Ia, Route No. 1, Box 81.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Ruth Evaline Clark Has a
Pet Pig

Dear Juniors: AS have never writ
ten before, will try and write to the
Courier Junior today.
am little girl nine years old. My
chums are Geneva Norton aged nine
and Marjorie Bond aged seven. | go
to Orange school My teachers name
is Miss Mary Jordan. I like her fine.
We are having vacation now.
We live two and one-half miles north
east Of Moulton on a large farm.
have pet pig. e
I am four feet and three inches tall
and weigh sixty-two pounds.
I want a fur set and a gold bracelet
for Christmas.
Well as my letter is getting long |
will close.
If see my letter in print will write
again sometime.
Ruth Evaline Clark,
Moulton, Iowa, R. r. No. 1.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Stay Two or Three Hours;
Have Good Time

Dear Juniors:
I am going to write about a Hallow-
cen party.
I received an invitation to a Hal
lowe'en party. .-...
When the evening came I dressed up
in a sheet and then went and as 1T was
at a neighbors I did not go out on the
street but cut across yards. When I
got there we knocked and the friend
that was having the party opened the
door and we jumped in and scared her.
There were not many Of use.
Two were dressed as ghosts and two
as witches. We told ghost stories In a
dark room till we were so scared we
couldn't move.
After while we lit jack-o'-lanterns
and played Halloween games. We
played a while and then turned on the
light and made taffy which we pulled.
We, stayed two or three hours having
a good time and then came home.
Helen Brewer, age II,
16S N. Ransom St, Ottumwa, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Decorated With Red and
Yellow Leaves

Dear Editor:
There once was a little girl AZ who
wanted Halloween party. One day
she asked her mother if she could have
a Halloween party, and her mother
said she could.
A week before Halloween came the
little girl went to the woods and got
some red and yellow leaves
When Halloween came a lot of little
girls came to the little girls house
They took their wraps off and then sat
around the fire and told ghost stories
whic hthey knew.
The little girls mother said "Come
now, supper is ready"
For supper they had apples. cake
cookies, pumpkin pie, cheese and had
a lot of other good things. 5
After supper they went home and
told their mothers what a good time
they had had .... la
Dorothy Schoor,
sol Sheridan Ave-, Ottumwa, Ia.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Play Games While Mothers
s. Get Supper

There were twelve Of us. We made
jack O. lanterns out Of pumpkins and
put them on fence posts. We lit cat
tails too. We made tick-tacks.
We dressed up like ghosts and scared
the boys. We played all kinds of
tricks.
After we played out Of doors till Z
o'clock it began to snow.
It was the first snow fall we had 1t
did not snow very long but we went in
the house any way.
Then we played games while our
mothers were getting our supper. We
made candy and popped corn.
We. had lots Of good things to eat.
After our supper we played the piano
and sang songs. At II o'clock we all
went home. guess we all had fine
time.
Vera Webb, age 10,
-s= Charlton, Ia, r. 1.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Mary Edith Has a Team of
Shetland Ponies


Dear Juniors: AS I have never writ
ten before I will write short letter.
We take the Ottumwa Courier and
read the Junior page.
I am II years old. have two sis
tiers both younger than I. Their
names are Ruth Evaline and Grace La
Rue.
l go to Orange school. My teachers
name is Miss Mary Jordan. like her
fine. My studies are reading, arith-
metic, spelling, geography, physiology,
and grammar.
We have a team Of shetland ponies.
Their names are Prince and Ping.
Well I will close by hoping to see
my letter in print.
Mary Edith Clark,
Moulton, Iowa. r. r. No. l.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
THE COURIER JUNIOR
Published by
THE COURIER PRINTING Co..
OTrUMWA, IOWA.
MATILDA DEvEREAUx,
EDITOR.
THANKSGIVING CAKE.

Dear Juniors: We are going to
have a big contest, or rather we are
going to give big prizes, two delicious
cakes, suitable for Thanksgiving day,
for the two most interesting letters
or stories. We are very fond of letters
and what we call personal stories.
by a personal story, we mean an
Interesting account of some real per
son, place or happening. We notice
that the Juniors do their best work
when they write about a person, such
as a great grandmother or some other
relative, and some place or event with
which they are familiar. This contest
Twill open today and close Monday,
NOV. II.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Fern is Entertaining Her
Little Cousin, Margaret

Dear Juniors: AS I have never writ
ten letter I will write one now.
20 to school. am in the fourth
grade. ..s.
My teachers name is Miss Luly
Clark. I like her fine.
I have one sister and two brothers.
We have big black dog. His name
Is Rover.
We are planning for Hollowe'en
party. We had masquerade party last
year and had lots of fun, and a big
crowd. @ >se
My little cousin is here from Avery.
Her name is Margaret Bilterman.
-. Fern Deskin, age 8,
Abba, Ia, 10th Ave. e.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
VIOLET GOES TO DAHLoNEeA.

Dear Editor: AS I have never writ
ten to the Junior I thought I would
write.
I am little girl nine years old. I
20 to Dahlenega school. I have to
walk a mile and a half to school
. MY teachers name is Vfrgie NEoles-
worth. 7 like her very much.
There are twenty-five pupils in our
school.
II have one brother; his nanee is
Lawrence. .,
MY playmates at school are Thelma
Morgan and Minnie Brooks.
AS my Letter is getting long I will
close. ~
Violet Ellen Hults, Age 8.
Ottumwa, Iowa, Route No. 1.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
The Rod Of Gold

I Once upon time an old woman
twho had been walking through wood
scame at last to the open country be-
wond, Just before her flowed a stream
which she must cross on her way. She
seemed feeble and when the bank of
the river was reached, she stopped IN
dread; for the current was swift and
1.-THE stones were slippery and unsafe
iShe glanced about her at the trees
Tor she must have help. A great oak
stood near with it's beautiful leaves
and many acorns. kind oak" said
THE old woman, may have part OF
one of your branches to make a rod
TO help me over the stream?"
i Indeed, no." cried the oak. II can
not spare a single branch. My acorns
are FAR too beautiful to give away
Then the old woman went to red
maple standing near the oak, and said,
s>fWill you be kind to me and spare me
a branch from which may make 8
staff to carry me over the r1ver?"
"Of course not" said the maple
i nCould you imagine would spare any
OF my beautiful red leaves?" a..
The old woman turned sadly away
"A Cn6SCnuC-LIS6 .SlOOu uCd1, ctuu o1AC
appealed to it. "Good chestnut, may
have one Of your branches?" she ask
ed, u But the chestnut tree could not
spare a single nut, and SO refused.
The sycamore thought her balls too
pretty to part with, and the poplar
stood tall and disagreeable and would
not help her.
The elm dropped languidly, and told
her she might ask the walnut. And SO
It went; hickory. ash, horse-chestnut,
and birch-tree all said, mo-" till the
poor woman, quite discouraged and
tired out, sank on great stone to
rest and decide what was best to be
done.
At her feet lay stick, old and dis
colored. but straight and strong. 1t
spoke to the old woman, and said,
I'm sorry the beautiful trees have
been so unkind to you, and I will help
you gladly if may. You see I have
no beauty; do not even know to what
tree I belong; have no acorns nor
nuts nor leaves, and even my bark is
gone; but l am strong and will gladly
take up over the stream"
The old woman picked up the poor
rod at her feet, and, leaning heavily
upon it, started On her journey across
the river. Iae water roared about
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Little Boy Had Good Time
...-- at Party

Dear Editor:
will write you little composition,
The subject Is "a Halloween Party
There was little boy whose name
was Ralph Sherley. His parents were
dead and he was living with his Aunt
Laura.
One evening he received an invita-
ton to a Halloween party. He and his
friend went to the party. When he
reached the party the house was brigh-
ly lighted. He was warmly welcomed,
and he ate apples and played games.
All of sudden the lights went out
and there appeared three ghosts in
white. III
The party was over and Ralph went
home.
Harold Houston, age II,
- Queen City, Mo-, r. No. 1.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Flo Goes to the Red Brush
W, School

Dear Junior: I have never written
you letter so thought would write
you one.
I 20 to Red Brush school. My
teachers name is Hugh Blackwell and
| am in the fourth resder and arith-
metjc, language, geography, spelling
and writing. ....s -. a.-.....
I have two sisters and one brother
Lula, LaRue and Floyd. My two sis.
tiers are married Lula has three chill
dren. There names are Hazel, Jimmie
and Denzel LaRue has one, his name
is Verbal AS my letter is getting SC
long | will close Flo Pirtle, age TO-
Bloomfield, Iowa, r. 4
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS.

I Use one side of the paper only.
2. Write neatly and legibly, using
Ink or sharp lead pencil.
8. Always sign your name in full
and state your age. ~.
4. Number your pages. .....F
&. 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, Ottumwa, Iowa. In
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Agnes Walks Mile to School
Takes Dinner

Dear Editor: This is my first letter.
I go to the Buchanan school and |
have weeks vacation. l like my
teacher fine and her name is Hazel
Young. We have fifteen pupils in our
school. have a mile to walk to school
and have to take my dinner with me
for it is too far for me to come home.
My papa takes the Tri-weekly.
Well will close for my letter is get
ting long.
I hope to see my letter in print.
Agnes Wilkins,
Ottumwa R. r. Z. &c.,.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
Grandn,other's Weather
Bureau

When the baby's eyes are stormy,
With pucker in between,
Grandma shakes her head and muir
murS '.-
She's afraid it's going to rain. .
When the baby's eyes are dancing,
Shining like two stars with fun,
Grandma smiles, and says she's GER
tain @.s
We shall have spell o. sun.-Annie
Hamilton Donnell.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08

Little Miss Louista Wood, the ten
year old daughter of Major General
Leonard Wood, chief of staff of the
u. S. Army, rode with her father
and Colonel Heistand on their ninety
mile official test ride that every army
officer must take once year. They
covered the distance in three days and
little Miss Louista said she felt bully
when it was over. The last forty-five
miles were ridden in driving rain
but she minded it not at all. She is
here shown holding her thorough
bred, Fort Hunter"
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
ABOUT PRIZES.

II the Courier Junior has ever fail
ed to receive prizes when the win
Ener's names were published we want
TO be told about 1t right away. We
also want all of our prizes acknowl-
eUged,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
SCHOOL COMPOSITIONS.

We want more Juniors to send in
some of their school compositions. We
will award surprise prizes for the best
ones from time to time.
We hope that many more OF the
t1uniors will write letters. We will
offer another surprise prize, for the
hest letter and all the Juniors can
work for It,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-08
I WILL SEND POST CARDS.

Whenever the Juniors write short
stories or nice letters they will receive
post cards, sthe latter being sent out
when the letters and stories are pub
1ished.