davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Grace Louise Brown - Hal
lOwe'en in 1915
Hal

Some OF the children in the neigh.
borhood met at corner at night to
| have some fun. All of ur carried
lighted jack-o-lanterns. We took some
shelled corn and sticks with us. All
wore masks. We went in at one
place and threw corn on the windows
and beat on the house with sticks AS
we were going to the next house
somebody jumped out of some bushes
at us. 1t scared we girls but the boys
were not afraid. He talked to us
awhile and then took off his mask and
we saw it was one Of the neighbor
boys. When we got to the next
house they were in bed. The boys
threw little corn on the windows.
While we were going to the next place
went to Jump across ditch and
stepped off in it and sprained my
ankle. It did not hurt at first The
girls were afraid Of the dog there, SO
the boys went in and had some fun.
Our jack-o-lanterns went out a good
many times. The boys pulled buggy
down in front Of gate. By tho time
we were ready to go my ankle got
to hurting SO bad tina Il could hardly
walk. My sister and one Of the boys
stayed with me and the rest went on.
At one house they came to they ran
up and threw some corn on the win,
dows. They had not thrown much
when they heard door slam. All ran
and hid. A man came out with gun
and shot five times. When they heard
the shooting they ran faster. Some
of them were in the pigpens and ran
into pigs and fences. When they
came back to where we were they
told all that happened. Then all went
home. limped all Of the way. We
had a good time and expect to have
just as good a time this Halloween.
Grace Lucille Brown, aged IL.
Ottumwa, Iowa, Route 8.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
A Halloween Procession =
BY Florence LeOra OWings

Dear Juniors:
] thought ! would write about the
Halloween procession.
Little Joe Harris was staying with
his Grandpa and Grandma Harris. He
went to school just as he did at his
own home. He was acquainted with
all the boys in the village.
One night he came into the house
very eager to tell something.
ooh, Grandpa he exclaimed. "The
boys are going to get up torchlght
procession and ! want to go too. They
are going to carry Chinese lanterns
and flags. They are going to have a
splendid time"
81 suppose I shall have to buy a
lantern and flag" said Joe. 81
ooh, don't talk about such things,
exclaimed Grandpa. ! could make a
lantern in ten minutes that would
be good enough for you. Grandma
can make flag"
Would you go with such fixed-up
things?" said Joe.
yes" said Grandma, ~ would go
and have good time and save my
money for something else"
"All right" said Joe. go ahead with
your flag, Grandma
So Grandma fixed the flag. The
stripes were where they belonged, the
stars were scattered all over the blue
ground. Grandpa did his part
On the night Of the procession Joe
lighted the candle in the pumpkin
took the flag, and started.
When he got home, he said, My
lantern was the funniest one there
All the boys wanted my flag, so we
took turns in carrying 1t. They
thought my flag was bought. until
/ told them about It, and think you
are a splendid grandma
Yours truly,
Florence Leora Owings, aged IL.
Ottumwa, Iowa, r. 7, Box "a.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Louise Solomon - A Hal
lowe'en Story-Imaginary

Dear Juniors:
I thought I would enter in the Hal
lowe'en contest.
Halloween is celebrated throughout
the country as the gayest OF the
festals of autumn. Halloween re-
called an incident Of country Hailow'
cen to my mind.
The entertaining committee OF the
Junior class of Oakland school were
very much disturbed as to the pro-
gram for Halloween. 1t was their
turn to entertain the boys OF the
Mershley school. After many things
had been suggested ana disregarded
one of the day pupils from the couh'
try suggested that they have a coun'
try entertainment, which was ap-
proved OF. Then the question arose,
what kind it should be, but finally 1t
was decided that 1t should be mas
querade party.
AS Halloween was OH Monday. they
spent Saturday decorating the barn,
having preferred the barn to the house.
With the help Of Ellen's (day pupil
father they hung jack.o-lanterns from
the ceiling. There were ghosts among
the cornstocks in the room, and other
Halloween decorations.
I When s o'clock came Monday even
ing. everyone was in his place. There
we're ghosts, COLLINS, corn, pumpkins,
isck-o-lanterns. etc. gathered there
There were various Halloween feats,
and all enjoyed themselves. When the
time came for unmasking there was
lots of laughing and joking. The re
freshments were served by 1ack-o
lanterns and COLLINS. They all de.
parted declaring that it was the best
OF the year.
Louise Solomon, aged Is.
Eldon, Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
James Whitcomb Riley = By
Villa Stevens

Dear Juniors.
AS I have not written for some time
7 thought ! would write about James
Whitcomb Riley.
lanes Whitcomb Riley was born In
Greenfield, Indiana in october. 1855.
lanes had white hair and he was
freclled. He was near sighted. He
could learn poems and pieces at school.
with ease. but when he got upon the
platform in front of all the people he
was bashful and stammered. James
left school at the age OF sixteen.
One thing young Riley was delighted
>, was to make up poems himself and
learn them.
James whitcomb Riley vas very in
telligent. Riley's parents wished him to
be a. lawyer but James thought this too
dry and stiff for him because he liked
Shakespeare and Keats.
Riley painted signs for while ana
afterwards he found he could play
violin with ease, and so he joined
band Of stroling players.
Mr.. Riley had gray eyes and his face
was always smoothly shaven like that
of an actor.
After n while Riley secured a position
on the editorial staff of the Indianapolis
Journal When he was about twenty
years old he began publishing poems IN
the indianapolis papers. From the use
OF the dialect he soon won the name OF
the Hoosier Poet which he always held
Mr.. Riley was sixty years. nine
months and twenty-one days old when
he died.
VILLA Stevens, age 49,
Ottumwa Ia.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Hazel RObinsOn's Halloween
Incident Occurred When
She Was Five

am a little girl twelve years old,
but am going to write about Hal
lowe'en when ! was five. We lived
in town and my parents did not have
room to raise pumpkins. There was
an old gentleman everybody called
Grandpa Gear. He found out we did
not have any pumpkins to make
jack olanterns so he took my brother
Joe and to the country to get some.
We got all the pumpkins we could
bring home. Joe and 1 made lots OF
JACKIE lanterns I set one Of mine on
the gate. post at home while took
another one to hold up to Grandpa
Gears window. While was gone SOME
boys came and took It.
That Is the first Halloween can
remember. have had many good
times since then on Halloween but
believe had the best time that even.
ing.
Hazel J. Robinson.
Selma, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
.kristina Johnson - Hallow
cen in 1915

Dear Editor and Juniors:
l thought ! would join your Hallow
cen contest, am writing on all Of
your subjects as my one.
In 1915 the young men and boys OF
our neighborhood had great sport
around here.
The morning after Halloween we
discovered the carriage and several
farming implements we're gone. They
were found little ways up the road
A friend of mine was coming home
from town when his horse stopped and
would not go on. He got out to see
what was the matter and found gate
across the road.
Papa found his watering tank down
in the pasture out of sight.
think the girls have about as much
fun on Halloween as the boys. My
sister and I used to hide mammals
broom so she could not find 1t in the
morning when she wanted it.
In the city the boys put soap on
the windows, mark with chalk on the
walks, and knock on the doors of
houses. They come out into the coun-
try sometimes and help the boys they
know. Sometimes the school children
have Halloween parties and they have
lots of fun.
In the country the boys tear up
gates. fences and machinery. At the
school house they once tore up the
walk.
At Halloween time we always make
a lot of pumpkin faces out Of paper
and hang them in the windows.
One time the teacher at school gave
us little Halloween favors. Mine was
a little jack-o-lantern.
Sometimes hang 1t in the window.
am always anxious for October to
tome, for 1t brings Halloween.
Kristina Johnson, aged IL.
Fairfield, Iowa, R. F.. D. s.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
How the Jack-oLLanterns
\ Scared the Indians

One Halloween man and his wife
went to the city to buy groceries and
clothes and left their son and daughter
at home
The children began to get scared be-
cause they knew the Indians would
come and try to burn the house when
they knew no one was at home. Soon
it began to get dark and their father
said he would try and be home by
dark.
Darker and darker the night be-
came. Soon the boy thought Of an
idea which he thought would scare the
Indians away He told his sister and
she thought it was good plan, too.
Then the boy went out in the corn
field and got two pumpkins and took
a knife and took the insides out. Then
the girl found two large candles and
put them inside the pumpkins. which
had two places for the eyes and one
for the nose and mouth. Next they
took the pumpkins out and placed
them on the two gate posts and went
back in the house.
Soon they heard noise. They
looked out the window and saw the
Indians creeping up. But the Indians
did not see the jack-o-lanterns.
Closer and closer trey crept. Soon
one saw the jack-o-lanterns. soon the
rest saw them, and then they thought
it was time to run because they had
never before seen jack-o-lantern.
The children kept watching and saw
the Indians run away and then they
knew they were safe.
About midnight their parents came
home and the children told them what
had happened and their father said
they were thoughtful children and
that they would not leave them alone
again.
Felicia Zenor, aged IL.
420 Miner ST., Ottumwa. Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Leonard w. Bish Writes to
His Mother

Dear Mother and Grandma, Aun,S
and Uncles: We got here all right. we
saw Uncle AL with F1ory and Bell maui
ing bricks where we got off the Tram.
He said he waited about fifteen minutes
and we went on homeward bound.
When we got there everything was
all right and we had piece ana tnen
we started to look for n house. GOT
home by half past twelve. we iouhu
the house and were ready by half past
three. Then papa laid down and slept
until half past four and then we Went
To Mr.. Wycoff's. Then at O'Clock,
came home and shut the chickens up
and then this morning papa heiped
Uncle Al and came and helped us ana
STAYED till this evening.
Mamma will have plenty OF neish.
hors. so we will have all kinds OF
friends and neighbots around thefe'
School is not over a block away and we
can come home for dinner and hetp
Won around before we GO and we won
he late either. Will write all or you
soon.
Leonard w. Bish,
Ottumwa. r. No. s. care Al Bish.
U.eonard's mamma has been very
sick and has been staying with MS
grandmother at Martinsburg)
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Kathryn Beatty Hallow-
cen in 1915

James. Mary and Jessie were the
only children of the Hale family. Mr.
Hale worked on the railroad, but at
the present time he had met with an
accident and was in bed for one
month. Mrs. Hale was a very kind
motherly lady, although at times very
strict.
The children had been planning for
the happiest Halloween they had ever
had and Unexpectedly they received
it. Every year before they had gone
out dressed as witches, ghosts, or
some other unnatural creature. This
year mother told them they must stay
with her as father vas i'll and she
would get very lonesome all alone.
This was bad news for the children
as they had planned for SO much fun
and now their plans must be broken
Several days passed, but Mr.. Hale
was still very weak and unable to &c
to work, but had improved greatly.
At last Halloween came and Mr.
Hale was not able to work, bu,
mother, seeing how disappointed the
children would be, went TO the tele
phone and called twenty girls and
bows and told them to be at the Hale
home at Z O'Clock and be prepared for
jolly time.
This was unknown to the children
When they came home from school
that night they felt very sad as they
heard the other children telling how
they were going to celebrate.
Mrs. Hale told James to go to the
woodshed and get good store OF
wood as she was going TO make fire
in the fireplace Next she told Mary
70 90 to the cellar and get twenty
four rosy apples. and Jessie to go TO
the store for some chestnuts and some
marshmallows. This made. the emil
dren feel suspicious of what was com
ing next.
AT 7 o'clock promptly there came a
tan at the door and in rushed the chli
dren. After having nut and marsh
mallow roasting, and apple-oopplhs
the children sat about the Fireplace
telling stories of how the witches and
ghosts roamed about on Hallowee en-
night.
When all had departed the children
exclaimed that it was the happies'
Halloween they had ever celebrated.
Kathryn Beatty.
noe yx-o,t Fifth ctreet
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
This Little Boy was
Right

Said Peter Paul Augustus: when
am grown a man,
I'll helr my dearest mother the very
best I can.
I'll wait upon her kindly; she'll lean
upon my arm;
I'll lead her very gently. and keep her
safe from harm.
But, when | think upon it, the time
viii be so long,"
Said Peter Paul Augustus, before I'm
tall and strong,
think it would be wiser to be her
pride and joy
BY helping her my very best while I'm
a little boy.
The Brown Memorial Monthly.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
AL ABOUT PRIZES.

j We do Wish the Juniors would ac.
!. knowledge their prizes.
II any Junior has ever failed to re.
scefve q prize after his or her name ap-
fpeared IN this paper. It is because the
wrong address has been given us.
When we say wrong address we es.
pecaally refer to incomplete addresses.
All city Juniors should put their
street number and all Juniors living
In the country should put their box
number or failing to have a box send
4 in their parents names.
We send our prizes within one week
after the names Of the winners are
published.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Clara West - Halloween in
the City
Dear Juniors

Dear Juniors:
This is the first letter ! have written
to the Courier Junior. have two broth
ers and one sister Their names are
Francis, Frederick and Mary.
am going to tell about Halloween.
About : o'clock a crowd Of girls and /
were dressed in sheets and pillow cases.
We went all over the town and soaped
windows and automobiles. Other girls
broke up wooden steps and carried
chairs away. We went to a house where
there was a Halloween party. We
went to the windows and maze all
kinds of noises. a woman came out and
We hid around the house. Wien she
went back in we soaped all ner win
dows. About II o'clock we went home.
We all had a good time.
Clara West. age IL,
SO w. 4th St, Ottunwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
THE COURIER JUNIOR
Published by
THE COURIER PRINTING CO.
ottumwa, Iowa
EDITOR
MATILDA DEVEREAUx
THE HALLOWEEN CONTEST.


Dear Juniors: Today we have many
splendid Halloween stories and next
week we will have many more. we
will also announce the names OF the
prize winner in the Halloween con-
test. As the contest does not close I'M
til October 81 we will reprint the
rules again:
I Do you all realize that we will be
celebrating Halloween next Tuesday.
Two new ideas popped up in our mind
today and both were prompted by
something We read, one in Juniors
letter and one in an advertisement in
the Big Courier. The Junior said:
II would like q doll for a prize SO l
can give it to my sister for Christ
mas present" The advertisement in
the Big Courier said: "Scents-a-bal.
or perfume pendant" You know by
wearing a scents-a-bal one carries
beautiful perfume around all the time.
Tho perfume is kept in gold ball,
1 enameled in colors and can be worn on
ribbon around the neck.
Well by this time you Junior readers
are probably wondering what connec-
1 ton there is between Halloween. get
ting q prize 80 as to keep 1t for a
d Christmas gift for sister, and scents
a-bal. Well, among the prizes we will
give for the best story in the follow
ing Halloween contest will be scents
a-bal and the winner can keep it for
q birthday or Christmas gift for
mother or sister:
HALLOWEEN IN 1915
II HALLOWEEN IN THE CITY.
HALLOWEEN IN THE COUNTRY.
The writer's can select other prizes
besides a scents-a-bal from the follow
~: Halloween candy (real however) !;
ss'loween souvenirs. book, school sup
es, doll, knife, or football.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
The JAMES WHlTcoMe RILEY
CONTEST.

% the James Whitcomb Riley con.
y; does not close until Oct. 81 we
reprint the rules again:
'Oday We saw q beautiful picture.
4 the picture suggested the subject
q new contest-James Whitcomb
". You all will remember that Mr..
~ was one of Americas greatest
IT. and that he died saturday night
y %, 1916.
w. will try and describe the picture
Itch gave US the suggestion for the
mes Whitcomb Riley contest: In the
--entsr is . splendid likeness Of the
poet And surrounding 1t are several
(pictures) of seven of his
poems, among them being: The Old
'swimmin' Hole: That Old Sweetheart
OF Nine; When the Frost Is on the
Pumpkin and Out to Old Aunt Mays.
Well, We want all the Juniors, big
and little, to write compositions. using
for their, subjects. James Whitcomb
Riley. or American poets. The prizes
Will be . collection Of Mr.. Riley's
poems, the Judges making the selec.
lion after reading the compositions.
The ages Of the writer's, Of course, will
6etsRmine tho collection Of poems
most suitable.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27

Princess May of Teck, the ten
year-old daughter Of Prince Alex
ander of Teck, is one Of the most ac-
tive of London's younger set" in be-
half of Britain's war sufferers. With
her winning smile and her demurely
persuasive manner, she has succeed
ed in making even the most malig-
nant Stacker" give his mite for the
several funds in which she il actively
interested.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
Hal
Florence Johnston -
lOWe'en in 1915

Dear Editor and Juniors:
will tell you what happened here
last year. Halloween, 1915.
On Halloween last year some boys
took our carriage, cultivators and plows
up to the corner. They took one wheel
off Of the carriage.
Papa and had to put it on and bring
them back and put them away.
Kristina and I HID the broom and
mamma could not find 1t.
Florence Johnson, age 9,
Fairfield. Ia. r. s.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
.sEvEn RULES FOR THE JUNIORS.

I /. Use one side of the paper only.
:. Write neatly and legibly. using
Ink or sharp lead pencil.
3. Always sign your name in full
and state your age.
4. Do not copy stories or poetry
and send us as your own work.
S. Number your pages.
6. Always state choice of a prize on
q separate piece of paper, with name
and address in full.
Z. Address envelope to The Cour.
Ter Junior.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
ANoTAERtcoNTEs1.

We also want the Juniors who
think the other subjects are too hard
10 write on one OF the following sub.
s3octs.
Tho Story Of . nickel.
Ny Best Friend.
4 a PEI Dog.
v Corn and Apples.
sweet Potatoes and Cotton.
A eeeter
Select prizes from among the fol.
lowing: Box OF candy, football, roller
dates, doll knife or book
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-27
OTHER SUBJECTS.

w. IN want the juniors to send in
soohool compositions and other stories,
yoesides the ones on the subjects we
souggest. Sometimes children can
write better compositions when choos-
Ing their own subjects. We especially
want letters and ancestor stories.
10 encourage originality and variety
- the Juniors work the following list
~ given:
"a aotool eompositions.
y Ancestor stories.
interesting Ietters
Beck reviews. "A
Unusual sto1es. ~
Current events.
4. Soldier stories reixted by veterans
md retoAd by Juniors.
Select prizes from among the follow.
ing: Bluebird pin, friendship link.
Book, box OF letter paper, DOLL box Of
1lschool supplies, box Of candy, knife,
football, etc.
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-29

Woburn, Mass, for attempting TO save
Catharine Trainor, and j Henry
Rooney, from drowning at Woburn in
canoe accident, August 10, 1919.
Leonard Williams, Niotaze. Kan,
for attempting to save Joseph IT.
Crisp when latter was seized with
cerebro spinal meningitis in the oil
fields at Nowata Kan.
Walter J. Beck, deceased for at
tempting to save Anna D Johnson
from drowning at ennelunk Beach,
Me-, August "a, 1915. Medal to
mother, 247 Main street Orange,
n j.
G. Ericsson Trip, deceased. for at
tempting to save Joseph A. Hutton,
from drowning al New Milford, Conn.
August /, 1915. Medal to mother, n
Wethersfield avenue, Hartford,
Conn.
Thomas Hughes. deceased. for at
tempting to save fellow schoolboy
j. Vernon Albrecht from drowning
at Monessen, Pa, June Z, 1915. Medal
to father, MOnessen, Pa.
Il. Stuart Sarber, deceased, for al
tempting to save Rernice NJ. Gibson
- pii uipWuluS III canoe dcclueDt az
Indianapolis, July 2, 1916 Medal to
father, 1923 Brown street, Anderson,
Ind.
Charles A. Shanefelt, deceased for
attempting to save James Malone and
several other children from drowning
at Bradenvile, Pa. January II. 1916.
dedal and S55 a month, with addi-
tional sums for children, TO widow at
Bradenville.
Harry D. Spaulding, deceased for
attempting to save Johanna NJ. Hens
Ter from drowning at Bridgeport,
Mich, August u. 1915. Medal and
$50 a month with additonal sums for
to widow COB North Fayette
street, Saginaw, Mich
Ira j. Stringham, deceased. for at
to save Peter Foster and Jo-
seph Gerwer, third, from drowning at
Jersey City, n, j., January s, 1915
Medal TO mother 250 Pacific avenue,
Jersey City.
John W. Odell. Jr.. deceased for at
to save Thomas Nicholson
from suffocation In tank at Sour
Lake, Tex, July 81, 1918 Medal and
500 month, with additional sums for
to widow, at Sour Lake, Tex
Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-04-29
SOAKING RAIN HELPS
EASTERN NEW MEXICO

SPECIAL eossssrososses TO nossIns JOURNAL
Clovis, n. NJ, April 2s.---A rain
which commenced falling about 10
O'Clock Tuesday night and continued
throughout most Of the next day has
given this country a thorough soaking
Measurements show that more than
two inches Of water fell, and SIS the
rainfall was slow and gentle, the most
OF the moisture soaked into the
ground.
Reports received here Indicate that
the wheat crop in Curry county this
year is going to be reeord-hreaker.
With another good rain in thirty days,
which is almost a certainty, the wheat
crop is assured, and az the acreage
planted to wheat this year is much
larger than in any previous year the
increased yield means much to the
farmers Of Curry county
w. Q. Van Arsdale OF Wichita
Kan, who owns the controlling IN
terest in the 9S 600 acres of railroad
land in this county, who has been
here the past ten days looking after
his property interests states that he
has O00 acres Of sod wheat about
eighteen miles north of Clovis
that will make a good yield. II want
ed the sod broken TO be planted In
wheat this year so decided TO SOW
wheat last winter as the sod was
broken. and II he did not make
crop he would he nothing out but the
seed The wheat was planted late,
but it is, almost certainty now that
the returns from this years crop will
more than pay for the seed. breaking
the sod and harvesting the crop. Mr.
Van Arsdale while here contracted for
the planting of 200 acres OF beans.