davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
Great Prehistoric Lake.

The large prehistoric lake which
flooded a number OF the valleys OF
northwestern Nevada at a very recent
geologic date but has now passed
away was named Lake Lahontan. in
honor of Baron la Hontan. one OF
the early explorers OF the headwaters
Of the Mississippi. The lake covered
approximately $500 square miles at
its greatest expansion, and in its
deepest part, the present site OF Pyra-
mid Lake, IL was at least $50 feet
deep-that Is, its surface stood ap-
proximately 500 feet above the present
water surface of Pyramid Lake. The
ancient lake had no outlet except the
one that led straight up its waters
being dissipated entirely by evapOra-
ton.
A large area a few miles north OF
Winnemucca is covered with sand
dunes formed since the disappearance
of Lake Lahontan. The dunes are
fully as feet thick, and their sleeper
slopes are on the east side, thus indi-
eating that the whole vast field OF
sand is slowly travelling eastward
This progress has necessitated n num-
Der OF changes IN the roads in the
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
Bread and the Butter.

The man of strict integrity is slow to
mistrust others. The dishonest man is
apt to think all the world is hishon-
est.
Sometimes the tricks of a rogue will
work toward his own undoing. Here
is a case of poetic justice" if there
ever was one chronicled.
A baker living in a village not far
from Quebec bought the butter he
used from a neighboring farmer. One
day he became suspicious that the
butter was not of the right weight, and
therefore determined to satisfy him
self as to whether the farmer was
honest or not. For several days he
weighed the butter and then found
that the rolls of butter which the
farmer brought were gradually dimin-
ishing in weight. This angered him
so he had the farmer arrested on q
charge of fraudulent dealing
Il presume you have scales?" the
judge said, inquiringly.
Yes, of course, your honor"
And weights, too. 1 presume?"
NO, sir"
How, then do you manage to weigh
the butter which you sell?"
That's easily explained, your hon.
Or" replied the farmer. when the
baker commenced buying his butter Of
me 1 thought I'd get my bread from
him, and It's the one-pound loaf TvG
been using as a weight for the butter
I sell him. If the weight of the but.
ter has been wrong, he has himself t
blame, not me-"
LEO PoLIQUIN, Age IL.
Versailles
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
Birds Nests and Homes.

All birds have a trade. Some are
carpenters, others masons. others
weavers, some tailors, others basket
makers and of all other trades. When
the birds are building their homes is
when they carry on their trades.
The wood-pec1ers are carpenters.
They hammer a hole in a dead tree.
This is their home.
The robins, phoebes, barn and eve
swallows, are nIasons. The robins
mold layers of mud together to
make their nest, and line it with
grasses. The phoebe uses mud and
grass, and fasten its large nest to a
beam or rafter. The barn-swallows
make their nest on a beam. 1t is
nearly all mud. They line the nest
with soft feathers. The eave-sWal-
lows are expert masons. They make
rows of mud under the caves of barns
The apartment is rounded with round
holes for doors
The chimney swallow makes a nest
of wood and blue. 1t is a, basket like
nest and fastened to the chimney wall
He or she carries a glue pot with
them. Sometimes the nest and its
contents fall to the fire place. If you
fasten the nest as far up the CHM
ney as you can. the parent may come
and feed the babes.
As the birds will soon be here. ]
thought I would tell the Wide wakes
about them.
AGNES NJ. BROWN.
Yantic
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
The Man in the Moon.

There are many stories telling how
there came to be a man in the moon.
This is one of those old stories:
One Sunday a man went through the
woods gathering sticks. He knew that
this was wrong. He knew he had six
days for work, and that Sunday was
the day of rest. So he was punished
for his wrong doing. He was lifted up
into the sky.
First he tried to enter the sun.
Go away" cried the sun. do you
not know that this is my day? You
have done wrong on my day. So you
cannot enter here. Go to the moon"
Come right in," said the moon.
Monday is my day. On Monday peo-
pie should work. You have been
working, and so you must belong to
me-
The man entered the moon. He still
carried his bundle of sticks on his
back. There he stands to this very
day, to teach men that they must not
work on Sunday, and that they must
work on Monday.
ELIZABETH HADEN, Age 10.
Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
A Jersey Spelling Lesson.

A country politician in New Jersey
was elected school commissioner One
day he visited a school and told the
teacher he desired to examine the boys
and girls.
A spelling class was performing, so
the commissioner said he would in
quire into the proficiency of that or
ganization- The teacher gave him a
spelling book and the students lined up
in front of the mighty educator.
He thumbed the book. Then, point
ing at the first boy, he said: Spell
egypt"
"E-g-g-p-i-t." slowly spelled the boy.
Wrong" said the commissioner, and
pointing to the next boy. You spell
egypt"
'E-g-g-p-i-t," spelled the boy.
Wrong. You spell it,
The next boy spelled it the same
way, and the next, and the next.
Bad spoilers, these" commented the
commissioner to the distressed teacher.
why, Mr.. Commissioner" she pro-
tested. They have all spelt egypt
correctly"
They have not"
will you let me see the word in the
book?" the teacher asked tearfully. 81
am sure they have"
Here it is" said the commissioners
and he pointed out Egypt"
HATTIE PERKINS.
Colchester
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09

green hatpin holder, or comb and
brush bag, or handkerchief case.
A potato made TO represent a doll
could be made as follows: Take a me-
dunn or large size potato (either will
DOB for the body and then a much
smaller one for the head. To fasten
these together take a piece of wire
and place the small potato on the end
of it, but do not push the wire through,
then put the body on the other end of
the wire and make the head and body
meet. The wire should be a little
shorter than the two potatoes.
A hat or bonnet can be made of
green cloth or paper. The eyes can
be made with ink or with short, black
headed pins, stuck into the potato, q
few buttons can be put on the dress
by using these pins, also. The nose
and mouth can be made in red II de-
sired.
The dress can first be OF stiff white
paper or cloth and then OF green pa.
per or cloth over the white. The arms
can Slso be made Of wire, but IL yoJ
| wish TO have a cape there need b'
no arms. A piece OF narrow greer
ribbon tied around the waist will
serve as a sash. This doll will deco.
rate the table or can be given as
| prize.
| hope II any Of the wide-Awalxe
use these suggestions they will writ
about them.
JESSIE BREHAUT.
| East Norwich, N. Y.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
UNCLE JED'S TALK TO
AWAkES.

Have you ever been in the woods in
winter and seen the tracks Of the
little woods people who hunt and
froliclS and hide there. Animal
tracks and bird tracks of every
description large and small, in the
snow, and circles and half circles
made by broken twigs swung around
by the wind.
cles made by the beach grass on the
sand when swung around by the
wind. These perfect circles were
made on the sand in this natural way
long before man was sent to name the
beasts and govern the earth, and it
was many thousands of years befire he
realized what this circle contained for
him. He now knows it represents
the circle of the earth and signifies
heaven, the circles of life in which
man lives and moves and has his be-
ing, and all the circles which express
to him the forces Of nature.
And these tracks in the woods Great
ed in the imagination of men the
pixies and brownies and gnomes
and fairies which people really be-
lieved in once but believe in no long
er, but about who the children al
ways like to hear stories.
Right here in Eastern Connecticut
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
An Old PHILADELPHIA School.

Dear Uncle Jed: There was a school
master in Philadelphia before the Rev
olution who did not like to beat his
pupils as other masters of that time
did. When a boy behaved badly ne
would take his switch and stick il into
the back OF the boys coat collar so
that the switch should rise above his
head in the air. He would then stand
the boy up on a bench in sight of the
school in order TO punish him by max
ing him ashamed
This schoolmaster's name was Dove.
II any boy was not at school in time
the master would send committee of
FIVE or six Of the scholars to fetch
him. One of the committee carried a
lighted lantern. while another had a
bell in his hand. The tardy scholar
had to march down the street in broad
daylight with a lantern to show him
his way and n boy ringing the school
bell to let him know that it was time
for him TO be there.
One morning Mr.. Dove slept too late
or forgot himself. The boys made up
committee to bring the teacher 10
school. They took the lantern and the
bell with them. Mr.. Dove said they
were quite right. He took his place in
the procession. and the people saw
Schoolmaster Dove taken to school late
with the lantern and the bell.
JOHN MARA, Age 10.
Norwich Town.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
The Origin of Adding Machines.
Norwich.

ins Ort9in OF Addinq MACHINES.
Dear Uncle Jed: 1t may be Of in
terest, at this time to give some ac-
count Of the origin OF our calculating
machines, which have so greatly light
ened the accountants labors. The
first mechanical reckoning boards Of
which we have any record is the abax,
first found among the Greeks. three
centuries before Christ. It involved
the use Of pebbles laid on cross lines.
according to q set system of values.
Later came the abacus, a modification
used by the Romans, which was mere
ly covered with fine sand and ruled
with parallel lines The Chinese
either borrowed this idea or hit upon
one very similar. in their ''suan pan"
square frame strung with parallel
wires on which ran wooden buttons.
The Japanese had a similar device, and
after the Tartar invasion we find the
Russians also employing il.
For several centuries no better
method OF calculating seems to have
| been devised until Napier. in 1917,
published a method for performing
multiplication and division, known as
| 'Napiers rods" or bones" which
consisted of ten rectangular strips of
wood figured on each of the four sur
faces with digits and mulitples OF
| digits. This was the direct forerun-
| ner Of the wonderful sliderule so uni
| versally used today.
| calculating machines were also in
/ vented by Pascal in 1912. and I.eibvftz
in 1911. but the first important ma
| chine was that devised by Charles
| cabbage an Englishman, who worked
under n government subsidy from 1926
| to 1888.
The history OF his efforts to build g
| 'differenc engine" read like a no.
nance. This complicated mechanism
| which was to do mathematical sums
! OF many kinds and record them, is the
direct ancestor of the adding ma.
| chine Of today. His invention. left in.
complete. after ne had devoted a life.
| time to IL and the government haG
spent $4,000 for experimental work
may now be found in an English nu.
scum. a formidable mass of coEs
wheels. and springs as big as a barrel
n pathetic monument to mans frs
real endeavor to make a machine cal
culate for him.
LILLIAN N. BREHAUT.
East Norwich. N Y
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
POETRY.
PICTURE BOOKS IN WINTER.

Summer fading, winter comes
Frosty mornings, tingling thumbs,
Window robins, winter rocks,
And the picture story books.
Water now is turned to stone
Nurse and I can walk upon;
Still we find the flowing brooks
In the picture SHY books.
All the pretty things put by
Wait upon the children's eye
Sheep and shepherds, trees and
Crooks,
In the picture story books.
We may see how all things are,
Seas and cities near and far,
And the flying fairies looks,
In the picture story books.
How am I to sing your praise,
Happy chimney corner days,
Sitting safe in nursery hooks,
Reading picture story books?
Robert Louis Stevenson.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
STOP DANDRUFF!
|. HAIR Gets THICK,
WAVY, BEAUTIFUL
GIRLS! DRAW A CLOTH
THROUGH YOUR HAIR AND
DOUBLE ITS BEAUTY.
SPEND IS CENTS! DANDRUFF
VANISHEs AND HAIR STOPS .
COMING OUT.

To be possessed OF a head OF heavy.
beautiful hair; soft, lustrous. funny.
wavy and free from dandruff is mere
~ a matter OF using a little Dander-
inc.
It is easy and inexpensive 20 have
nice, soft hair and lots Of It Just
get a 25-cent bottle of Knowlton's
Danderine now-an drug stores
recommend it-apply a little as d.
rected and within ten minutes there
will be an appearance Of abundance.
freshness. fuffiness and an incom-
parable gloss and lustre, and try as
you viii you can not ind q trace Of
dandruff or falling hair; but your real
surprise will be after about two
weeks use. when you will see new
hair-Ene and downy at first-yes-
but really ne whair-sprouting out all
over your salp-Danderine IS, we be-
lieve. the only sure hair grower. des-
troyer OF dandruff and cure for itchy
scalp and IL never fails TO stop falling
hair at once
II you want to prove how pretty
and soft your hair really Is. moisten
cloth with a little Danderine and
carefully draw IL through your hair
taking one small strand at q time
Your hair will be soft. glossy and
beautiful in just a few Moments
delightful surprise. awaits everyone
who tries this.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09

far from our little house: but 1 shall
run back fast now; so good night"
And away he ran But before he
had passed more than three bends Of
the woods near by was a tent, with a
bright campfire burning, and beside
the campfire. a man cleaning a gun
Little Bear was so frightened that
he sat down and cried
Mother Skunk heard him. for she
and her six children were out hunting
beetles for supper.
What Is the trouble?" she asked.
What is the matter. Little Bear?'
Little Bear told her about the two
men, one on either side OF his path.
And 1 am afraid to go by them" he
walled
Come. come. child, dry your eyes"
said Mother Skunk. You have al
ways been kind to my children, and
now will take care Of you. Stop cry
ing and follow me"
But won't the men catch you -
| asked Little Bear.
"oh. no." answered Mother Skunk,
they will not touch us You follow
me. Come. children"
On walked Mother Skunk slowly
and comfortably. with Little Bear and
her six pretty children following. one
| behind another, as she had told them
to do.
When the man, who was fishing saw
| Mother Skunk walking by with heI
| children and Little Bear. he sat still
| as n mouse. All he did was to wink.
The man by the fire stopped clean
/ ing his gun when he saw Mother
Skunk walking by with her children
and Little Bear and he. too. sat still
as n mouse. All he did was to WINK
| Now, Little Bear said Mother
! Skunk. when they had gone n few
| steps more, "the children and stay
here awhile and catch beetles. but yoJ
must run along home. The men viii
not trouble you while we are in you
path, never fear"
Il thank you. Mother Skunk" Lit
tie Bear called over his shoulder. a.
he pit-patted for home as fast as h
could travel. And when he reached
home he told what had happened &
him and he walked up and down II
front of the fireplace to show his IA
Their and mother how Mother Skunl
had walked past the two big men. a
II she We're not afraid Of anything IL
the woods, and how the three bear
laughed
But when Mother Bear tucked Lit
tie Bear into bed that night. she kiss
ed him and said. Let us always b
thankful for good. kind friendsi"
SARAH WILCOX, Age IL.
Morrow.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
TOUCH OF NATURE
By FRANCIS LA FTESCHE
in The Southern Workman.

Hunting black bear was a sport
much loved by the Usage Indians in
the days before the coming of the
white settlers into the country west Of
the Mississippi. 1t afforded them not
only the thrill and excitement of the
chase, of which every hunter is fond,
but it also added largely to the ami
NAL food supply upon which the In
dams depended fer their living.
Many strange and interesting tales
hunting, but of those that 1 have
heard not one Is so human as the fol-
lowing, which was an actual occur
renee:
One day a man noted for his skill
in hunting went out in search of black
bear that he might add to the food
supply of his home. Being familiar
with the haunta and the habits of the
animal, the hunter soon found signs,
and as he cautiously looked about he
saw female bear in large tree bust
ly gnawtng at a hole in the trunk. The
man quickly raised his gun and took
aim, but he was suddenly seized with
an irresistible desire to see what the
creature was doing.
After scratching and biting at the
edge of the hole for come little time,
the bear thrust in her paw and in a
moment quickly withdrew it,. She put
something into her mouth and smacked
her lips with apparent delight and sat
isfaction. Then she suddenly scram-
bled down to the ground and with an
anbling gait disappeared in low
bush.
The hunter brought the butt Of his
gun to the ground and waited to see
If the bear would return. He had not
long to wait, for she soon reappeared
with two cubs on her back. On arriv-
ing at the foot Of the tree, the bea1
shook the cubs down, then seizing the
larger one with both her paws she put
him up against the trunk Of the tree
as high as she could reach. The
youngster seemed to understand what
was expected Of him, for he went uI
the tree with the agility of a cat ant
took q seat on a limb close to the hole
Then the mother picked up the young.
er one ana held him against the tree
He ciutched the bark tightly, but
whether out Of mischief, deliberate
dsaobedtence or Lack Of common bea1
sense, he would not move. After wait
fng o few moments, the mother iistet
D r@~ and gave ths little imp a wllack
Ing gDank which. perhaps. was not tn,
Rrst he mad ever had. them up he -Non
-N-<-->Ay--N SM ~ Aa< ~ a -
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09

in as lively a manner as had his
brother and took a seat close beside
him. The mother followed and with
eager haste thrust her paw into the
a piece Of honey. She carefully re-
moved the bits Of bark and slivers
sticking to it and then gave it to the
oldest cub. He quickly seized it with
both paws and began eating 1t, twist
ing his little head to one side and then
to the other, and smacking his lips
with genuine delight. The mother
brought out another piece of the hon
ey and offered it to the younger cub.
The foolish little fellow looked at it
first with one eye and then the other,
then slowly he stretched out both paws
to take the honey with the tips of his
claws and dropped it. With a start he
looked down and watched tntently the
spot where the honey struck as though
wondering why it should fall. A
change of expression came over the
face Of the mother which the older cub
could not have failed to understand as
| indicating disgust and displeasure and
which might be followed by some act
| of discipline. Then again the bear
| thrust her paw into the hole and
| brought out a choice bit. With a lool
of motherly forbearance she held II
| out to the little one. AS before he
looked at it a long time with one eye
and then with the other, smelled of Il
and then cautiously lifted his paws
distending his claws as he did so, tt
take it gently, but the honey dropped
to the ground. The look of affection.
ate patience in the mothers face turn
ed into one Of anger, she lifted hel
paw and gave the foolish little one 6
whack over the ear. He lost his bal.
ance and down he went sprawling t
| the ground.
Just at this moment the hunte
stepped on a. dry twtg which snapped
loudly as it broke. the mother bea,
took alarm and down she scrambled
to the ground, followed by the olde
cub, and then all three quickly dis
appeared among the bushes near by
At dusk when the evening fires wer'
lighted the hunter came home. H
entered his wigwam and put his gul
in its accustomed place, then took hi
seat by the freside. The wife CAV
him a look Of silent inquiry as sh
paused in her work of cooking tn
supper, which he solennly answere,
by saying: 81 am not going to shoe
bears any more; they are human be
fngs like ourselves"
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
He Didn't Care.

Dear Uncle Jed: Would you like to
hear of a story? The name of my
story is \ Great Red Automobile. I
will tell it to you:
Honki Honk! HonkI signalled a
great red automobile, as II dashed
along the country road
The people who were in the road
jumped aside to let this automobile
pass. There was a big fat pig in the
road who could hardly move. The man
screamed out.
Get out of the way or I'll run you
overt"
The pig laughed and said, II don't
care"
do you hear?" screamed the man
again.
The old pig laughed and said again:
shut your mouth"
Then the man ran right over his tab
and the pig squealed and squealed
The pig ran to his pen and never
came out again.
MISS DORA GLADUE.
TaftviIln
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
LETTERS TO UNCLE JED.
Our Sleigh Ride,

Dear Uncle Jed: l always used to
attend the Mansfield Center school I'M
til about week ago. Then 1 went to
live with my grandmother and have
to go to the Hollow school.
The first day 1 went to this school
the teacher said we could have a
sleigh ride If we got our work done in
time.
One of the boys asked Mr.. johnson
If he would take us. He said he would
Twenty went. We each paid ten cents.
When we were coming home two of
the boys got off from the sled and
waited until we got a ways ahead.
Then they began to run. One caught
up. The other sat down to rest. Mr..
Johnson touched the horses with the
whip and they began to run. The boy
got up and began to run. He didn't
catch up. He had to walk home.
That boy would not pay his ten
cents because he said he didn't have
all his ride.
We all had nice time, but when we
got home we were awful cold,
LOIS BARROWS.
Wi1lfTna T1tic
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
NV Schoolhouse.

Dear Uncle Jed:-My schoolhouse is
on the west side of the main road
from Willimantic to Warrenville. A
river is across the road, east OF the
schoolhouse. 1t is called the Mount
Hope river.
The schoolhouse contains twelve
desks for the scholars and one for the
teacher. 1t has six windows. 1t has
clock in front OF the room and a
library. 1t has two outside doors and
two doors that open to the school
room. There are two entries. One is
the boys and the other is the girls
entry.
There are blackboards that stretch
across the back Of the room, and two
side blackboards and two in the front
Seven scholars attend this school
We got the banner for the best at
tendance this month.
The teachers name is Mrs. Church
Our supervisor in agriculture is Mr.
A. ]. Brundage.
THELAIA WHITBHoUsE, Age II.
Mansfield Center.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
They Found a Grounding.

Dear Uncle Jed:-Last week. one
stormy day. when my papa could not
go to work. he went to the store. Com
ing mack he saw some skunk tracks
and he followed them until he came
to Mr. Skunk's home in the ground.
He and one of our neighbors decided
to dig the skunk out After two hours
work they found two slIunks. The
next day they found another burr0w,
as they thought. so decided to dig
that out, too. As East as they dug.
the animal inside dug. too. trying to
get farther away. but finally they
unearthed Il and what do you think
they found? A huge woodchuck.
MILDRED WEAVER. Age II.
Mansfield Depot.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-09
LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Sarah Hyman, of Norwich thank
you very much for the prize book en-
titled, THE Bobbsey Twins at School,
I have read it through and find it very
interesting.
Ruth Bartlett, of Norwich-Many
thanks for the prize book you gave
me. I find it a very interesting story.
Clarence A. Hathaway, of Bozrah-
ville--I thank you very much for the
prize book you sent me entitled: ."g'he
Pony Rider Boys of the Rockies
have read it through and think it a
very good book.
Josephine BoroVicka, of West Will
the prize book, "The Central High
Girls at BASKETBALL I find it ver1
interesting.
Allan King, of Storrs- thank you
very much for the prize book you
sent me entitled, BLACK Beauty"