davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
John Paul Jones.

Tell us a story, grandpa, dear A story of long ago; Of Washington or Lafayetta. Or Jones or Rochambeau- All right, just sit upon my knees And listen close. and then III tell you of the young Paul Jones, The noblest of all brave men. In the dark days of seventy-nfne, When near all hope was lest He sailed on the Bon Ho1nme Richard Along the English coast His prizes were rich and many, The good ship was ever feared By foes of brave George Washington, So honored and revered- For weeks he sailed the English seas, Threatening coastwise ports T1n he, one autunn afternoon. Spied two English consoGts. Pnm Jonas engaged the Serapds, While Captain Laneiais fled Leaving the valiant sailor. there Among the dying and dead The two ships clutched like living
 things,
 While the moon. shed silver 1gl,tss For hours cut1ass, pike and gun Kept up the ghastly fight. linen Pearson, with his own right hand, Tore down the British Lions And both ships sank into the deep To stay there for all time. All honor to this brave young man; Proclaim in loudest tonesl No eulogy too great for him The valiant John Paul -Jenes!
 Philip.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
HaroId's Pigeons.

Dear Uncle Jed: have four pigeons. one white, two blue and one spotted with blue. white and brown One pair laid and set the last of the year, They matched the other day have just begun to raise pigeons ana think good deal of them. I have got two houses that I made this year. My pigeons names are Snowy. Dicky. Mary and Baby. When they first hatch they are as yellow as gold made trap to catch any other pigeons that might come I made a wooden frame, and fixed a trapdoor on 1t. Then I covered it with wire netting. This summer I am going to build large house and keep fifty or sixty pigeons.
 My grandfather showed me. how to make my houses. My grandfather is eighty-four years of age. but is quite smart for his age
 l am going to tell you about my hen, her name is Speckle. She is five years old She is black and white and also very tame.
 found one morning that one egg was hard, but still I heard something peep inside of it. I took 1t into the house and my mother broke it and in about an hour a little chicken came out
 I have another pet. a cat. She is yellow and white. She is very large and weighs about seven pounds. She catches many rats and mice.
 HAROLD MAYNARD. Age 13.
 Lyme
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
POETRY. Climbing.

O, once there was kitten,
 Tom Henry was his name, And here you see hiIH sittins Before he bid for fame. Somewhere he'd heard or read it, Climb upwardi Do not stop!s And greatly to his credit,
 Resolved to reach the top. And so he climbed and clambered, Nor downward looked at all, While foes beneath him yammered And hoped to see hiEa fall. Up, up, he crept, undaunted. And at the top he found The things he loved and wanted Were somewhere on the ground. Advice may 11rk in laughter. Remember, ere you climb, That sometimes what you're after Is near you all the time.
 Frederick White.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
SUNNY DAYS IN INSECTvILLE
The Wandering Woody Bear
tCopyrighted.)

[ grow and thrive by themselves. She lays from 50 to 100 eggs, but deposits them so that when young they live in groups, but they soon follow the her init life and never appear to be aware that they ever had any brothers or sisters
 getl1er under the same natural law which declares that birds of a feather flock together"
 If the birds cannot eat him the flies can sting him and put eggs in his body to bring forth parasites to feed upon him; but that is another story. And woody bear was here before Columbus discovered America, and is a thorolghbre ed American without single flaw in his title. for do you know these woody caterpillars are be- lieved to have been here before the glacial period. and perhaps before man was; and that is so far back that no man can count the years, so if you call woody bear "old fellow you will be in no danger of hurting his feel ings.
 For thousands of years he was not considered worthy the notice of men,
 Over hundred years ago men be- gan to make pictures and make notes about woody bears, and since then hun dreds have been interested in them, and all together they have not been able to make a complete history of them yet.
 So when you see Mr. Woody Bear crawling upon the walk remember that he belongs to the ancients and honor abIes of insectdom, and when he pa rades in his p1unage on the wing you will discover that he is fond of fine feathers.
 And these hairs, so prickly, and these colors, so bright, were not his in the beginning, nor even these legs but as his tastes have changed and his con- ditions he has in response to necessity developed power to climb and ability to stroll, and his food has provided him with new and brighter colors and better protection.
 So you see woody bear is a progress 1 sive as well as ancient and worthy or all the attention that has been given him.
 The tiniest and lowliest creature God has made has proven to be worthy the attention of man. for through the Least of these divine love and pow CT is manifested.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06

While the wooly bear Is a caterpillar, it like other bears lives several months in the year without eating. and in a stupor- Unlike them. he flies in the air several weeks in the summer.
 Those who have their eyes open are mild days in February or March; and when disturbed he rolls up like a hedgehog asleep and his hairs nettle, or sting, anything that touches him.
 The woody bears may be bright red and black at each end, or light red and dark brown, or fawn color without other marks When the weather IS warm they move sprightly and they get a bite of chickweed. or a young dandelion sprout. to put them in con dition to cast their Skin-
 What the woody bear strolls for in the spring is to find safe and com fortable place in which to spin his cocoon and to rest until nature calls him forth for flight When nature finds him he is in a little siIken cocoon made warm by the intervening of his own hair, and lying in a creVice or be- heath the dry leaves or in hole in the wall; and he comes forth a Tiger moth.
 How Is this? He is a bear when caterpillar on the ground because he is woody, and he is a tiger moth when in the air because he Is striped; and he is called an Arctian in the books because the Greeks called bears by this name.
 If you meet him on the wing here in New England he will have black fore wings with white or flesh colored stripes and underwings that are yell low or red and black bordered; and if you meet him in California he may be pure white with pretty black stripes on his wings, but you will see by his shape that he is related to the New England tribes.
 But to be honest he isn't bearish of. any way tigerish. but just insectish, and not a wonderful f1ier. You do not see him much on the wing because he doesn't seem to be gay f1ier like the sunny butterfly. but to be given to hiding on the trunks of trees or in the leaves until he wants to find h1s mate, or to feed, and he chooses shady and dusky places in which to do it.
 And the mate of the woody bear flies away to lay her eggs where food plants are plenty and her young will be in as little peril as possible, and
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
The Story of Three Children.

man and his wife They had three children, two of whom were girls and the other a boy. Their names were Harry, Emma and Ruth.
 One evening their father came home telling them he had bought a place in Rhode Island, and where they were go- ing was on a farm.
 This pleased them all very much. Of course they had to hurry because they were going to be. cut of there in two weeks.
 At last the two weeks came to an end and they went to their new home.
 Their father was rich and you may be sure they had some nice things there.
 All the children had calf of their very own, and each had a pony. They
 One day their father told them to, go to the barn with him. and what should they see but two white angora goats. They bought a little harness and had a cart in which rode Harry and Ruth, while Emma walked along by their side.
 The children had many happy times with their goats.
 Emma would pick flowers and give them to Ruth.
 Soon they had to go to school, but not very long for it soon became va cation.
 The goats names were Dotty and Dick
 Sometimes Ruth and Emma rode and Harry would walk They were all very happy ever after.
 ALICE. c. HILL. Age Il.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
UNCLE JED'S TALK TO WIDE.
 AWAKES.

Uncle Jed is getting interested in the Wide-Awakes who do things, and he notices that their number. is increas- ing. and the other Wide-Awalzes must have noticed that they are winning books.
 The weekly distribution of books may not be perfectly satisfactory to all of the Wide Awakes: neither is it perfectly satisfactory to Uncle Jed The youngest writers cannot compete with the oldest writers, so we neces- sari1y have several competing groups, and conhdential1y Uncle Jed would say that there doesn't seem to him, always, books enough to go around.
 It should be remembered that the
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06

After Nome had eaten the hay he came up to my shoulders as if he was asking for more: so I gave him some more. Nome is very gentle.
 One of the men who sat down to rest called my attention to a deer which was running about the field.
 In a few minutes Uncle Tom was heard hollering. He was telling him to stop eating his lettuce, and the deer looked up, but did not go. Then Uncle Tom said it again, but the deer did not go Then he stamped his foot and it was the prettiest thing you ever saw to see the deer jump over the fences. I think it was going to see its mother.
 It was time to go home. I hope if I go to the beach next year will see the deer and go out into the hay field
 ALICE B. PARTRIDGE, Age Il.
 Jewett City.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
A Story of Jimmy.

Once there was a little boy; his name was Jimmy His sister and brothers were big and he was the pet of the family.
 What do you think he did? One day 1t was rainy and he was very lonesome and he kept teasing and teas ing his mother to go out, so his moth CT said: You may go out for half an hour
 He was pleased to go out. but be- fore he went out his mother said:
 Now Jimmy, don't play in the mud.''
 He said he would not. but the first thing he did was to make a dam of mud. When the half hour was up she called Jimmy, but Jimmy could not be seen. Dinner came and home came Jimmy covered with mud.
 What have you been doing "sasked his mother.
 He did not answer, and he got a good whipping.
 That's what naughty boys get when they do not mind their mothers.
 LAWRENCE RIVERS, Age 19
 WillimantiC
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
He Wants to Be Eyes.

Dear Uncle Jed: Just imagine how ulsappointed I was when I woke this morning to find snow enough on the ground to make sliding, and I am aI- most sick with a hard cold
 have spent some of the time read ing the letters in the Wide Awake circle.
 like your talk to the Wide Awakes want to be Eyes and see all the pretty things that I can and get the cream of life.
 go to the Central district school and am in the fourth grade
 have three brothers
 We have seven bantams and thav are laying three eggs a day.
 we have three cats and one of them IS great pet. Her name is Fernie We have pine trees in our ward and this morning they looked like gfeat biz Christmas trees.
 FLOYD T. BAILEY, Age 10.
 Colchester
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE
 AWAkES.
My Visit to centervilIe.

A week ago last Friday night l went down to CenterVille. I went on the 420 o'clock train I got to Center vile about o'clock
 I went to see my friend. Harry Cookson. He lives one-half a mile from the depot It was quite dark when I got to his house. After we ate our supper Harry and I went to Arctic Center. We went after some things for his mother. We looked around the stores before we came home. It was 5 o'clock when we got home.
 Saturday morning we could not go outdoors and play very much, because it rained.
 After dfEner we went up to Arctic Center to get some things for my mother About 6.45 o'clock at night we went to the moving pictures. We sat way up in the gallery. I like to sit up there. It was g o'clock when we got home.
 Sunday morning I had to come home I came home on the 10 o'clock train. My father was at the depot, so got 8 ride home. I had very good time. ELMER BURBANK. Age 14.
 MOOSun
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Lives in the. City Now.

Dear Uncle Jed: I have moved since wrote you last. I am not in the country, but in the city of Westbrook. like living in the city The school is not far from the house. The depot IS down at the end of the street. For Chrlstmas l got two books, three ties, a pair of gloves and a game. pocket comb, bank and one dollar
 We have q hill one side of our house. I like to coast down that hill because 1t is steep Sometimes we can go down the hill across the rail- road track
 CECIL E. RAND.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
The Little Lame Girl.

Once there was a little lame girl whose name was Elsie
 She would sit by the window and watch the people going up and down the street.
 Her mother worked fin the mill and her sister took care of her.
 One day as Elsie was looking out of the window she saw her little playmate coming up the street. and sne was glad that Edith was coming to play with her. She had her two dolls be- cause she thought Elsie did not have any. Soon she came tripping up the doorsteps, then she knockeda at the door and Elsie's sister let her in.
 She went in the room where Elsie was sitting and said:
 Hello, Elsiel I have come to play with you"
 eOh, am so glad you camei- said Elsie
 Then Edith took her coat and hat off and they both went to playing.
 Edith said she only could stay one hour, and how fast that hour did gol
 Soon Edith had to go home, as she was a good girl and always tried to mind her mother
 Elsie was sorry, but the next day Edith came again and they had just as good a time
 BERNICE L. GREEN. Age 8.
 Willimantic.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06

coWs. horses, hens. chickens. a dog have two brothers and one sister. Inelr names are Steve. Joseph and Mary Steve is four years old, Joseph IS two years old and Mary is six
 We had a lovely Christmas tree at the church
 am in the third grade. I go to school every day. I study reading. writing, arithmetic and geography
 we have Is children in our school
 Ashford Y
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Six Little Puppies.

Dear Uncle Jed: Sunday was a very pleasant day. so I went to church and then went to my friends house And there I saw six little puppies.
 They were as big as rats. They were so cunning, and made such a funny little noise
 My friends brother and his friend owned the mother dog, for they both bought her together, when they were away to work
 The mother dogs name is Fluff. F1uh is 9, yellowish brown Her little ones are black, white, brown and clear black.
 JULIA LATHAM, Age F. Norwich
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Road Cadets.

Dear Uncle Jed: One of the boys in my village is organizing troop of road cadets. We will have a show in the parish house We are to have rifles and blue uniforms. We will go camping, fishing and hunting.
 Thursday night we met in the club house, but our mastery did not come.
 T. JOSEPH GRADY, Age 13.
 NoTwicb
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
The Helper.


 On mountain there once lived 8 giant.
 He was very strong and powerful and did not like anyone One day there was a little girl wan = dering about and she happened to come upon the giants house. She was very hungry. Not knowing who lived there, she went in to find out
 The giant saw her and said-
 What business have you here 7" q came to see who lived here. I thought they might give me something to eat" said the little girl, tinidiy. q am very hungry
 It was strange to say the giant felt sorry for the little girl: so he gave her something to eat. He took 8 big bas- ket and filled it with fruit.
 Thomas" he said, take the child home first. Then bring her back with the basket empty and I will fill it with food"
 Thomas did as directed.
 When the mother saw her child she kissed her. The child told her story of what had happened and she said she must go back to the giant as he had told her. The giant loved this little child. He supplied them with what they needed and the child and her mother lived The girl went to see the giant every day, The giant was great helper.
 VERA BLAKE.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
St. Valentine

Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell you about Valentine.
 Once there was a priest whose name was Valentine. He nursed the sick, comforted the sorrowing and he was very kind man. When the children came to his house for clothes he would not send them home empty handed
 When he got old he could not go out to the ehildren's houses. He had to stay at home. because he could not walk So when the children were sick he would send notes to them. If child was sick it would say:
 Father Valentine will send me a message today
 Soon they heard that Valentine was dead. The news spread around the country quickly. So they said that such 8 good man should be called a saint Hence they named him St. Val entfne.
 Now they celebrate his birthday by sending notes to the children which they call valentines on Feb 14tf
 FREDERICK ERLBECK
 Norwich.
 She Lives on a Farm.
 Dear Uncle Jed. I am eight years old and live on a farm. We have
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Scotland.

0resn~ich.-As . memorial to his wife, Edmund c. Converse, the New York banker. who has a large estate here, Is having the tower of Christ church raised and enlarged to contain a chime of ten bells which he has or dered from the Meenely Bell company of Troy. N r., for installation prior to next Easter Sunday.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
She Was a Good Cat.

Dear Uncle Jed: I want to tell you about my cat. One day I went to give her some dinner, but I could not find her, so I went to the barn. I found her there in the hay with a bona stuck in her throat.
 took her into the house and kept
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
His Cats Arc Good Hunters.

Dear Uncle Jed: I thought I would tell you about my country life.
 I have two cats. Their names are Smutty and Topsy. Smutty is maIty and Topsy is black and white. They are very good hunters and catch very large rats, and can run very fast when after a. rat.
 I like to go to school and study very much go to school in the old par fsh house. I cannot think of anything more so I will close.
 WILLIAM STEINBOUGII, Age II.
 POQuetanuck
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
A Pretty siaht.

Dear Uncle Jed: When I went down the beach it was in the month of July and of course, you know. in July the men are getting in the hay. So thought would go with them. I hop ped into the team. and off we went to the field. I was driving the horse. It did. not take us very long to get there.
 The men took their Fakes and went to work
 I thought I would give the horse a handful of hay. His name was Nome.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Circle Cake.

Dear Uncle Jed: I read all the Wide Awalses' letters and enjoy them very much.
 I can hardly wait for the paper I am glad some of the girls have tried my candy and had good luck. like to make that candy.
 win send one of my recipes for making cake. It is called
 Circle Cai<e-One cup of sugar, one egg, one-half cup sweet milk, one third cup Of shortening, two cups of -four, two teaspoons cream tartar and one teaspoon soda; flavor with lemon or vanilla and a little salt
 Hope the little Wide Awakes will have good luck with this.
 LUCY A. CARTER.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
LETTERS TO UNCLE JED.
Candied oranae Peei.

Dear Uncle Jed: receiver your nice book and thank you very fuch for it; /; and l hope you will send me some more. have a good recipe for
 Candied Orange Peel-Take the peel in quarters from four oranges, cover with cold water. bring to a boil anI cook until soft. Remove the white part and cut in strips. Now boil half cup of water and one cup of sugar un- til you have a syrup that will thread when dropped from the spoon. Cook the peel, drain and roll in granhlated sugar.
 CATHERINE RTDDELL. Age 1s.
 OnecO
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
her there until night.

her there until night The next day she disappeared
 My sister Louise and I went down into the lot to pick violets, and I round my cat dead- ran nac6 9oms 9 with me, and We buried her.
 She was good cat, and I missed her. She always followed me to my grandrna's. When summer comes grave.
 MARTHA H. MUENCH Age 10.
 POQuetapuck
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
THE WIDE AWAKE CIRCLE
Boys and Girls Department

Rules for Young Writers. 1. Write plainly on one side of the paper only and number the pages. 2. Use pen and ink, not pencil. 3. Short and pointed articles will be given preference. Do not use oyer 25o words.
 4. Original stories or letters only will be used.
 s. Write your name. age and ad- dress plainly at .he bottom of the story.
 Address all communications to Un- cle Jed. Bulletin Ofsce-
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06

little bridge that was put across the brook and threw my line in. and wait ed for a bite. All of sudden felt something. so gave my line pull and had a trout fast, so I landed him feeling very proud
 J. R. BIGELOW. Age g.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS.


 f-J R. Bigeiow of Norwich, "A Child's Garden of Verses by L. R Stevenson
 2-Asnes Aberg of Taftville, "Esth- er,' by Rose N. Carey.
 3AFrederick Erlbeck of Norwich, Black Beauty by Anna SewalL 4-Lucy A. Garter of Scotland. Rob inson Crusoe,' by Daniel DeF'oe- 5-FIoyd S. Bailey of Colchester, ''Black Beauty" by Anna SeWalL 6-Howard Maynard of Lyme, Swiss Family Robinson"
 7-Alice Partridge of Jewett City, "AHce's Adventures in Wonderland 8-Martha Muench of Poquetanuck. Animal Stories for Little Folks Winners of books living in the city may call for them at The Bulletin bus mess office at any hour after 10 a. ID. Thursday morning
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Honestv the Best Policy.

Mary was four years old One day her mother sent her to the store and told her to get a pound of the cheap est butter (for they were very poor1. When Mary was on the way back she found a roll of money which she called pretty paper"
 Her mother was astonished to see so much money She counted it and found there was five hundred dollars. She kept watch of the papers, and found an advertisement saying ssLost-A large sum of money. Re- turn to 49 May avenue"
 Mary and her mother dressed in their best and went to see the woman. The woman was so happy to find honest people she gave them the five hundred dollars.
 HELEN NICHOLS, Age 12. Portland.
 Candies.
 It was mt l1ntil the fn1rtee1fh cesfl-
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06

Whatever you are-Be that;
 Whatever you Say-Be true. Straightforwardly act. Be honeSt-in fact,
 Be nobody else but you.
Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-06
Little Lame Joe.

Little Lame Joe.
 Little Joe was out walking with his mother. He was lame and could not walk very good without crutches.
 He thought he would like to try Walking without the crutches. He hob bled along very slowly and carefully, it was such hard work for him. Soon several children came running and skipping along. They seemed very happy. How Joe wished he could do as they did.
 All the children stared at Joe's poor twisted legs, and poor Joe felt very sad. The tears were in his eyes as he hobbled back to his mother.
 When the children saw his eyes full of tears they felt sorry to think they had been so rude.
 JAMES MURPHY. Age 12.