davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
The Story of Hot Water.

About two hundred years ago a man bearing the title of Marquis of WOrCeS- ter was sitting, on a cold night, in a small room before a blazing fire.
 This was iH Ireland, and the man was a prisoner. \ kettle of boiling water was on the fire, and he sat watching the steam as it lifted the lid of the kettle and rushed out of the nose. He thought of the power of the steam and wondered what would be the effect if Ee were to fasIcn down the lid and stop up the nose. He con clUded that the effect would be JO burst the kettle How much power. them thought he, there must be in steam"
 As soon as he was let out of prison he tried an experiment.
 T have taken he writes ''a can non and filed it threc-quarters full of water, stopping firmly up both the tOuChhole and the mouth, and, having made a good fire under it, within 24 hours it burst and made great crack"
 After this. the Marquis coutrived a rude machine which, by the power of steam, drove up water to the height of iO feet.
 About one hundred years after this a little boy whose name was James Watt and who lived in Scotland sat one day looking at a kettle of boiling water and holding a spoon before the steam that rushed out of the nose.
 His aunt thought he was idle and said:
 "Is it not a shame for you to waste your time SO2"
 But James was not idle-he was thinking of the power of the steam ir moving the spoon. James grew to he Q good and great man and ConUivcd those wonderful Improvements in the steam engine which have made it so useful in oUl day.
 What will not the steam engine do' T. prOpels, it elevates, 1t lowers. il pumps, it drains. it pulls, it drives. il blasts, il digs, it cuts, it saws. il planes. it bores. it blows. it forEcs. il hammers, it files. it polishes. 1t rivets it prints, it weaves, and does more things than I can think of. If it could speak. it might say: | T blow the bellows, I forge the steel l manage the mill and the mint: ] hammer the ore and turn the wheel And the news that you read I print In the year 1907 Robert Fulton. ar American. put the first steamboat or | the Hudson river, and in 1929 a loco, motive steam carriage went over ] railroad in England. ! CLARENCE A. HATHAWAY, Age II Bozrahville.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
MoIly's Grief

In sight of a railroad lived an en- gineer with his wife, two daughters and mother in a large white house. Every day the family sat on the children waved their hands to their father. who could not get home often.
 Molly was ten years old and Dot was seven and they had many good times together.
 One day, however, their father lost family had to move to smaller house and then again to a still smaller one. After awhile the engineer began to drink and that took what little money he earned.
 His wife died during the next sum- mer and now they had to live in a small tenement house and MT. Brown | drank more than ever The children's clothes were reduced to rags by wear and often they had nothing to eat
 One day their father came home | drunk, as usual, and in his anger beat Molly and his mother, then threw a | stick of wood at Dot, which hit her above the eve and made horrible scar. Not long after that his mother went crazy
 Dots father took her away some 1 where: no one knew where.
 Molly was taken to an orphan asy. lum. Poor Molly was very sad, fol
  Dot and she had been taken away ant perhaps she would never see hei again.
 Molly was taken from the asylum soon after by kind friends. She tolC them about Dot and a search wa. made. For a long time they wcr, not successful, but helped many othei poor children
 At Christmas time they planned tD give presents to the poor children iI the hospital and while they were ther, Dot was found. They knew her b, the scar over her eye. She rol, them how she had been left in tn street by her drunken father and iron there taken to a hospital by a police man. She was very i'll and could no live long. the doctor told them.
 Molly spent the last day with hcI It was the happicst and yet saddles day Molly had spent for a long time Molly was not so sad after this be cG1se she felt that Dot was happ l with her mother and grandmother.
 There are many such children a Dot and Molly and all of them do no ind kind friends
 MARY \. BURRILL. Age I3.
 Stafford Springs.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30

Among those who came to buy boys on this ship was man who had him self been stolen from Scotland when he was young. He felt sorry for little Peter when he saw him put up for sale. The price the cruel captain asked for him was about fifty dollars. The Scotchman paid this money and took Peter for his boy. He sent him to school in the winter and treated him kindly.
 Peter. for his part, was a good boy and did his work faithfully. He stayed with his master after his time was out. When Peter was about seventeen years old this good master died. He left to Peter about six hundred dol lars in money for being a good boy. He also gave him his best horse and saddle and all his own clothes.
 Some years after this, Peter married and went to live in the northern part of Pennsylvania. He was by this time a man of property.
 One night when his wife was away from home the Indians came about his house. He got gun and ran up stairs. He pointed the gun at the Indians, but they told him that if he would not shoot they would not kill him. So he came down and gave himself up as a prisoner. The Indians treated him very cruelty. He was with them more | than a year. His sufferings were so great he wished sometimes that he
 
 He knew that if he ran away the In- | dians would probably catch him and | kill him in some cruel way. But one | night when the Indians were all asleeE | he resolved to take the risk. You may | believe that when he started he raT | with all his might. When daylight ! came he hid himself in a hollow tree.
 After a while he heard the Indians running all about the tree. He coulC | hear them tell one another how they 1 would kill him when they found him but they did not think to look into the | tree.
 The next night he ran on again. Ht came very near running into camp o Indians; but at last he came in sigh l of the house of a friend. He was tireC 1 out and starving. He had hardly any clothes left on him. He knocked a l the door.
 The woman who saw him thought ht | was an Indian. She screamed and thu
 man of the house got his gun to xii | him; but he quickly told his frienC ] that he was no Indian, but Peter VII 1 Hanson.
 Everybody had given him up fo ] dead, but now all his friends wer | happy to see him once more. He ha, i twice been carried into slavery-OnC by cruel white men and once by ye
 more cruel red men.
 FRANK O'CONNELL, Age 12. Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
My Country Home.

IL was the last of June. The odor of many flowers was every where. ] went and as I stepped on the front porch of my country home the Nel- low Tea Roses and the climbing red ones seemed tC bcCkon me in their cool shade
 Cutting Q large bunch of roses I entered the cool dining room and placed them in al vase on the table.
 From tho French windows I could see my brothers and some of their friends pra-ticing for the tennis tour uameut.
 Taxing a book I stepped on the lawn and started for the orchard. The or chlrd. which is Of a . rectuguler shape has about three hundred and fifty apple trees. In the center is a little brook, which softly murmuUs its i1i"fEl tale to the sympathiziug trees and then flows on to the river.
 Selecting a sheltered nook among the trees I sat down Go read: but was soon interrupted by a tame squirrel. who soon came into my lap looking for nuts. though he was sorely disap- pointed.
 again resumed my book and was soon S. interested that l did not hear footsteps near me until some one put their hands to my eyes and in stiuctiy.ly knew it was my cousin.
 SeeiT" I could not read that day. We starred for the pond. Arriving there we got in boat and I rowCd off We had been out on the water gather ing pond lilies when the bell for din- ncr was heard. We hurried back but were a few minutes late.
 Later in the afternoon I took my cousin home in my pony cart and re- turned at dusk.
 The rest of my vacation was spent in many pleasant outings and tourna- mcnts and later in the fall when the haryests were taken in, I returned back to school and my friends. GLADYS HOCLE, Age 12.
 Stafford Gurfr1~e
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
Sir Edwin Landaeer.

Edwin Landscer was one of the most
 famous artists of modern times. He
 lived from 1902 to 1875.
 He was born in London. His father
 was an enEraver whose work was
 much admired. His brother was also a
 famous engraver.
 The lad learned to draw at a very
 early age. He loved 10 go out into the
 fields with his paper and pencil. and
 drew so well that his friends soon be-
 gan to be surprised at his work. If you ever go to London and visit the great museum at South kensingtOn in
 London you may still see some of the drawings which he made before he was eight years old.
 When the boy went to work he took his sketch book with him and told with his pencil what he saw He liked best l to sketch animals and he went where he could find animals to sketch. Young Landseer became the pupil of a famous English painter. Benjamin Hayden. Hayden taught him to study the structure of the animals he paint ed so that he might know the place and shape of every bone and muscle. l But I-andseer was not cCnterted with studying merely the bodies Of the anil mals; he watched them as they moved about in the fields. played with one an ! other, slept or sought for food. He was their friend and he understood | them almost as if they could have | spoken to him.
 When Landseer was fifteen years old | he painted a picture of dogs fighting. | Everyone who saw it admired it and 1t was sold at a good price. He painted ! dogs, sheep and deer SO that everyone | who studied his pictures went away | with q real liking for the animals | themselves. In the pictures he repre- sents himself as sketChing. and his two | dogs looking over his shoulders at the | sketch, as if they were judging wlethe- ! CT 1t Is good or bad. One hardly | knows which to like more in the pie | ture the frank. open face of the a~t- ! !st, with it's clear eyes and noble b, ev. | or the earnest. intelligent faces Of the | dogs who look over his shoulder. ! You may sometimes see this artists | name written "Sir r.. Landseer.'' Queen | Victoria made him a knight with the | title Sir because his work had been | so well done
 CARRIE GELD. Age II. l Tpbonon
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
REACHING THE SPOT
It Has Been Done, So Scores of Nor
 wieh Citizens Say. .--...

To get rid Of an aching back
 The sharp twinges.
 The tired-out feelings.
 You must reach the spot-get at the cause
 In many cases 'tls the kidneys.
 Deans Kidney Pills are for weak kidneys.
 Norwich citizens testify.
 Mrs. Margaret Brown. 33s W. Main St. Norwich. says: My back was in bad shape and I suffered severely from dull, heavy pains across my kidneys. It was almost impossible for me to get out of bed in the morning and I felt miserable in every way. tried different medicines. but wasn't helped. Deans Kidrey Pills. procured at \. D. sevin & Sons Drug Store. made me feel like a different woman. restoring my kidneys to a normal condition and removing the pains in my back" Price soc. at all dealers. Don't simply ask for a kidney remedy-get l Deans Kidney PiIls--the same that Mrs. Brown had. Foster NIiIburn Co, Props, Buffalo, \. |.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
WRITTEN BY WIDE
 AWAKES.
The Best Kind of Christmas.


 One Christmas eve a crow was boys home. This boys name was Willie. He was very happy, and I think that all other children are hap py on Christmas eve.
 He thought he would get many nice presents. But in the morning he was not so happy because he did not find any of the nice presents he expected The crow was so sorry for the little boy. I forgot to tell you that ths little boy got Up very early and Santa Claus had not gone.
 The crow flew as fast as he could until he came to Santa and said:
 Dear Santa, will you give some toys that you think a little boy would like to have?"
 So Santa gave him as much as he wanted and said, T think I quite for got that boy"
 Then the crow thanked Santa, and took the presents and hid them by his tree. Then he flew to the rab- bits who had just felled Christ
 The crow asked the rabbits if he could have the Christmas tree they had feIIeG. The rabbits gave it to him and he invited them to come with I him to give Willie the Christmas tree and the presents. Then he went to the squirrels who gave him nuts and invited them to come. Then he went to the bear and ! invited him.
 So they all went together to give ! the Christmas tree to Willie. They were very happy and Willie | thought it wa@ the best Christmas. HELEN ABERC. Age 9. Taftvilie.
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
A Christmas Story.

Tom. Ned. Gertrude and baby May, who lived in the city with their fath- er and mother, were spending Christ mas with their Uncle Jack and Aunt Kate who lived in the country.
 Tho day before Christmas it began to snow. T. stOrmed all day and all night. The children had been wish ing for a large snow storm, so they could go sliding.
 There was a large hill in front of the house. On Christmas morning the children took their sIeds and had a lovely time sliding, making snow forts. and snowhalling.
 Tom, Ned and Gertrude made a snow man by the door where their mother and Baby May stood watching them. When they came into the house their cheeks were rosy with cold They were all ready for dinner.
 In the afternoon Uncle Jack hitched up his two large, black horses in the sleigh, and took them all sleigh rid ing. When they came back at night they were cold. but happy.
 In the evening the Christmas tree was lit. They had music and songs The children played games. while the older people told stories and joked and laughed. They had apples, oranges and candy to eat.
 The children had had a pleasant Christmas and went to bed feeling happy.
 NELLIE LYNN, Age IS.
 Stafford Springs
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
UNCLE JED's TALK TO WIDE.
 AWAKES.

Uncle Jed wishes all Of the Wide Awakes a Happy New Year.
 How long do you suppose folks have been wishing one another Happy New Years? It must have been away back when grandpas were addressed as grandsires," or 'grand-sirs;" and do you know that in those days the chill dren used to say "grand-sir'' very much as people abroad now say "grand-du
 It is pleasant to be wished a Happy New Year even when it is only a for nal expression of regard for it always wears a mantle of interest and kind ness; but the year for us is not made happier by the wish, for it can only be made happier for us by healthy and prosperous conditions, by our kindness to others. or the kindness ot others to us.
 Something must be done besides wishing to make the year happy. Chil- dren may make the year happier fo1 themselves and their parents by being
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30

was fairly stuffed from morning till night with all the dainties that are dearest to a cats stonach-lobsters well-COOked fish, fresh milk, and be- sides these, there was always plenty of catniD, that most strengthening of all things iT the world, growing about us in abundance.
 Did grow plump and beautiful, you ask? Did I feast upon the dainty food which birds always afford. and which could have obtained by merely reaching out my paw (the little crea- lures were so tame and unSuspiciOus) .? Nol a thousand times, no. 1 answer to both questions.
 It seemed a miracle to my mistress and David, for I often heard them talking about me. How quiet Buzz does keep!" they would say, or per haps it would be, What can be the
 reason Buzz keeps so thin, when he eats so much?"
 ] Often I would go and rub against my mistress dress and try to explain to her how l felt, but she could not seem to understand. Although my wounds and scratches healed up, yet l actually grew thinner for I was be- ing devOured by grief. For the first | time in my life I began to realize the beauty of the great cat world, now | that l could no longer look upon one 1 of my own race. I, who had sought to l tnJure and destroy my fellow beings whenever they had come in my way! 1 l, who would not allow another cat | to even jump over our garden wall at 1 nome without a desperate encounter | to the teeth. This was the first chance | to thing which had come to me. Do | you wonder why I did not gain flesh Do you see now why it became ;mpOs- | sible for me to kill a bird or even | to torture field mouse? I began to l realize that other birds and other mice 1 would miss them if they should dis l aRDe3T down tha +hrao+ of
 cat, and I commenced to feel interest | even in them
 l One night Git was moonlight, I re- | member) I could not restrain myself
 any longer. I went out among the l trees and cried out in anguish to the
 wards that I greatly frightened some people passing by. They thought there
 must be an escaped lunatic in the woods.)
 But that night I made a solemn VOW
 that if I lived to return to my own
 dear home once more, my fellows l would find me a reformed cat. I had l come to see that just so far as l l should injure or destroy any one of my own race or another. just so far l 1 would be injuring myself. Poor stupid little pug dog! you can't
 understand such lofty ideas, I suppose
 but they may do you some good any 1 how
 An! the train is stopping. We have
 reached Boston. l see my master con- you any longer. By the way, heard
 David say the other day he was going i to change my name to Sampson 1 SchIey Hobson Dewey. I hope he
 won't with all my heart for though
 it would confer great honor upon me
 yet I dislike anything that could re-
 mind me of my old fighting days Good-byi
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
THE STORY OF BUZZ
BH M- H. w

BY NJ. H. W.
 You want my story, do you? We'll, although you do belong to the canine race, my heart has grown so big late ly that I do not SCOrn a chat with you, as we ride along together
 You see, my mistress and little mas ter David and myself are just return Ing from our vacation and thereby hangs a tale
 Just six weeks ago today I heard my mistress say, David, what shall We do with Buzz this summer? He is a perfect wreck from fighting with the neighbors' cats. I have a good notion to send him to the cats home at RoXbury. If we should leave him here while we are gone away he would surely die at the rate he is going on.''
 I was lying behind the kitchen stove when she said these words, and ohi my soul was filled with terror at the thought of never seeing her again. Of course she had no idea I was there or she would not have said it.
 But my dear little master answered at once: Let's take Buzz with us, mama. The sea air will do him good and I will promise to carry him both ways. You shan't have a bit of trou- bIe!"
 Bless his dear, good heart! He did not scorn me, even though there was a big slit in my ear and a piece taken right out Of my jaw in a fight the night before.
 So it was arranged. The next day we started, big box, little box, band box and bundle, as well as the bas- ket in which I was safely slowed and which my little master held tightly as we were whtskeG along in an electric car Rumble! rumble! clang! clang! human nature to keep me from dying of fright. You must remember that l was terribly shattered in health.
 Another change now to the steam cars and this was less of nervous strain, although when the engine gave a sudden shriek, my heart would fair ly stop beating.
 After two hours, that seemed like ages, we stepped at a little station and were hustled into what is called a barge" in this part Of the country The people were all crowded together while I in my basket was wedged in between David's legs. Away galloped he horses ovar a stony country road "HurEah! I smell the 6ceakE" exciaim- ed my master.
 After g little while the passengers began to drop out. q could. see ev- rything, you know, through the holes f the basket, just as I am now look ng at you.1
 At last our party was alone in the barge. We left behind us 0 long row ,f beach cottages, and turning out lpon a back road we came to little bluff up above the ocean. We stopped It a cottage in the midst of e pine grove, with only one other house near us. It was a lovely spot and a chorus of birds greeted us.
 I heard my mistress say, Well. Da- vid, Buzz ought to thrive here! Nc cats to fight with. and plenty of birds to catch. He will grow fat and look once more like q respectable puss."
 There were no cats, it is true, and
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT


 Myrtle E. Duprey of Colchester: received the prize book that you awarded me entitled Miss Pat and Her Sisters. I have read it and found it to be very interesting. l thank you soon. Thank you again.
 Marion Deutsch of Baltic: I thank you very much for the prize book. received it Saturday morning. l read it and found it very interesting.
 Geraldine Gareau of Baltic: I thank you very much for the prize book you sent me. l have read it through and found it very interesting. Wish you a Merry Christmas.
 Michael J. Burns of FitchviIle: I thank you for the nice prize book you sent me. l wish you Merry Christ mas anda Happy New Year. John A. Burns of Fitchville: I thank you for the prize book. I like it very much.
 Anna LaRoche of Versailles: I thank you very much for the prize book you sent me entitled Miss Pat in the old World. I began Thursday night to read 1t and find 1t very interesting. l ! wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
 John Spencer of WiIIimantic: I re- ceiyed the prize book, Tales of a Grandfather. and thank you very much for it. I have read some of it and l think it is very interesting. l hope all the Wide-Awakes had a Merry
Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-30
How Grew a Half Acre of Corn

Tn the fall of 1914 field was DlOwed which had not been plowed for over twenty years. We used a sidn hill blow.
 When spring came and the frost was out and the ground dry enough I narrowed it with the wheel har- row.
 Then in about a week or so after narrowing 1t we spread on eight loads of stable manure which I immediately narrowed in, using the wheel harrow. About the 10th of May it was har- rowed again for the last time with the spring-tooth harrow.
 The fifteenth of May the field was planted, using an Eclipse Corn plant CT, and using 200 pounds of Rogers and Hubards' corn fertilizer an having the rows about three feet apart and about fifteen inches in the row be- tween the hills.
 After it had been planted about a week I went over 1t with a heavy bush.
 It came up in about eight or ten days. When 1t was about two inches high I went through it with a culti- vator. It was cultivated In all six times, about a week or ten days apart. The corn was hood twice. working mornings and nights after school and Saturdays.
 The 14th of September began cut ting corn. I worked before and aft CT school and finished it the 17th of September.
 I began huslling the 27th of Sep tember. working as I had time, on mornings and nights and Saturdays. finished husking the 22nd of October having in al! 50 bushels. I sent some of the corn to the Connecticut Fair and won a prize of three dollars.
 MASON PARKER, Age 12.
 Mansfield.