davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
One Little Baq of Rice.

The first white people who came to this country hardly knew how to get living here. Many of them knew how to hunt and fish. The woods were filled with bears, wolves, deers, rabbits and squirrels. The rivers were full Of pickerel and a great many other fish. Many people made a living at this work.
 Thomas Smith. who had lived on large island Off the coast of Georgia, saw people planting rice. He noticed each planter would plant it in a wet place When Thomas came over to America he wanted to plant 1t here, but he didn't have any seed.
 One day a ship landed at his Georgia port As Thomas saw 1t from dis tance he went to the shore. When the ship landed the captain said 1t was driven from the island.
 Smith was talking about the island. After a while smith remembered the old friend the captain. He asked him for some seed.
 The captain called to the cook and asked if there was any seed left.
 There Is but one small bag was the reply.
 Smith took it and thanked the cap tain. He planted it in his backyard. This was the way south Georgia began her rice crop.
 JOHN SHEA, Age 10.
 J-ar-o;IIos
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE
 AWAKES.
A prummer Boy Hero.

When the Civil war broke out little Joe White read the news in glee.
 "Now I can be a real soldier" he told his father.
 Joe wanted to go as a, drummer boy, but his father would not let him. One night after reading especially exciting news about the war Joe stole out and ran away to join the union army.
 When he appeared before the gen eral in the northern camp he gave his true name, but said he was three years older than he really was.
 He was ordered to the front and soon found friends among the soldiers.
 One day in the midst of a battle the union soldiers were being driven back, Many northern men were killed and Joe seized a gun and began to fire with the rest of the men: but the confeder- ates overpowered them and Joe was taken prisoner.
 While he was in the prison he often thought of home. He wondered if his father had gone to war; and many other thoughts came to him. Then he thought how he had run away and wondered if his parents missed him and if they thought him dead.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
AIittIe Prize Winner.

Dear Uncle Jed: l hope you will talk to the boys about gardening as it is getting nearly time to plant seeds in the house.
 I live in the country and have had some experience in raising vegetables. I spaded up the ground and put on some fertilizer and then turned the soil over and over to make it fine and mellow.
 I fenced my garden with poultry wire four feet high and planted a row of pole beans near the fence so the vines had support which saved getting poles: and also saved room so I could plant sweet corn, potatoes turnips, beets, squash, and some small seeds.
 I had to hoe this garden very often and sometimes carry water to keeT things growing; but when I received the prize money on my beans. tur- nips and Hubbard squash l thought gardening pays; and I shall try agair this year.
 Colchester
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
Be Up and Doing.

Dear Uncle Jed: Last year my father told my sister Mary that we could have the ground at the end of the gar den, to do with as we liked. So we made up our minds to raise flowers.
 Mary went to work at once. She was up bright and early. digging, planting, and looking after her gar den.
 But while Mary was at work in the morning I was still in bed. When I did get up there was only time to get something to eat and hurry off to school. After school I played a while, and after that I studied my lessons. Now and then l thought of the garden but only to put off the work until at last 1t was too late.
 When I saw the flowers in Mary s garden I was both sorry and ashamed sorry becau3e I had no garden and ashamed because 1 had not done what I ought to do. It has been a lesson to me. I hope and after this I shall try to do at once whatever l ought to do. and not put it off
 HEI FEN WISNESKIE, Age 14.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
His Favorite Sport.

My favorite sport is going skating which is great fun, especially when we are learning. As it is hard for some to learn, they take many falls.
 When school is over I hurry home and get my skates and go up to the pond with my friends.
 We spend two or three hours skat- ing and playing games. About half five We start for home. After supper is over we do our home work for the next day. If we get our home work done early we play many games.
 When we have skating we visit the pond every night after school and spend two or three hours in a skating match.
 I can skate pretty well now I took many falls, while I was learning. The name of the place where we skate is called The Meadow, which is a large pond. and many people visit it. espe- cially on Saturday afternoon and Sun day.
 As I did not live far from the pond I could run home any time I felt cold
 I must say that I hope The Wide Awal1es enjoyed skating as well as l did.
 ELIZABETH V. SULLIVAN. Age 13. Norwich
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
How the Old Jay Acted.

Dear Uncle Jed: I wonder if many of the girls and boys fed the birds while the snow was on the ground? :? They seemed very hungry and would come to our door and ask for food. We gave them grain, taIlow and crumbs. They acted very tame.
 One old bluejay came up to our win dow and took some corn. It was my brothers seed corn, so I went out and got it and put some boiled potatoes there: he came again and looked for the corn, but couldn't find it, so ate the potatoes. and I think he liked it just as well.
 I heard somebody found eleven dead quail in one place and fourteen in an- other. but all the quail are not dead yet, for I saw nine and my mother saw four of another flock.
 My brother found a little dead bird in the henhouse. None of us knew it's name, so we looked it up in the natural history and think it must be star ling It is very pretty, and about the size of a robin. Its color is purplish- green, and it's feathers on neck and back are tipped with buff, also the edge of the wing and tail feathers. The neck feathers.are pointed and it's bill is one inch long, round and pointed. I think this bird a new one around here Can you tell me what Is it2 CARRIE F. MAIN. Norwich
 CThe description leads me to think it may have been a starling. g.-Uncle Jed)
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
FROST GIANTS
By JANET NICHoLLs.

Last week we learned that atoms are very clever and very orderly. Today We shall see that they are also as strong as giants. When we watch the feathery snowhakes, the flowers of winter. floating gently through the air and settling noiselessiy upon our roofs and gardens we are not likely to think of giants; but indeed giants are noth- ing to the invisible particles of mat ter which form these delicate stars. Professor 1'yndau tells us further that the force of sravitation which holds the planets In their places is nothing to them. either
 Why do the water pipes burst when the water freezes in them? Simply because the atoms have made mp their mind to be stars, and do not intend to let anything so small as a water pipe stand in their way. The stars nat urallY take up more room than the water particles did when they lay close beside one an7ther, and delicate and fragile as they look, they generally insist on having all the space they need. It is possible by putting Q, suf- ficient amount of pressure upon a, small quantity of them to curb their 2 aspira tions, but that condition rarely occurs in nature.
 So tremendous is the power of the expanding ice bios -oms that the Flor entines long ago burst 8 copper sphere with walls three quarters of an inch mick by freezing water in it, and in the year 1867 the great astronomer Huyghens burst cannon in the same way
 Our Giants who win so many tri- urnphs on the baseball field would be slow to attempt athletic stunts of this kind, but they are play to the frost giants, who are constantly doing things of this sort. Part of their bus mess in life is to split up the rocks so that in time the fragments may make new soil in which useful and beautiful things can grow. The water works itself into crevices of the rock. and when it expands in freezing some thing has to give way. Thus great masses of rock are split into frag- merts and boulders are rent asunder. At the foot of every cliff in those parts of the world where the frost giants live we can see evidences of their labor. Sometimes this work is done slowly, as year after year the frost creeps deeper into the rock, and some- times it is very rapid. One naturalist tells us that at the foot of cliff on
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12

Bering Island he found one September great pieces of rock as much as six feet in diameter split off by the frost. Next spring when he visited the place
 again, they had been broken into in
 numerable fragments
 No doubt it is because she realizes
 how important these tiny crystals are
 that Mother Nature takes such care
 that they shall have their own way,
 and we ought to be very glad she does,
 for otherwise we wouldn't be able to
 live on the earth at all, and then we
 would miss knowing lots of interesting
 things.
 It would take a long time to tell what ice and snow do for us but it is easy to see that they serve as a warm winter covering for the earth. They are cold, it is true, to the touch, but they keep the heat which the earth 1 absorbs from the sun during the sum- mer from escaping into the air, just as our clothes keep the heat in our bodies. Thus they enable the planta l and animals beneath them to live through the winter
 Now, if water did not crystalline and expand when it freezes, but went on contracting as it gets colder, as 1 it does up to the point of crystaIliza- 1 tion. ice would, of course. be heavier l than water, and instead of floating on l the surface of lakes and rivers it would l sink to the bottom. Then new ice i nOlAu IoIlu at the top ana would III l turn sink to the bottom until the
 whole body of water was frozen solid 1 Then all the plants and animals ir l the water would die. and no summer
 would be hot enough or long enough | to thaw the ice.
 And supposing the snow fell. not ir l feathery crystals like wool" as ar
 ancient writer says, but in hard pellets 1 of ice, harder than any ice that we | now know, 1t would make a very poo] l blanket for the flowers. It may seen 1 like a poor blanket as it Is, but as z l simple matter of fact no covering O down on a baby's cradle ever rested
 there more gently and lovingly thar
 does her mantle of snow upon tn. | bosom of the earth.
 It is warm for the very reason tha l the down is warm, because of the ail l entangled in it, and under it's pro lection the roots and bulbs and seed. 1 that are to clothe the earth witt
 beauty during another summer, ant l give food to man and beast, rest SC
 cursly, wrapped in their winter s1eeE
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
UNCLE JED's TALK WITH WIDE.
 AWAkES.

One little Wide-AWake wants Uncle Jed to talk to the boys about garden ing, and 1t seems to be a good subject for the girls, tool
 What Uncle Jed doesn't know about gardening would make a big book. aI- though he has made himself a garden these many years, and met with some success.
 Whether gardening will begin in March or April depends upon whether the planter of seeds begins work in <he house at g. southerly window of 8 warm room in April or out of doors in R glass-covered box in April, and it may be delayed to be commenced in the open garden patch in May.
 There are several good rules for be- sinners whether they be large or small. st is important to know just what you &ntend to do-Just what seeds you mean to pIant-and not to try to do too much at the start, for 1t is better to have good small garden than 8 measley large one.
 Whether you begin gardening in 8 Srisht tn can at a south window in the house, or in a glaSs-covered box in the yard or in the open ground later, you want good soil and good seeds, and the needfuI care and atten- lion. Laziness has never yet cuIti- vated plants for it's reward is weeds and weeds need no care to grow, only half 8 chance to get a good foothold.
 In cans and boxes the earth should be rich and moist and should be kept so till the pIants have sprouted an6 have made four leaves, when they should be carefully taken up and set z few inches apart in rows to get size and strength for setting out in the opeT neld when the weather is warm enough about the middle of May. The frs thing to go into the can or box i! broken stones and coarse stuff fol drainage, to be followed by the hnel material
 T4 Ss said a watched pot never boils and t seems as though a watched seet
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
The Bob Sled Race.

Dear Uncle Jed: There was big crowd on East Norwich, N -4., Hill Thursday afternoon to see the bob-sled race. My sister and I were there, as we had vacation. Only a days notce was given, and fourteen bob-sleds were there. This was the first real bob sled race. and it was a, success.
 Although the hill was slow on ac count of a sudden change in tempera- ture from near zero on Tuesday night, when the event was fixed up, to 40 or 50 on Thursday. the course was de cIared by all to be the finest on Long Island. The arrangements for the af- fair were in the hands of Oyster Bay neighbors, but the prizes were given by residents of this village.
 The Locust Valley bob ''1s1r' proved it's ability to run in any kind or wealth CT. and although there were thirteen contestants, with Mrs. Weeks at her helm. the "1911' had no difficulty in taking first honors.
 There were five prizes of $40, s3o- s2O, S15 and S10 given for distance only, the distance being measured from a given point.
 JESSIE BREHAUT. Fast Norwich N, I.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS.

1-John Shea of Versailles. Black Beauty.
 2-EIizabeth Sullivan Of Norwich, The Meadow Brook Girls AfiOat.
 3-Rer+ha AIIieen Fuller of Eagle vile, Little Lame Prince.
 4-Miidred V. Morley of EagIeville Animal Stories for Little People.
 5-Abraham Schwaitzberg of Mt Hope, Frank on Don Carlos Ranch.
 6-Laurence Spencer of Colchester The Camp in the Foothills.
 7-Edward kuchEe of Mansfield Cen ter, Joe Wayring at Home. 8-kathIeen Johnson of Baltic, Ami nal Stories for Little People.
 9-AeIen Wisheskie of Mansfield Center, Rip Van Wrinkle. Winners of prize books living in the city may call for them at The Bulletin business office at any hour after 1t a. ID. Thursday.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
Samuel and His Pets.

Samuel lived in the country few miles from. my house. He was very good and kind to the animals on his fathers farm.
 Old Toby was quite a friend of Samuel. who spent many an hour teaching Toby tricks. He would come up to Toby and say:
 Good morning, Toby" and Toby would nod his head. He would reach out his hand to the horse and say: Toby shake hands, and the wise old horse would raise his foot for Samuel to shake
 Samuel's father and mother loved him dearly and they tried to please him whenever they thought it best to do so.
 His father gave him a calf. which he told Samuel he might have if he took good care of it.
 Samuel was very much pleased with his calf and he began at once to tame it. In a short time it became so tame that when it saw Samuel come into the lot it always went to meet him.
 LAWRENCE SEIDEI4, Age II.
 Taftvilie.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
She Enjoys Natural History.

Dear Uncle Jed: I received your book entitled Robinson Crusoe," and thank you very much for it. l wrote the composition, not for book, but for the pleasure I take in writing
 I will write you about my liking for studying Natural History l have quite a few books pertaining to Nature and thought you might be interested in the names of them. They are as Deep" woods Natural History" Young Folks Natural History" Bird Neighbors;' Birds That Hunt and are Hunted;" Wild Birds East of the Rockies;'' Butterflies and Moths at Home;" "F'reshwater Fishes;" Our Trees and How to Know Them; Reptile Life;" Wild Flowers at Home, book one and two;" Wild Birds at Home;" Mushrooms at Home"
 I think I have got quite a library of Natural History.
 1 like to impart to others the knowledge I enjoy myself. I tell my friends of the hirds and animals I know about and rejoice in telling them.
 I do not agree with Master Blais of Baltic, in the Eagle being the worst ! bird on earth. I think the largest and worst bird of prey is the Condor of a very ravenOus bird, and has more fictitious stories about it.
 If any one reads ] should advise them to read Natural History because it brings them in closer contact with | their fellow creatures and makes one l love, not to be cruel to dumb animals | LEROY EARL ECCLESTON, Age 13.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
rbo +bi,o 1i1-ad hest ,

The thing I liked best. was the parks. In most every town or city there is a park
 In these parks they have swings, hobby horses, old-time stocks and piIlories, and lots of other things to amuse children.
 It would take long time to tell about the flower gardens, the bowling greens, cricket fields, and many oth- CT things.
 I hope the Wide Awakes will have a chance to go across the ocean to see things which would amuse and teach them something as it did me.
 I read the Wide Awake stories and thought 1 would write to you and try my luck.
 KATHLEEN JOHNSON, Age 9.
 Baltic.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
A SIeiqhride.

Dear Uncle Jed: Last week a party of schoolmates and I had a very en- ioyable sleighride to F4tchville.
 We started from Washington square about , o'closk in the afternoon and arrived at FftchvilIe about {: but on the way home we came along much faster.
 The sleigh was large and roomy, but with thirty boys and girls we managed to fill it up pretty well.
 Such a glorious time we had don't think it can be equaIled, and I wish Uncle Jed, you had been there to en- joy it with us.
 we had. we started off, and don't think I ever spent a more enjoyable afternoon and evening. When I arrived home, about o'clock. I was very tired and after a hearty supper I fell asleep. MARGARET M. M'VEIGH, Age 1s. Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
HE WIDE AWAKE CIRCLE
BOYS AND GIRLS DEPARTMENT

never groWs-it is right at the begin ming that a garden teaches one pa tience.
 Boys making little gardens may grow lettuce, radishes. beets and bush beans. and it is surprising how much may be grown in ten square feet of land.
 Girls can grow the same. or nastur- tums sunf1owers, pinks. phlox or pan- sies and such seeds as produce good keeping flowers.
 It is by commencing small that the greatest success is gained.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
Winter Sports.

Dear Uncle Jed: Perhaps you and the Wide -Awakes would like to hear of our sports.
 We bIflt a. fort last week and made A tunnel through it. We each made a chamber to stay in. We had great fun going in and out of the fort. We made holes in the sides for loopholes. The next day we had a snow fight One side was the Americans and the other the British. We also made a snow man and planted a hat on his head, and we tried to knock off the hat. I made a pair of skis last summer. I tried them on end and went up a hill, but the snow wouldn't hold me. ASA LYMAN, Age 12. Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12

water, meat scraps, oyster shells, beets. cabbages and skinned milk
 A good mixture for a dry mash is two parts corn, one part of bran, lin seed meal, gluten meal, meat scraps, and wheat middlings.
 good mixture for whole grains are two parts corn to one part of oats. BERTHA AL4LIEEN FULLER, Age 10
 E,a2leVille
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
St. Patrick,

St Patrick was sold in Ireland for slave and employed by his master in tending sheep. After six years Of bondage he made his escape to France, but he could not forget the land which he had left He devoted himself to religious studies till he was forty five years old. He asked the Pope if he could return to Ireland to preach Christianity to the people.
 The Pope granted his request and Patrick returned to Ireland about the year 1432.
 MILDRED V. MORLEY, Age 10.
 "a g1eVille
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
Children Who Are SickIv

Mothers who value their own comfort and the welfare of their children should Gray's Sweet Powders for Children, e5r use throughout the season. They break up Colds, relieve Feverishness, ,Constipa- tion Teethlng ~-4sorders, Headache and stomach Troubles. Used by Mothers for A years. These powders never fail Sold by all Drug Stores, 25c- Don't ac- cept any substitute. Sample mailed free. Address Allen s. Olmsted. Le
 hoy N. Y
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
My llama Eerrets.

Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell you about my pet ferrets. l have two white ferrets with pink eyes. and one large brown ferret. One of the white ones is quite ugly. These ferrets are very good hunters and they also catch a great many rats.
 One day l was sitting on the back door step and one of the ferrets crawIed up my back. I did not know whether it was the ugly or tame one Then the ferret came up and sat on my shoulder. l was afraid to move l shouted to papa to take the ferret away, which he did very quickly. He then took him and put him in his cage.
 Papa has made two cages and has painted both green
 I also have a large white Bull Ter rier. His name is Gueliph. He thinks everything of me. When I play tag and if some one is it and touches me Gueliph things they are hurting me and jumps upon them; but he doesn't bite. He knows what will happen if he bites anybody.
 He does a great many tricks for m' and I am going to teach him to sing which I have seen many dogs do.
 ALICE HAGGERTY, Age 12. W Nhr-wich
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
He ReIonos to the Corn Club.

Dear Uncle Jed: Last Saturday the corn club members had a meeting at the college. I belong to the corn club so I went about ten o'clock. Mir. Beach, president of the Connecticut Agricultural college. talked to us about the rasing of corn. After that MT. Southy also talked to us.
 As soon as the corn comes up use a weeder. Then use a cultivator quite deeply. After the corn gets about two feet high use a spike tooth culti- vator, quite shallow.
 Then the supervisor looked at our corn. There were four prizes given out on the corn.
 Our worthy president, MT. Storrs, gets the trip to Washington. We also had one pig, calf, and a pen of chickens given to the boys who had the best corn. Then there was money given out; also papers. I got one dollar, also a subscription to the Connecticut Farmer.
 After that\we had some rifle shoot ! ing. l shot ten times. There were about twenty boys up there. After the rifle shooting we 1 played basketball. At three thirty we left. EDWARD RUCHLE, Age II. Mansfield Center.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
Her Trin to EnuIand.

Dear Uncle Jed. I am nine years old and have crossed the Atlantic twice.
 I went to England.
 There I had lovely time. l went to shows. plays, and moving pictures
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
Rules for Youno Writers.

Rules for Young Writers. l. Write plainly on one Side of the paper only, and number the pages. s. Use pen and ink. not pencil, !. Short and pointed articles vii, De given preference. Do not use over $50 words.
 {. Original stories or letters only will be used.
 s. Write your name. age and ad . Qr-ss plainly ot the bottom of 'the story.
 Address all communications to Un- ele Jed. Bulletin Ofnce.
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12

"Whatever you are-Be that! Whatever you say-Be true. StraightforWardly act, Be honest-in fact,
 Be nobody else but you"
Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12
sb. ;kes History Best,

Dear Uncle Jed: I live by the sea shore and can so bathing every day