davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
Mir. Rua,s Vacation.

One day MT. Caterpillar met MT Bug on the street and said to him. because he was carrying @ lot of bag gage, as if he had just come in on the train:
 Glad to see you back Did you have a good timer"
 Fine! Fine!" said MT. Bug, smiling to think of all the fun he had had I've been down to the seashore and just this minute got into town"
 Then he told of what he had seen how he went in bathing, and all that was done at the hotel where he board ed.
 Well" said MT. Caterpillar, '.you must have had a good time;' but have you heard the news from home?"
 Haven't had a letter since went away" MT. Bug replied, still smiling
 There's man at your house trying to collect the rent; the grocer declares you must pay his bill, and the doctor is after what you owe hin!"
 ''Oh me, oh my!" cried MT. Bug. q haven't got a cent. and whatll I do? Could you lend me a little until next spring, my good friend?"
 Couldn't be done. my dear MT. Bug, MT. Caterpillar said, as if it made him terribly sad to refuse. What money I saved this year by staying at home Pve got to use paying the doctor, the have more than enough to see me through the season till I get my wings" and off he walked, with his hands in his pockets, while MT. Bug paid for his good time by going to jail on account of his debts.
 JESSIE l.. BREHAUT-
 East Norwich, N. '.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
Work in the Woods.

The ordinary methods of numbering are destructive and wasteful. Some times this cannot be helped. The lum- bermen must make a profit, and if they spend too much time the expense will be greater than the profit.
 The lumbermen in America are first in skill and ingenuity, and tools, all paid more attention to their forests first.
 The foundation is now being laid for conservative numbering. Under this the first thing to consider is the selec- ton of trees. They should be taken from places where other trees will quickly grow. Fall or winter is the best time.
 In cutting trees the height should be considered. Leaving stumps two or three feet from the ground >s decided ly wasteful
 Trees should be felled without break ing or splitting the bark. Sometimes in rocky land this cannot be done and it is better to let the trees stand.
 After the trees have been felled the lowest branches and top should be cut off so that they may decay and form humus.
 After the logs have been piled up they must be hauled to the mill.
 At the mill they are made into lum- Der, lathes and shingles.
 At every step in numbering there is some waste. It is estimated that only about one-half of the cubic con- tents of a tree is used. If ,conserva- tive numbering is continued there will be less loss
 Mount Hope. Conn.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29

It does this by first dissolving the h1nty substance with acids which it manufactures. It also gets food from the air, like other plants, and from the rain and dew, or any other water that 1t can get. It has a great power of attracting water if 1t is anywhere In the neighborhood. and in this water some food is always dissolved. In some cases the lichen seems to live entirely on air and water, without taking anything from the surface on which it rests. The only thing it seems to be particular about is the Kind Of air it breathes. It doesn't ike large cities or manufacturing towns, and where we find it flourish ing We may be sure the air is pure EVen tune does not seem to affect the hchens. Other plants live for weeks, or months, or years Lichens may live for centuries. There are H- chens that are probably older than the oldest trees, and so far as we can see there Is no reaSon-barring acci- ever.
 But the strangest thing about the hchen has yet to be told. It is not one piant, put two, partnership between fungus and plant called an algo, a relative of the plant that forms a green slime on damp stone and wood work. It is even possible t oseparate these two plants and grow the alsa by itself "
 Perhaps this explains why the u chen is so Independent. Co-opera- ton is usually a good thing, and to- gether these two plants can do what neither could do alone. The fungus alone IS the most helpless of plants It cannot even manufacture it's own food, but has to live as a parasite up- on other plants or animals or upon de- caying matter In partnership with the 1iQa if 9afz have seen. It supplies the alga with water and protects it from too much light, and the alga supplies it with food.
 This plant partnership is not only very useful to the partners, but it Is very valuable to nature The lichen is natures pioneer. It grows where no other plant can grow It not only dissolves the hardest rock, but it works it's way into it and splits off splinters. And thus gradually soil is formed in which higher plants can grow.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29

a tramp in the woods Soon they saw several horses grazing in a field
 ''Gypsiesi' cried William; let's hurry"
 After scrambling over stone walls and bushes they saw in a clearing sew eral white tents; the homes of the gypsies. In front of one of the tents they saw a gypsy woman bending over a fire preparing breakfast. She kind ly invited them to have breakfast with her, which they gladly did, for their long walk had made them hungry.
 After breakfast they looked into a tent which contained many bright col ored blankets. In a corner of this tent sat an ugly looking old woman who asked them if she might tell their fortunes. But Clara was afraid of her, so they went on to another tent. In this tent some women were sitting on blankets on the ground making bas- kets.
 As William had ten cents in his pocket, he bought very pretty one
 In another tent a gypsy girl was singing and playing a tambourine. Around her were crowd of dark eyed, black haired gypsy children dressed in gay colors. They listened to the mu- sic and then went home, very glad that they had come upon the gypsy camp.
 ALICE M. GORMAN. Age Il.
 Versailles
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
A PLANT THAT EATS ROCKS
By JANET NICHOLS.

Little folks who like to know about the strange things that nature does will surely want to know about the est of natures children Most of us probably do not. notice them in our country rambles. We are looking for @Eger and more conspicuous things and we pass by these 'humblest crea- lures of the woods" But when we why we never noticed before how beautiful they are.
 They have no flowers. it is true, but they themselves are often as lovely as flowers Many of them are so beauti- fully colored that they have been much used in the manufacture of dyes. Some of them grow into tiny and delicately- branched trees. Others float from the branches of real trees in feathery plunes. Some form little scarlet cups that the fairies might drink out of The writing lichen traces designs up- cient inscriptions. The map lichen looks for all the world like a map, with the countries outlined in black, and black dots for the towns.
 We can look for lichens just as we'll in winter as in summer. Winter and summer are much alike to them. They do not have to put on a. slumber robe like the trees. or hide themselves un- der ground like the tulip and the daf- fodil Neither winters cold nor sum- mer's drought can hurt them, though they appear to be quite dead. they are perfectly well and comfortable. and will be ready for business again as soon as they get a little water.
 The hchens~are the most independ- ent plants that grow. Climate makes no difference to them. They can grow in the tropics or within the Arctic Cir cle- But cold seems to agree with them better than heat, and they grow farther north and farther south and higher up on the mountain than any other plant.
 As for soil, they don't need any at Al They can grow on the face of a
 re rock, or even on naked glass; The Laplanders, who gould scarcely be able to live without the reindeer lichen, say "a bounteous Providence sends us bread out of the very stones"
 The lichen makes its own soil. Tiny as it is-sometirnes we have to take a microscope to see it-it can eat rocks.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29

tell you about a girl who acted a iia. Every little boy and girl knows that it is wrong to tell a lie, but very many boys and girls who do know sometimes forget and seem to think it is no harm to tell lie
 Lucy's mother told her to go to t9rs kitchen one day and get a basket of apples.
 Lucy put her doll away and ran to the kitchen to get the basket for her mother. She found it nearly full Of red apples.
 q should like one of these vary much" ssNd Lucy to herself. and she put one into her pocket.
 She knew that her mother thought 1t best for her not to eat any of tha apples, because they were not quite ripe. But she thought she would not be telling a lie if she put on into her pocket. Had the apples been ripe her mother would have been glads to give her one, and Lucy knew this.
 So when she brought the basket from the kitchen she did not look up, lest her mother might see that she had done some wrong. She felt uneasy at home, and soon started for school. Lucy was an idle girl, and when the teacher asked her her lesson she-did not know it.
 Lucy in this way and many other ways often acted a lie. But Lucy was sorry when she grew older, to think she had deceived her mother, in these ways.
 NEZ WOODwORTH.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
A Rainy Day Game.

Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell you one game my sister and I play on a rainy day.
 My sister has a teddy bear and plays he is the doctor. She dresses him up in overalis and jumper and white collar made of stiff paper.
 Sometimes we make him spectacles of stiff paper. She takes him out in the doll carriage and has him go to every house.
 He asks if there Is anyone sick. and if they say Yes. he gets his medicine satchel, feels of their pulse, and he looks at his toy watch.
 We have 8 round piece of wood with marks on it. We play this Is a thermometer. and he tells the sick one to show his tongue. He puts the thermometer in his mouth under their tongue and looks at his watch, and he tests the lungs by rapping against them. He puts his head against chest and back to listen and he asks a lot of questions.
 In his medicine satchel he carries bottles of medicine. He has some pills and boxes of powders and one hot water bag.
 He tells them when to take the medicine that he gives them and what time to take it. Then he goes away and asks other people if they are sick.
 Sometimes he takes his wife and son with him in the carriage.
 RUTH E. BROWN. Age 8.
 Willimantic.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
Sunday School Lessons.

Dear Uncle Jed: will tell you just how hard l study to get my lessons. My Sunday school teacher gave me twelve hard lessons so I would have them all even if I wasn't there. But l went to work and studied every time l got chance, and when I got them all done, I showed them to the Sun day school teacher and she said:
 My You must have worked hard to get those lessons" She gave me some pictures for getting the answers all correct.
 I love to go to Sunday school. l go with my Sunday school teacher. She lives the next house to me I put money in the box when I have it to put in.
 Our Sunday school teacher and min ister asked us if we would gather some more children. and I told her I would try to. But I have not got any new children in so far. I love to go to Sun day school because I love my Sunday school teacher.
 I try to get my lessons as we'll as I can.
 DORA E. DIGGINS, Age 12.
 Willimantic
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
Ice Fishina.

Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell the Wide Awakes how I made tilts to fish with through the ice. I took a thin piece of board about one foot long and two inches wide. Then I tackled a flat piece of spring steel on the board half way down. Where that ended put another piece of steel narrower than the other and tackled it on so that it would stand out from the board. l bent hook on the end in order to catch the longer part. On the top I sewed a piece of red cloth so when a fish should bite it would stand high above the ice. I fastened spool with a line. In this way l made six ults and found it very simple.
 Saturday afternoon I took an axe and chopped six holes in the ice, which was then seven inches thick, and placed the tits in them.
 I waited a half hour but did not seem to get any bites. I was glad I me. I skated around with the other boys for 8 long time and forgot all about my tilts. When I hurried over to where they were set, there were three flags up; The other boys all came to see what I had caught.
 On the first I had a small perch; next I went to the second and on it was a large pickerel. Just as I got it up to the hole it broke the hook and got away.
 Another boy had pulled up the third, on which the bait was snapped off
 I set them again. but had only two bites until night. and had two pickerel and one perch. I took them home and was very much satisfied for the first time In this way I shall spend most of my time this winter if the ice is good.
 I will close. hoping the boys of the Circle will make some tits and have as good a result.
 ROBERT KRAUSS, Age IS.
 To
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
The Surprise Was ~on Father"

Dear Uncle Jed: Long, long ago there lived a man who had & wife and three children and they ran out of food. When they got hungry the man went out to hunt. and found some honey He filled a pot with it, got a reed and hollowed it out. Then when no one was looking he hid the pot in the ground under the ashes and inserted the reed through into the honey.
 When the sun was setting that af- ternoon he called the children about him to sing and while they sang he sucked honey through the reed. Again and again he did this. and the chill dren said:
 Father sucks ashes through reed every day.
 gone hunting again, the youngest child said: Let me suck ashes and be a man like father" so he applied his lips to the reed.
 To his delight, honey came up, and he sucked till his cheeks were full, and then the other children tried it. They dug up the pot and emptied it, and when they had buried it again they put the end of the reed in the ashes. At evening their father came home.
 While the children sang that eve ming he put his lips to the reed, but made a wry face; again he tried, and again he made face as he tasted the ashes. What are you doing papa?" asked the youngest, Why do you make such a face?'
 Who has been ralzing these ashes ?' demanded the father.
 ''The children have been playing there" said his wife.
 The man raked away the ashes and dug up the honey pot. It was quite empty.
 why, there Is the honey-pot!" ex- claimed his wife sfWhv did won hide it there "
 But MT. Kafr had nothing to say, and in his surprise he cried
 LENA NOVICK, Age II.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

Carrie A. Pratt of Pomfret Center: This afternoon when I came home from school found that my prize book had come. I have read the first ! five chapters and it is so interesting that I can hardly wait till I get time to finish it and find how it ends up. I wish you to accept my thanks for the book. I intend to try to earn another soon.
 Irene kiedasch of Norwich: I thank you for my nice book. I have read it through and think it very good. Ralph Wilcox of Moosup: Received my prize book, The Little Lame Prince, and have read about half of it. It is a very nice book.
 Hortense p. ValEette of Baltic: re- ceived the prize book entitled His Lordship's Puppy. I thank you very much for it.
 Mary Bromley of Stonington: I re- ceived the lovely book that you sent me and was very much pleased I am going to send another story right away to see if I can win another. I will close with many thanks for it.
 TheIma Boynton of North Franklin: Thank you very, very much for the prize book I have read it and found it to be very interesting.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
Little Miss Cloud.

Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell you about changeable little glrI.
 Miss Cloud was not her real name {; it was Mary. Her mother called her Miss Cloud because she always had a bad look in her face all the time.
 She did not go to school in winter because it was too cold. She did not like to stay at home because she might have to work.
 The day before Christmas her teacher gave her a box of candy which she liked very much.
 When she went to bed that night she said: T do not want to be called Miss Cloud. l want to be called Miss Sun beam"
 In the morning she ran downstairs and told her mother she was going to be called Miss Sunbeam.
 <Then her mother said: This is one of my incest Christmas gifts"
 HARRIET GRAHAM, Age 12.
 Taftville
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE,
 AWAKES.
The Rented Tree.

May sat on the limb, and Ethel was on the ground underneath. when Wal ter came, hurrying.
 "Mr. Su1livan's going to cut down this treel" said Walter.
 This oalS?" cried May. eFwhy we rent 1t of him!"
 "No, we don't" said Walter. s'We only rent rooms in the house.
 'Hts the only tree in this back yardi" cried Ethel. T wish we did rent this tree! Then he would not cut it down!"
 'Tn go ask MT. Sullivan if he1l rent the tree," said Walter.
 He ran to MT. Sullivan's house, and came back.
 ''1e says we can rent the tree for a dollar a month"; said Walter.
 The children looked sober. A whole dollar!
 'Tm going around to all the room CTS in the house and see if they won't help us rent the tree!'' said Walter. bravely.
 Five cents apiece a month to save the oak treel Yes, most of the room CTS were willing to pay five cents for the children. Walter collected the dol lar and carried it to Mr. Sullivan's house.
 Sure, I never expected to rent that tree!" said Mir. Sullivan, taking the dollar.
 The roomers began to take interest in the tree.
 Grandma took her sewing and sat
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
A Winter Wash : Day.

"A winter wash Day.
 Dear mel'' said Ethel. sthis is a
 There's not a thing to do.' said Nellie. I'm tired of every one of our plays. How 1 wish we could go out in the snowi"
 At A last Ethel had happy thought.
 Let's have a grand washing" she cried: ''and we can dry them before the fire"
 "Oh, yes,' said Nellie, I'm sure our dolls clothes need a washing
 Their mother said they might do as large washing as they pleased. She spread an old rug down in one cor ner of the kitchen and gave them the small bath tub and two wash bowls Then she fixed the light clothes bars in front of the grate so they could dry their washings on them. Now they were ready for work.
 We will have very large wash" said Nellie. Josephine Donald has been so careless she has not one pair of clean stockings left. She kicked off her last pair into the coal bod this morning and they are a sight to see. Little Eva is about as bad. She's worst on her skirts"
 T believe my Amy Ruth gets her aprons dirtier than anything else. Baby Dimple gets every single thing she has soiled in no time," said Ethel
 Doll children are a great deal of care,' sighed Nellie.
 The two little girls gathered up all their dolls clothes. They took off some the dollies had on. One little doll, who had but one arm, had to be wrapped up in a blanket. Some dolls had to be put to bed and others had to be put near the fire to keep warm.
 Tt will teach them to be more care ful," said Nellie.
 Ethel and Nellie made a splendid suds and went to work with will. They washed the clothes, then rinsed them and hung them up to dry on the bars before the fire. When they were dry they folded them, ready to be ironed. The children were so tired that they had to sit down and rest.
 Their mother came just then and read them a story to help rest them.
 ADELLE DEMUTH. Age 13.
 Baltic
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
The Fire.

Dear Uncle Jed: At o'clock Tues day, Jan. 13, 1914, a large fire occurred on Newton street It was a large two story wooden frame house, owned by MT. Dwyer.
 It had good headway before it was discovered A telephone alarm was sent to Chemical Co. No. D. As soon as the apparatus arrived at the fire, they sent the alarm from box 15, cor ner of West Main and Asylum streets.
 The steamer, auto and truck then came. Water had to be pumped from hydrants at the top of hill be the steamer.
 The fire could not be stopped and the house burned to the ground This meant great loss to the owner: but the house was partly covered with insur- ance. While the companies were there another fire occurred in Greeneville. It was a bitter cold day, and several men had their fingers and ears frost bitten, and icecycles hung from their moustaches. The water froze on their rubber coats and boots, which were some protection from the cold wind.
 FOREST T. LEWIS, Age II.
 Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
UNCLE JEp'S TALK WITH WIDE
 AWAKES.

4 ten-year- old Maine boy-a boy who must be Wide-Awake and worthy to be 8 member of our band-wrote 8 rhyme the first of the year in which he said:
 Do not get cross when you get out of bed, for if you do your face will be red. Wash your hands before you eat, and always look nice and neat. It's 1914, so they says always work before you play"
 This is just as good advice for, Con necticut children as for the children of Maine. This little rhyme has within it that which tells for a splendid boy hood and a successful manhood an attractive girlhood and a. grand wo- manhood.
 To be gentle. to be clean ana to be busy is to be loved, to be com panionab1e and to be respected.
 To be gentle indicates one belongs to noble race. is evidence that par ents are refined; to be neat or clean is to make yourself shine. which marks you as an enemy of dirt and an apostle of health; to be busy shows you are active and that the world will be made better because you have lived in 1t
 Always work before you play" says the rhyme. This means you must all ways keep play second to work in the affairs of life. that you must be care ful to value work and play at their true value and keep them in the right relation to one another, and this re- quires good perception and self con- trol. which is simply seeing right and doing right. It is not an easy task but it is always to the advantage of those who give heed to the things that make for peace and happiness.
 When you are studying your 1an- guage lessons try to find out all that
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
Norwich.
Her Visit to New York.

Dear Uncle Jed: thought I would tell you about visit had to New York The journey was very long and I was tired when we reached there.
 My Aunt Nellie went with me. We looked around and found out that my cousins were waiting with the auto for us. We had a lovely ride My cousins live in great big stone house.
 I was lonesome the first night, 6ue everything was so lively that I soon forgot everything. I slept on the roof. and asked my aunt if she slept there in winter. and she said no.
 There was a fair on Park street, 50 I went the three days. At last my week ended and my aunt said I was to go home I felt very sorry to go then. but had to. My cousins came to the train with me, and waved at mo until we were out of sight
 I landed in Norwich at noon. Ny brother was at the train to meet me; and all were very glad to see me.
 ANNIE OrBRIEN. Age 13, -
 ;-t,
Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-29
A Kind Girl.

Once upon a time a little girl went out. There she saw a man watching his sheep. She asked him why he left his dog at home.
 The man said: My dog can never help me with my sheep again. A cruel boy threw a stone at him and broke one of his legs. I am going to kill him tomorrow to put him out of his pain.''
 Then the little girl was sad when she heard that he was going to kill the dog. She went to the mans house. There she saw the dog lying by the stove. At first he would not let her come near him. She was kind and gentle, and at last he let her look at his leg. She found it was much hurt It was not broken. She bathed it with hot water and bound it up.
 The man was coming home to kill the dog.
 The little girl ran to him and said: Your dogs leg isn't broken. I have bound it up. Do not kill him. I think he will be quite well in a few days"
 He thanked the girl for being so kind to his dog.
 YETTA LEVINE. Age 10.
 Colchester.