davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
a Kind Desd.

All aboard!" Rodney and his mother hurried into the last car as the train started. Rodney had never taken a journey before, and he began at once to watch the interesting things that flew past the car window. He saw a pasture where cattle were feeding and pond where ducks were swimming. Suddenly he heard his mother say:
 Why, Rodney, l have forgotten my purse!"
 T have mine" said Rodney. T have saved almost two dollars"
 His mother patted his head. T can write home for nines" she said, and l have our tickets
 So Rodney put his purse back and turned again to watch the interesting things outside the car. They stopped al many country stations, and at one little old lady got aboard and took the seat in front of Rodney and his mother.
 Rodney thought she looked 9 little like his grandmother He was watch ing her when the conductor came along for her ticket.
 The old lady could not find her tick ct. She hunted everywhere and then looked up a the conductor.
 T must have lost it" she said, sim ply
 Well, you can pay the fare in mon ey,' he said.
 But I have no money" answered tllG " CEtIG1lL.
 The conductor was impatient and the little woman began to sob
 "Oh, deari" Rodney heard his mother say. If I only had my piAyse!"
 Here" he cried. T will pay her fare.
 "Oh. l must not let you do that said the woman
 But Rodney pressed his purse into the hands of the conductor. Its all right" he insisted.
 And So it was settled. The old lady thanked him again and again.
 That night when he was asked what he liked hest during the journey he answered:
 The old lady that looked like grand mother
 LOUIS SOBEL, Age F.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
The Naming of the Months

The naming of the months comes to us from the Romans, who at first had only ten months in d year. Their first month was March. and was named by them in honor of Mars, their god of war.
 April was their second month and got it's name from the Latin word HAperio,' which means to open, be- trees, and flowers begin to swell and open,
 May, the third month, was so called from "Maia," the most beautiful star of the Pleiades.
 June was named from Juno the wife of Jupiter, who was the chief god of the Romans.
 July, the fifth month. was at first called "Quintilis,' which means the fifth, as it was the fifth month in the old Roman year. But ip honor of Julius Caesar, the great Ro1nan gen. eral, it's name was changed to July.
 August was first called ''Sextilis," !" which means the sixth; and after wards August, in honor of the Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar.
 September, now the ninth month of the year. was so called from "S5epten,' ' meaning seven, as 1t was the seventh month in the old Roman year.
 October from the Latin word 'Octo ; meaning eight. was so named, as being the eighth month in the Roman year, ClouSH IL IS the Ienta III ours.
 NoveInber from the Latin word ''Novem,' meaning nine, was the ninth month in the Roman year, but the eleventh in ours.
 December from the Latin word ''Decem,'' meaning ten, was the Roman tenth month. though now the twelfth and last.
 The Roman way of counting ten months tp year was found to be very complicated and had to be re- formed. They did this by adding two months at the beginning of their year.
 The two months were January and February. January, the first month, was named after Janus" a. Roman god, who had the charge of the gates of heaven.
 The NsRomars represented him by 9 statue having two faces, and that is why the Romans named the first month after him. for with one face he is look ing back on the old year and with the other he is looking forward to greet the new.
 February. the second month, was named from an old word "Fsbruas which means to purify
 The Romans devoted this month to prayer and sacrifices, as this was the way they tried to purify tllenselv from all sin. for the coming months.
 MARY RYBIC.
 AIsnSfie1d
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
IlneIainad Mnnax.

Poor old Janet Macpherson was a. widow, living far away in the north of Scotland. Her only son had gone abroad and it was years since she had heard anything of him. Her wants were few, but her poverty made it diff ficuIt 10 supply even the few that she had
 One day the postrnan stopped at her door. She was greatly surprised to hear his knock, for it was six or seven years since any letter had come for her: but . foreign letter was put in her hand that day.
 Eagerly she devoured it's contents, for 1t was from her son, telling her land, that she must not worry any more about how to live, as for the rest of her life he would send money to pay her rent and to get any extra. comforts that she needed He also said he should have written and sent help before this. but that d false re- port of her death had reached him.
 She told the neighpors of her news and put three precious letters carefully away which she received from her son. Rent day came, but not the money from her son with which to pay the rent.
 If Jem only knew she kept say ing to herself yet he knows the two rent days as well as I do. What can it all mean? And he promised to pay" A 1IlS1u, EledI1jISs Cl Ol0 JdAl5L 5 LIOu- ble, came to see her and said, T heard that your son promised to pay your rent
 "So he did," said tho old woman. "and I cannot think why he is not as good as his word"
 Have eSou his letters?" asked her friend. Will you let me look at them?'
 .'Certainly," answered the poor wo- man, producing them for her perusal
 When the friend looked at the piece of printed paper i'll the second en- veIope she said, Here it is,'' but there was no money in it if that's what you are meaning
 This is q post office order. and for three pounds more than enough to pay the rent.
 Quickly they went to the post office. It was all right: the order was cash ed, the money put into the old wo- mans hand and her anxiety was over.
 JESSIE BREHAUT.
 East Norwich, \. Y.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
Mansfield.
An Adventure with 2 Bear.

On the bank of a small river, two lads about the age of fourteen were fishing. The string of fish which they had gave evidence of their luck.
 At the present moment one of the boys had 8 strike and judging by the succession of short, quick, hard pulls, it must of been a large fish, and near ly took the boy off of his feet. But he skilfully played the fish and gain ed words of approval from his com panion, who was the most expert fish erman.
 So intent were they on watching the actions of the fish, that they did not sec a. dark shape that was coming out of the woods, which was about q hundred yards from the bank
 The boys kept on fishing, not dream ing of the danger that threatened them. At that moment one of the lads turned to bait his hook, and sec ing the bear, which was the dark shape, hastily took up his gun, for both were armed, uttering a cry of warning to his companion at the same time.
 But having2 slain many q bear be- fore, they weTs not so very startled as other lads Would have been. They gether. The bear fell never to rise again.
 The boys drew out their hunting knives, for they always carried them with them, and started to skin the bear. They secured 9. valuable skin and the boys always kept it i'll re- LnenbT8nce of their adventure.
 ERNEST GAGNON.
 Norwich
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
The Snowman for a Taroet

Dear Uncle Jed: One Saturday morn ing two boys woke up and found the ground covered with snow. They got dressed and ate their breakfast After a. while they went outdoors and were SnoWballing each other.
 Their names were Ray and Bill.
 Let's make a. snowman said Ray.
 All right said Bill, and they start ed with little snowballs and rolled them in the snow until they were large. Then they selected a spot by the woOdshed and put the big ball of snow there. Then they made another big ball and put it on top of the first ball of snow, Then they made little one and put 1t on for q head. They had coal for buttons and eyes and had matches for teeth and the nose.
 The boys went into the shed and got an old hat and coat and put it on the snowman.
 Now we will get some snowbaIls and throw at it." said Bill.
 T will throw one and see if I can hit the snowman on the nose" said Bill
 He threw the snowfall at the snow man and knocked the hat off
 It being a warm day, it broke the snowman, and the boys had another snow fight.
 Central Village.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
A Brave Girl.

In the time of the Revolution a regi- n1ent of HeSsian soldiers hired to fight on the British side were calnped in South Carolina. They took possession of the lower part of the house of a poor farmer named Globes. The fam fly were forced to retire to the upper story. Two American boats came up the Stone e,,riVer and attacked the He's Sians. CBnnonballs were soon falling all about the house.
 Mir. Globes, who was so ill that he could hardly walk, got leave to move his family to another place. To do this, the whole family had to cross a field where the cannonballs were flying thick.
 At last they got out of the reach of the canuops. Then they remembered that q little baby was left behind. Neither Mir. Globes nor his wife was able to travel back to the house again. The negroes were too much frightened to go Al! the rest were children.
 Little Mary Anne Globes was only Is years old. The baby that had been left was her cousin.
 T will go and get him. she said.
 It was q dark and stormy night. She went back into the heat of the battle. When she reached the house the sol dier who stood at the door would not let her 80 in. But. with tears in her her pass. Tn the third story of the house she found the baby.
 Then downstairs and out into the darkness and crash of battle she went The cannonballs scattered dust over her and the baby when they struck near her, but she got back to her fam fly at last, carrying the baby safe in her arms.
 ANNA LARocETE. Age II.
 Versailles.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
A Piece of Coal.

Dear Uncle Jed: I thought I would write to you about piece of coal.
 You think ] am only a hard black piece Of coal and my story Is a dull one, but my life has been full of won derous things.
 In the first place, I am old; so old you cannot count the years I have been living.
 I lived in 8. forest where it was like g. jungle, only there were no lions and tigers in those. days, and the trees brought storms 10 us, but one day it all changed.
 The roots told Us the world was coming to an end. but I did not be- heve it. They told us the salt water was coming to cover us. Slowly the salt water crept among our roots and killed them. We could hear the waves dash over our heads; the tree trunks were piled in heaps: we tried to get up, but the rocks held us down.
 Oh, they were so heaYyi One day a long time after l heard @ steady pick, pick pick. Daylight once more! Oh, how good it seenasl
 l was a large lump of coal before l was crushed into small pieces and then shipped to a coal yard.
 This is all this time, so goodbye.
 DORIS EASTERBROOKs, Age s.
 Wiilimantic
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
LETTERS TO UNCLE JED.
How Dicks Sister Mas cnrses

7o" DIckS Sister Was Cured Dear Uncle Jed: There was once a boy named Dick. His father had died when he H'as young and he dad to help support his mother and sister, who was a cripple from spine disease
 4 great doctor had come from Eu- rope and was going to perform an op- eraton on very wealthy mans daughter.
 One day as Dick was going home he saw the doctor come out of a large house On the opposite side of the street where Dick was q man was standing in the shadow of a tree with a revolver in his hand and aiming at the doctor.
 Dick was standing quite. near and he saw the man aiming at the doctor. Just as he was about to fire, Dick knocked his arm and the bullet went into the air.
 In the excitement the man dropped the gun and Dick grabbed it
 A policeman came running up and arrested the man.
 The doctor then offered Dick q large sum of money, but Dick refused to take 1t. Dick told him of his sister and asked him to try and cure her.
 The doctor said he would do what he could for her.
 The following day a nurse and ev- in an auto. After the operation the little girl had to wear a, plaster cast for several weeks, and it would not be known if she was cured until it was taken off. At last it was taken off and she was entirely cured.
 Dick was delighted to see his sister able to walk again, and so was the doctor.
 MARY NOLAN, Age 1S.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
Nacatinn Day Rfde.

One day my father said to me, Do you want to go to F'itchville?"
 l replied, 'Yes," because I didn't have anything to do.
 We went in a horse and buggy and I saw @ good many interesting things because Norwich was first settled up around there.
 I saw a place called Sentry Hil1.' It was so named because there a sentry used to watch to see if any h. dianS were around.
 There was another place near the Norwich Town schoolhouse where the settlers went when attacked by In dians. It was on top of a large hill at the back were steps to so up it.
 On many of the houses were dates built. On one called Adams Tavern house was built in that year, and if I told you all the interesting things saw there it would fill up a volume
 At last we came to FitchviIle. It took Us just an hour and. a half as we had several stops on the way
 We stayed in Fftchville for about an hour as ny father had some busi- ness to do there. Then we started for home and arrived home at about six o'clock.
 After we had eaten our supper I asked my brother to tell me what In- dfans had lived around here and he replied 'Tle Mohicans and the Pe- quots-' After that he told me some interesting stories about Norwich and how it was settled.
 JACOB RABINOVITCH, Age H.
 Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE.
 AWAkEs.
The European War,


 Here are a few true facts about the European war
 I have a. cousin on board the liner Asturias which has been turned into q hospital snip that brings the wound ed English soldiers from Havre, France, to Southampton, England
 I received letter from him telling me tue sights he sees.
 On board the AstIIrias there are IS nurses, four doctors and about 80 aIn- bulance men. The doctors are oper- ating all the time when they are sail from one thousand men to fourteen hundred each time. They are mostly all British soldiers except for 8 few Germans that they have captured.
 The ship has large red cross on each side of the boat so the enemy will not fire on them. At night the cross is lit up by electric lights.
 Another ship brings the wounded I'm dians and four yachts bring the wounded officers
 Havre is eight hours trip from Southampton
 Out of one thousand wounded sol diers in one trip, one-7lalf the men were brought on board the Asturias on stretchers. and the other half came on the boat on erutches.
 Some men have their eyes out, others their noses off and others with AA4 SA4NAA 44+Al+AA2p elA 4a4Sa f<44A legs
 There was one man getting his wounds dressed He had g. scar all the way across his back. where a bull let had skimmed across and dug up all the flesh. A little more and the bullet would have passed through the man.
 Another man was deaf and dumb, a shell had burst near him and caused a shock
 Many of the men are frostbitten. One week fifty thousand troops left Southampton for ths front. Every week we receive war pictures and here are scrne paragraphs that were on them:
 In one city in Belgium, two thousand shells fell in the church and church yard. This completely demolished the church. The church altar was wrecked almost beyond recognition. The village was boI1oarded twelve times i'll three weeks. It was taken six times by the Germans and re- taken six times by King .Afbert's army.
 Taken prisoner by two Germans, a French soldier was compelled to run before them with his hands tied by a rope which one of the Germans held. After being marched in this manner for a long distance he was shot. FRANK PARDY, Age 1S. Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
The Boy and the Doc.

A little boy about ten years old WAS sitting on the steps of his father $ house with q piece of cake in one hand and a cane in the other.
 While eating his cake he saw a dog close by, and he called to him.
 Come here, poor felloTyi Come here,' said the boy, holding out the piece of cake to the little dog.
 The dog came slowly up to him wagging his tail, very much pleased that he was to get the piece Of cake. Just as he opened his mouth to take the cake, the boy struck him hard blow across the nose with the stick The dog ran away hoWling with pain, and the boy sat and laughed at the trick he had played on him.
 A man who was sfadinE on the oth- 6 rside of the street saw what the boy had done, so he called the boy over to him, saying, Here is q five cent piece in my hand; would you like to have it?''
 ''To be sure T would said the hoy
 Come and get it, tnen,'' The boy ran across the street to get the money, but just as he put out his hand to take It the man struck him with his cane
 Why did you strike nle?'' said the boy, angrily. T did not ask you for the money"
 ly did you strike the dog? He did not ask you for the cake"
 The boy saw at once how cruel he had been to the dog, and hung his head.
 When he thought more about it, fe made up his mind to quit playing tricks and so he aftewrads became Q good man.
 LORETTA RICHARD, Age 1S.
 A
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
UNCLE JED'S TALK TO WIDE
 AWAKES.

Uncle Jed had quite d pleasant sur- prise last week and he will tell the Wide -Awakes about it.
 Miss Eleanor Sharpe sent him the response in writing of the four girls in her Sunday school class. the oldest ,3f whom is 13, to the question What have you learned from the lesson anout Nehemiah ?7'
 These replies were limited to one page Of fools cap paper. and the four did not contain one nlisspelled word The penmanslip was fine and the punctuation excellent.
 Miss Margaret Noswortl1y, age F years, made the most complete story in the space allowed. It was as fol- lows:
 Nehemiah was eup-bearer to the king and dwelt in the royal palace of Sflushan. The king was very fond Of Nehemiah and one day he noticed that his favorits looked very sad. so he asked him what was the matter. Nehemiah told him he was sad about the destruction Of Jerusa1eff1, and that he wanted to rebuiI9 the walls. So the king let him go
 Tn the evening Nehemiah took q survey ot the city and in the morning he began rebuilding the walls. When Sanaallat and Tobia1l heard about it. they were very angry and tried to pre- vent 3t They planrad an attack upon Nehemiah and the builders. but Nehe- inlah found 1t out and stopped it. So one day SaTballat and Tobiah sent a. message to Nehemiah to come and meet them on the plain. but NeI1e- rn1afl sent back word that he had undertaken a great work and could moi stop. So the walls Of Jerusalem were finished and the city was fortified in itty-two days And when the enemies heard they were afraid. for they saw that II was done by God
 Uncle Jed will mail two books to Mss Sharpe as a prize that all four F'f these girls may have them to read and then if she likes they may be added to the Sunday school library
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Agnes kamiski. of Norwfch-T thank you for the prize book which was awarded me. I have d1nisf1ed it and It was very interesting.
 Margaret McGratF, Of Bozrahvilie- l received the pretty prize book you sent me ! have read it through and found it very Interesting. I thank you very much for it.
 Dorothy Mccall, of Leonard Bridge wish to thank you for the prize book you sent me. I appreciate it very much. l think I will enjoy it.
 Carrie A. Pratt. of Pomfret Center This Is to thank you for the prize book. Madge Morton's Secret, that I received from you today. l am So pleased with 1t that I have made up my mind to try for another one soon.
 Frances L. Fields, of Norw icll--I thank you very much for the beautiful prize book you sent me. It is very interesting. I thank you
 Mildred Weaver, of Mansfield Depot --i received the nice prize book en- titled His Lcrdship's PupRS. I thank you for it. .&
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
A Day of My Life.

Last summer I was visiting my friend who lives on a. farm Every night she and used to help drive the COWS home from the pasture. She could go all ocer the fields and woods alone.
 One day we asked her mother if we could spend the day in the woods Her mother consented and we put up lunch and took some books and pillows. It was about half past eight when we started. First we had to go through the meadow where we both got our feet very wet, but we did not mind that. The place to which my friend had determined to go was q large rock surrounded by trees. Here it is so cool and shady that we sat It was about half past twelve. TIfen we ate our lunch
 After lunch we sat down and read books We did not read long, how ever; and suddenly I dropped my books and looking below I saw d big his horns lowered. I told my friend and we Ga.zed at one another not knowing what to do.
 At last she said, Well, we'll trv to climb the tree" So she got in inc highest branch.
 were so slippery that I would slide down every time tried to climb up. Finally she said:
 Take off your shoes"
 l took off my. shoes and I caught my hand on the first branch and at last reached the second branch There we sat not knowing what to do.
 The bull could not get us because the trees were so high.
 We were also afraid of the bul1 be- cause he would not go but stood there and staring at us. It was no use to call because there were no houses around So there we sat for about two hours not knowing what to do
 At last 1 looked down on the field below and saw somebody coming up with 8 stock in his hand My friend saw him also, and we thought it might have been a tramp, but to our great surprise it was the owner of the bull AS soon as he came nearer we called to him and he saw us up in the tree. He laughed very much when he heard our story. He caught the bull and told us to wait until he was out of sight before we started, because he thought he could not hold his bull. We wait ed and when he was out we picked up our things and started for home.
 We were very glad to get home in- deed. Her mother was very frighten- ed and that was certainly "A Day of My Life"
 LUCY LAERANCE, Age 10.
 Central Village.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28

visit to the country, she was to start this very morning. As soon as she heard some one stirring, she. sprang out of beds ran to the window, and saw it was a nice day.
 Her mother got breakfast and Eliz- abeth washed the dishes, and helped her mother After everything was done, Elizabeth got ready and got the quarter past nine car and got there at half past nine. When they got off the car their uncle and aunt met them and came home,
 When Elizabeth reached there she felt tired
 By and by her uncle took her around the farm, sShe liked it very much. She liked the little pony the best of all.
 By and by they had dinner. Her uncle then took her to the store and bought her some candy.
 At quarter past four her mother said they would have to go home. She felt very sorry to leave, but her moth CT said she would come another day and stay a week. This frightened Elizabeth up, and she went home hay py but very tired.
 -+ ANN A c. JEL4Z ~ Norwich
Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
Cormorant Fishing.

Cormorant fishing is carried on in Japan. Cormorants are large black birds resembling the pelican, and have pouches under their threats where they put the fish they cannot swallow
 4 very sllilEul fisherman has twelve birds. The fishing is done at night with very bright torches. Each bird has Q loose string around his neck and is tied up by the leg.
 The fisherman takes the youngest first and older ones last and puts them into the water one by one. The birds swim rapidly ill every direction If a bird catches a fish it tries to swallow it, bat it cannot unless the fish is very small-the ring around it's neck pre- vents it.
 The fisherman takes the oldest birds out first, so that the young do the most work. If this order is changed tho older birds punish the young ones severely for not being in their places.
 He opens the birds bills and put the fish in 8 tub of water. Some birds have been known to catch a hundred and fifty fish in an hour. but this is uncommon.
 PAUL F. MAURICE, Age F.
 Versailles