davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Dorothy Gallagher Tells Of
the National Geological
Park at Washington

Dear Juniors:
I lived in Washington, D. c.. for
three years. I saw many interesting
things. Z.
I visited the National Geological park
a number Of times. I will tell you about
the birds that I saw there. Some were
in large cages made of w1ro net built
in the park They were high enough for
large trees to grow in. At night the
birds roasted in the trees. There were
ponds of water in some Of them for thte
birds to battle in and to drink. There
were large macaws, some were dark
blue. some were red. black ana yello"
and pink. and yellow.
Out in the pond there are many wnite
ducks and cranes. My little sister calls
them boats because they float around
on the water.
The eagles are in large pens to them
selves. There are rods stretched across
the cages. They put their meat on this.
If they were not In pens to them
selves they would destroy the other
small birds
They try to make the cages as near
like the natural homo of the birds ~
they can.
The peacock makes a loud screening
noise. Visitors are not allowed to feed
the BIRDS In the park there Is large
building called the bird house. Inside
the house there are dozens Of cages
containing a great many other birds
Many Of these are brought from foreign
countries. The peacock Is allowed to
go around through the park. Not being
kept in cages all Of the time He Is very
proud Of his tail Of many colors.
Dorothy Gallagher. age 10.
115 s. Fellows Ave. Ottumwa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Bernice Mae Noe Goes to the
Reed School; Likes Her
Teacher

Dear Juniors:
This Is the first time have written.
I 20 to the Reed school. My teachers
name Is Vina Davis. We like her very
we'll. We live in Eddyville. have two
brothers and one little baby sister:
Their names are Roy Lewis and Bes-
sic Papa takes the Ottumwa Courier. !
like to read bringing up Father"
Petey Dink and the children's evening
stories.
We have sixteen head Of horses and
three little colts and Ave head Of cat
tie and two little calves.
Our school was out on Friday.
We have one hundred and twenty
acres of land.
MY birthday is on the 18th Of June.
MY older brothers birthday Is October
10. My younger brother Is four years
old. We have about forty-three little
chickens. We have two hens sitting on
duck eggs.
am in tho fourth reader. My oldst
brother goes to school. He is in the
third reader.
Bernis Mae Noe, age 9,
Eddyville Ia, r. 8.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Zelda Daniels Great Uncle
Had a Very Narrow
Escape

Dear Juniors: IT.
I am little girl ten years old. have
never written to the Courier Junior be-
fore, so I thought I would write about
my great grandfather.
About 1856 when my grandfather was
q little boy. the wolves were very
thick. My great grandfather lived IN
an old log house. And when the wolves
would get very hungry they would
come to the house. Ono night they came
very close to the house of my great
GRANDPA Their. And he got up and shot
one and took it in the house and put 1t
on the wood pile. Then he went back
to bed.
A while after he went to bed he was
awakened by something crawling on
the floor. He got up, thinking that he
had not killed the wolf. He reached to
get a stick of wood to hit the wolf.
When he started to stoop down to hit 1t
he punched his eye out on the knob
that was on the back Of the chair. 1t
was not the wolf that was on the floor,
but it was my great uncle. He had got
up In his sleep and was crawling on the
floor. My great grandfather always
said after that If it had not been for
punching his eye out he would have
killed my great uncle.
My great grandfather's name was H
L. Mckinney.
Zelda Daniels age 10,
Hedrick, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
THE COURIER JUNIOR
Published by
VI the COURIER PRINTING CO.
Ottumwa, Iowa
EDITOR
MATILDA pEvEREAux
u BASKET OF FLOWERS.

Dear Juniors: One Of the most IN
;portant holidays of the year is Mem y:
scrial day, day on which the graves esq, o.
/ fhe soldiers are decorated WIN oeau,
stiful Movers. We want all the juniors juniors
10 write about Memorial or De ."E' wi11
SSay, The writer Of the best story VIII.
receive q basket Of beauti1ui no"e.
Ssor DECORATION day purposes, II tne re-
cipient cares to use them en- IN TINS TINS Why t6e
The date of Memorial day.
How the day is observed, ,,,
why the soldiers should be non
ored. s
How last Memorial day was op'
served in your town: II tnere ""' q
snrocession, describe It.. ,r.a
q HOW the living soldiers are careo
hid any Of your ancestors take Par r.
"a ths war. II 30 tell some aneca M"S
= hout them. This contest closes Ma'
90
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Grandfather York Was
Born in Yorktown in
1S2S-Split Rails, Too
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
After being home just one week and
being rested from my trip l VIII wits
and thank you very muche LOT my
prize, having just received 1t TO-DAY. II
sure was nice and expect much pleas
ure with it, and will send you some Oh
our southern views some day
want to tell you about my Grand
father York, as see some very inter-
esting ancestor stories. -
NV Grandfather York was born IN
Yorktown. Va. in the year 1928. HIS
life was similar to that Of Abraham
Lincoln. as writing materials were very
scarce in those days. He had very nttie
opportunity Of getting an education;
Though at the age Of is he could reao
all literature and write neat hand.
have often heard my grandmother
tell how he would talk Of splitting rails
when a boy. Later when the Mexican
war broke out he Joined the army as
so many are doing today. MY. grand
mother was Just school girl then, ten
years old.
NV grandfathers name was James
Lafayette York My grandmother
name was Annie Louise Blaine before
she was married. which was In 1888 on
Christmas( day.
NV grandfather was then overseer on
q plantation down in Mississippi. All
he did was to ride and boss the slaves.
Of which there were about $50. He had
many ups and downs. He was. shot
twice in the arm while on the planta-
ton.
Then in a few years the civil war
broke out. He was made commander
general. He was wounded In the foot.
but returned home safe and lived until
October -. 1909. :.
We now live lust two and one-nall
miles from his old home, at M1lnngton'
Tenn.
Annie Lou Elan.
MillingtOn Tenn.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Avon Says the Union and
Dunville Schools Have
Their Programs
Together

Dear Juniors:
I have written a few letters and re-
ceived some pretty cards from the
Courier Junior, and I thought I would
write again. am twelve years old. MY
birthday is the thirtieth Of August.
have two sisters Their names are
Lowell and Mabel attend the Union
school, district No. 6. am in the eighth
grade. My studies are reading, agricul-
ture, history, arithmetic, grammar
physiology, geography. photography,
music and penmanship. There are nine
teen scholars in our school, six boys
and thirteen girls. Our school began the
first Monday in April. with Grace
whited as teacher We like her very
we'll. Our school will be out the second
day Of June. The Union and Dunvi!le
schools are going to have their program
together.
Avon Florence Ware, age II.
Bloomfield, 1a r. No. 1.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
The Boy Who For
got to Wash His
Face

This boy forgot, very often. to wash
his face. There were a number Of chill
dren at his house. who had to have
their faces washed for them, so the
mother could not attend to his. He had
fine little washcloth Of his own that
his grandmother had knitted, but he
often forgot to use 1t.
This special morning the child ate
jam for breakfast. He was very untidy
indeed, for there was jam on his blouse
and on the tip Of his nose and on his
mouth when he finished breakfast But
he never remembered to use his wash
cloth, and he jumped down from the
table and ran outdoors to play
Just outside the door. on a tree in the
garden. hung heschild's yellow canary
In pretty gilt cage. The bird was very
tame. When the child whistled and put
his finger in the cage, the yellow can
airy was taking bath. 1t had a white
saucer full Of crystal water. and it
dipped its little body down and in and
lifted UP its head with the drops shin
ing on its feathers like diamonds in a
gold setting.
So that child went farther on, until =,
came to his pussy cat sitting in Ii
path. She had nearly always followed
the child. running after a string anil
batt which he carried in his pocket fer
her to play with. This morning the
pussy cat would not SO much as look
at the child. She was very busy indeed
washing the milk from her face. She
did not even purr when the child strok-
ed her furry back.
So the child went still farther on, UNI
til he came to the pond at the end Of
the garden where the ducks lived. His
pockets were full of bits of bread for
the ducks. He often tossed their break
fast out into the water, and the ducks
swan to him and gobbled up the
crumbs in their bills and quacked
Thank you" Today the ducks did not
seem to see their breakfast. Away
across at the other end of the pond
they were dipping their glossy sides
down In the water, until all the child
could see was the tips of their pointed
tails. Then they lifted themselves out
OF the water and shook a shower Of
drops from their green feathers The
ducks were taking their morning baths
wonder why no one will play with
me- thought the child.
Then he looked down in the mirror of
the pond and he saw that he had not
washed his face 'FalE :
why, perhaps it is because 1 am
dirty" he said.
And the child ran home to use his
grandmother's wash cloth. ., as@s
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
School Composition - The
Button - BY Clarence
Jackson

Dear Juniors: J..
AS this is my first time to write to
the Junior thought I would send one
Of my school compositions
was once shell in the river. l was
picked I'D by some men who took me
to a factory where was made into a
button. Then was sold to a merchant
with a number of my mates. Then
was put in box and kept for a long
time. When I was taken out and put on
a nice suit of clothes. I stayed there
a long time. and was lost of. A little
bow found me. He put me In his
pocket and took mo home with him. He
kept me to play with until his mother
told him that she must have me to put
on his coat One day his mother went
to wash his coat and she broke me
Then I was thrown away and that was
the last Of me.
Clarence Jackson. age TO-
Birmingham, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Violet Wilkinson's Grand.
mother Lights Fire in
the Oven .............
Dear ,IuniOrS:

Dear Juniors: @ s..... .- "
When my grandmother came to this
country from England she had a funny
experience with cook stove. In the old
country they used fire places to cook
with. Nobody had ever told her how to
build a fire in cook stove. So she put
the kindling and paper in the oven and
lit it. She went out Of the room and
when she came back the room was full
Of smoke. She was so afraid that the
house was on fire that she called the
neighbors and they came to see was the
matter. Then they found out that she
had built the fire in the wrong place.
She soon learned how to build a fire in
a cook stove.
Violet Wilkinson, age -,
ZOE Grand Ave., .Ottumwa, iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
IOpal Melvin Tells How Her
Grandmother Went to
Sleep and Frightened
the Family
Dear juniors:

Dear Juniors: H.
Once there was little girl who was
about ten years old. Her papa told her
TO run over to her aunt's house aiter
something. When she got there they
were not at home. so she sat down on
the step and was going to wait for
them. but it got dark. So she went In
the house and went to bed and she
went to sleep. About 10 o'clock they
came home and started to go to bed and
there was Mary( for that was her
nancy They woke her up and asked
her how she got there. Then she told
them the whole story.
She stayed the rest Of the night and
went homo in the morning. That little
girl was my grandma.
Opal Melvin, age -,
Sy Hale Mo.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
In Children's Eyes

The look see in some sweet child's fair
face
Stirs in my soul the hope that all
things pure
Dreamed Of by saints and angels shall
endure!
As untrod snow that whitens each bare
space,
And. melting, leaves behind it no faint
trace, -
Yet keeps in silence all the promise
sure
OF bud and leaf that answer to springs
lure,
On craig and peak and every desert
place. @F.
So shall the glance Of utter purity
That shines upon world by sin de-
filed
Hold in its innocence the surety
OF Heavens white light, which unto
eyes exiled
Seemed but the figment OF 1antasy,-
Until through children's eyes God look
ed and smiled! X
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Florence Johnson, Kristina's
Sister, Writes to Her
Her Father
Dear Papa:

Dear Papa:
How are YOU? I am all right. Edna
and 7 got to Des Moines about $3.50
Friday evening. I suppose mamma,
Kari and Velma are all right How
many little chickens has mamma got?
Have you got your blowing done? Ed
ma and are going to stay In Des
Moines about two weeks.
Did you go to church Sunday? Edna
and / did. We went to see the state
capitol and climbed to the top.
4 Did you go to the spelling contest!
Il rained Quite little Saturday here.
Florence Johnson, age 8.
Fairfield, Ia, r. s.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
THE GOAT COMES FIRST.

switzerland IS the only country IN the
world where the goat is placed ahead of
all other animals, and even Of human
beings. If a boy plaques a goat. he can
be fined and sent to Jail. If a person
meets goat on a path and drives him
aside, he can be arrested. If goat en-
tiers the yard of person not his own
err, and Is hit with a club or stone, the
person guilty of the offense must pay
thirty cents. If railroad train sees q
goat on track, the train must halt
until the animal can be coaxed to re-
move himself. There's many a boy in
Ameyica who wishes he were goat IN
Switzerland. Weekly Witness.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
ANcEa1oR STORIES.

We want the Juniors to Wrlte 49, 49,
ZONE OF their ancestors S~ VIE
means your parents, grandparents
1 rreat grandparents, etc.,. We VIII ASH
sthe juniors to write nice short storles
All 1ssslins something remarkable or un'
snsual about their ancestors
4 Tha Courier Junior is always siao
mem the. Juniors send in unusual
sstories. The unusual feature OF the "a an.
:csstor story is what appeals 10 ne
Courier and prompts it to continue |n ;,s
2rnrtest. The Juniors certainly seno IL
Il plendid ancestor stories. ;o,
The writer's can select their Prizes
som among the following: A box o.
c.ndv. roller skates, book, frlenosnll
Ink pin or knife.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
lI 5000 y" n = -----------
ANGEL Leo Hull Helps His
Papa Milk the Cows;
Feeds Them, Too
I Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
I thought I would write letter to
the Junior page as have never written
y before. am ten years old. My birthday
Us June Z. help my papa milk the
cows feed and water the horses, feed
the hogs, harness the horses and hitch
them up. can pillow. disc and harrow
in the field
Papa has twenty-five little pigs, three
little calves, seven head Of horses and
fourteen head Of cattle. For pets have
10 dog named Teddy, and cat named
Spot
E5 ANGEL Leo Hull, age 10,
+ Douds -Leando, Ia, r. No. 3.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Bernard Kammerick Writes
on George Washington

Dear Juniors:
AS this is my first letter to the Junior
page I thought I would write about
George washington.
He was born on the 22d day Of Feb
ruary and he died in the year 1893.
While he was only a boy he was given
a Ratchet for a present and his father
had many acres Of cherries.
One day George went out and cut
down one of his fathers cherry trees
with his Ratchet.
His father asked who done it and he
said he did.
George Washington was good man
all his life.
Bernard Kamerick.
1928 W. Main St., Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Helen Frost's Cat is Shook.
ums; He Is Eight Months
Old and Weighs Eight
Pounds ....

Dear Juniors:
I thought I would write letter a.
have never written before, am goins
to write about my cat
His name is Snookums. He Is eight
months old He likes to sleep IN the
day time. He is grey with dark gray
stripes. He weighs about eight pounds
He likes to eat meat, bread, potatoes,
popcorn and milk Soon we are going to
get another kitten. His namo IL to be
Buster.
Helen Frost, age II,
800 North Holt Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Mary Martha Hill Thinks
Evelyn Lundberg's
Ancestor Story
Fine
door Evelyn Iundberg:

Dear Evelyn Lundberg:
I am a Courier Junior. About a year
ago I wrote a story about my great
grandfather, Martin Warner, and got
the prize. I saw your ancestor story
about your great grandmother and
thought it fine. I hope you win prize
Our school was out the 10th of this
month ..
We had the Missouri Drummers as
ISOLATION this week We did not have q
pretty day for it. It was raining today
so I did not get to march in the parade
AS my letter is getting long will close
Write to me soon.
Mary Martha Hill, age g.
800 j.. Carpenter ST., Moberly, Mo.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Irene Edwards Has Gone to
School in Many Places

Dear Juniors:
have never written before. thought
would write have been to Kansas
City and Ottumwa, Iowa, and Oska-
loosa.
My last vacation mamma and l went
to Oklahoma and visited Yates Mr.,
Yates is priest in the Latter Day
Saint church.
I am II years old and in the junior
grade in the Latter Day Saints church.
am in the fourth grade at the Hedrick
school.
have been to the Fairview school
two years ago and to the Woodland
school in Kansas City and to the He'd
rick school in Oklahoma and to tho
Rutledge school In Ottumwa. -
Irene Edwards.
$40 Taft Ave. Ottumwa, IA
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
Three Troy Pupils Write
Interesting Letters

Dear Grandma:
got your letter yesterday. IN the
afternoon, I was very glad to hear from
you. I am going to answer your letter
through the Courier Junior.
hope you are having good luck
with your little chickens. What are
Francis and Jim doing these days? l
have been going to school, I am IN the
fifth grade. Two OF my scnoolmates
came down to see me last SUNDAY: we
went fishing down to Chequest Creek
and caught fifteen fish. We got back IN
the afternoon.
When are you coming down? am
coming up to stay with you two weeks
after school is out.
Frank Martin, age Is,
Troy, Iowa.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
WANT LETTERS.

We wasn't the Juniors to write so ~.
.rv interesting letters, "newsy let.
49, 80. Some of the Juniors can write
~ "A ts.ar narents. Other Juniors mlgnt
write q though they were w hasf
Bsomo city. The reward ioI sn n.nsr
letter will be q box OF let.e :a Asb
ssnd envelopes, book, a 1rlenosh'p
II INK or q knife. ~ 3d..
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
AL ABOUT PRIZES.

va send out prizes within TWO
a,~.anfs after the names of the winners
He, published. -.
NJ .do wish the Juniors wou'o &C.
/ knowledge their prizes. .
sss n any' Junior has ever failed 10 re-
IIeaiye prixe after his or her name
q nrneared Ia this paper, it is because
ma wrong address has been given US.
when We say wrong address we es-
apeciaily refer to incomplete addresses %.
city Juniors should put their
a;cfreet number and all Juniors living
Ein the country should put their ooS
number or failing to have oo3 SEM
IN their parents names. .lr
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
EsEvEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

E4GVEN RULES FOR THE 1ON'0,o
Use one side of the paper only
Write neatly and legibly, using
INK or sharp lead pencil.
Always sign your name IN 1ull
and state your age.
Do not copy stories or poetry
and send us as your own WORK.
&. Number your pages
{. Always state choice OF prize
1 an 4 separate piece of paper, with
! name and address In full.
4. Address envelope to The Cour'
4 ior Junior.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
]. .eunnl coMPoslrIoNs.

w. want more school composltlons.
$p.mamher. we give one friendship
link, engraved to the writer " ho ene
hest composition. Inc ooys Ia n,- ~"
~ lnifa hook, or friendship link.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27
The Two Roberts Children
of Troy Write to The
Junior
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniprs: ,r.' +..a h..
i saw in the Courier Junior where
you wanted the boys to write about
their work So thoughtY would write
you before I go to school.
get some wood. get the horses up
calves Then I 60 to school.
When get home from school gath
er the eggs. feed the hogs and tick-
ems. On Saturday I hoe in the gartlen
till get tired. go to the field and r1ow
or harrow, sometimes cut trees
a. Edwin Roberts, age T.
Dear Friend Bessie:
I saw your letter in the Junior page
SO thought would write to you.
I suppose you like your new home in
Montana fine by this time. What are
you doing this spring? am still going
to school We have three more weeks.
They are going to dedicate the new
school house the first and the second Of
June. The high school will give play
the second night. The people that used
togo to the old academy are going to
give some talks. They have band
hired. They are building on big time.
Our school house is two story build
ing with basement underneath There
are three school rooms and library on
the first floor and three school rooms
and laboratory on the second floor.
The domestic science room, boiler room,
furnace room and auditorium are in the
basement. We have bubbling fountain
on each floor 1t sure is fine. The
children from the country are hauled to
school in closed wagons. There are
seven wagons, Walter drives one There
are nineteen riding in our wagon.
Lena Roberts, age 10.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-27

Dear Alice:
am going to write to you through
the Junior. Are you still going to school
at Troy? am still at Boise.
We went to the mountains To-Day
We took our dinner with us and hshed'
and climbed the mountains so I am
very tired this evening.
I think will stay here all summer,
but I surely would like to be home Tor
the dedication Of the Troy consolidated
school. What Is your grade going to
give the last day Of school? am going
to start to school next fall, VIII you Do
glad when school is out?
The children here are having the
scarlet fever. I have had 1t and am well
again. That is why have not written
for so long.
Emily Casady. age IL,
Selma Iowa.
Dear Vera Hendricks:
I am going to school now and like
II fine. NV teachers name Is Miss ROD
erts. What is your teachers name?
We have reading writing arithmetic,
spelling, geography, drawing and IAN
guage here at this school.
Miss Roberts had screech owl IN
the room yesterday.
I am in the fifth grade.
Miss Roberts teaches the fourth and
fifth grades.
There is going to be dedication or
| home coming for the students of the old
| Troy academy here In Troy
! The fourth grade Is writing compo-
sition about the tadpole now.
I am writing this letter in school,
We have an organ In our room.
There are twenty seven children In
my room.
Minnie May Duffield age II.
Troy, Iowa.