davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Lincoln Day Exercises.

Dear Uncle Jed: I haven't written to the Wide-Awake Circle for a long time. and so am going to tell you We spent most of the afternoon in honor of the assassinated president, Abraham Lincoln.
 The name of our school is Lincoln School, because 1t was built on his birthday.
 In our hall there is a quotation of his and it is: 'T do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and mean to keep doing so until the end" After we had assembled in our hall, we sang God Blee Our Native Land"
 Then each room recited a quotation of Lincoln's, and after that we sa- luted the flag and said the pledge to 1t.
 Then the principal introduced a gentleman, who gave a very interest ing account of Lincoln's life. We closed the exercises by singing America"
 Our hall was decorated with flags and the picture of Lincoln, also.
 I have always thought Lincoln a noble man, but I never have stopped to realize that to him we owe the saving of the nation.
 I hope some day l. and everybody else. may he one-third as honest and noble as the sixteenth president Abraham Lincoln.
 JUNE JOHNSON, Age II.
 Chicopee, Mass.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Queer Chinese Customs.

Among the many extraordinary GUS toms of the Chinese is that of band ing years together in groups of 12, called cycles" and naming each year of tho series after some animal Thus the first year of a new cycle is the year of the rat, the second year of the OK, and the third year of the tiger.
 Every Chinese born in the year of the rat belongs to the Order of the Rat, and so on. The animal class of every Chinese man and woman Is thus recorded and is held to be of great inn portance in foretelling the future.
 Another curious fact about the Chinese reckoning of time is that in the Celestial Empire a child is held to be one year old as soon as 1t is born.
 With the absurd superstition so dear to the Oriental mind, a baby boy is frequently given a girls name in or der to deceive the evil spirits, who ap- parently have an objectionable habit of making 1t as hard as possible to rear a male child successfully.
 MIRIAM NJ. GROVER, Age IS. Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
The Taeth-

A tooth is a bone covered on the outside with enamel The enamel is harder than any other part of tke body. It Is something like crockery. If anything very hot is taken into the mouth 1t is liable to crack the enamel. Inside of the enamel is the. bone of the tooth. Inside the bone Is the nerve and tiny blood vessels which run from the gum to the tooth. The substance in the tooth Is soft and if the tooth be- gins to decay the inside will decay very quickly.
 If teeth are kept clean a person will be in better health. Good teeth-good health.
 Children's teeth begin to form when they are from six to eight months of They keep on coming until the child is two or three years old. There are twenty baby teeth.
 The second set forms when the child is from seven to twelve or thirteen years old. There are thirty-two per manent teeth.
 The four front teeth both on the up- per and lower gums are called incisors or scissors teeth. The tooth that comes after the incisors Is the canine or dog tooth. The two teeth that come after the canine are called bicuspids. After these come the molar teeth. They are called molar teeth because they are the ones that do the principal part ot the grinding.
 After each meal the food between the teeth should be taken out with e quill or toothpick.
 Eat proper food and it will help tC keep the teeth in good order. They should be brushed at least once a day It would better be at bedtime. Oul | teacher said that every tooth that has to be pulled out makes a persons life a year shorter.
 FANNIE E. BROWN, Age 12. WilIimantic.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
LETTERS TO UNCLE JED.
Parents Day at Our School.

GFGHAS 1dJ 0A ~Af ~@NSSA"
 Dear Uncle Jed: We had parents day at our school Feb. IS, 1916. We had an exhibition of our school work. some of the scholars spoke pieces, some read, and we all sang. I think the two little dialogues were interesting.
 The room was decorated with flags and strips of red, white and blue crepe paper draped from the center of the room to the corners. Three of us girls stayed after school the night before to help the teacher.
 The children brought quite a few things for our handworlx exhibition, a dolls bed, a table and chair, dolls pill low, dolly. mounted pictures and win dow boxes.
 I am going to tell you about the dialogues. One was The Sick Doll There were three characters, my sister the mother with a sick child, I was her friend. and one of the boys was the doctor. He wore tall silk hat, a long coat, spectacles, gloves and car ried a bag and cane. He looked so funny that everyone laughed.
 The other sketch was ''The Trials of a Teacher" and that was funny too.
 At the close of the programme vege- table and tomato soup with crackers were served.
 We had nine visitors and everyone enjoyed the occasion. MARY A. BURRILL, Age 13.
 Stafford Springs.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
LIedyard.
Sugar.


 Sugar is used in nearly everything we eat. Forty pounds on an average is allowed each person in the United States annually. Some persons eat a great deal more than others. The finest sugar is made from the sugar cane which thrives best in warm coun- tries, especially in Java in the East Indies and Cuba in the West Indies Sugar cane is a sort of sturdy grass which grows much like maize or In dian corn. It usually grows from eight to ten feet in height. The stems are jointed like corn and are filled for about two thirds of the way with a loose, sweet pith.
 When the canes are ripe the leaves dry up and drop off. They are taken to the sugar mill.
 First the canes are crushed and the juice is boiled, and after cooling 1t, becomes a thick syrup. It is then lasses or syrup part drains through, sent to a refining factory to be made ready for use.
 The raw sugar passes through many processes at the refining factory, after which it becomes granulated and ready for use.
 The ancients used honey for sugar, although they knew the sugar cane, they never made use of it. Sugar was first brought into Europe from the East about a thousand years ago. and it never ceased to be a lux ury until America was discovered and English colonies established. FLORA L. HOUSE, Age 13. Scotland, Conn.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02

to do. Looking on the bright side, rather than the blue.
 K-Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the blossoms, kind deeds are the fruits.
 Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy. | M-MannerS often bring fortune N-No time is thine but the present. The time gone comes no more. The time to come may come and find you gone.
 O-Our greatest glory is not in never failing. but in rising every time we fall.
 P-Patience is power: with time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes satin.
 Q-Quit not certainty for hope. R-Reputation is what men and women think of us. Character Is what God and the angels know of us.
 S-Speech is silver. Silence is gold
 T-There's nothing so lcingly as kindness. There's nothing so royal aS truth
 Limited we stand, divided we fall N-Virtue is it's own reward. W--Wise men gather knowledge from little things which other mer pass by unnoticed. x-Xcellent is it to have a giant'l strength. but 1t is tyrannous to use f like a giant.
 Y-Youth is the time to form char. acter. Z-Zeal and zest for all that is best
 LILLIAN MURPHY, Age 10. l Norwich
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Sunnybrook Farm,

During one of our drawing lessons a few days ago, our teacher, Mir. Ran dall, thinking that we should be in terested, told us of the writing of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
 Several years ago a young man and his wife, after working hard and sav- ing their money for some time, want ed to buy a farm and home of their own.
 Just the right kind of place was found in the town of Waterboro, and here they lived and here their chil- dren grew up. One of them is our teacher.
 At last, however, the family was broken up and the old house deserted, At this time, Kate Douglas Wiggin, who lived five or six miles from there, visited it, and was so greatly impressed by the loneliness and TO- nance of the place that she decided to found a story on it. So this is the setting of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
 WINNTFPFD
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Our Dog "Bravo."

I always wished for a dog but I thought my wish would never come true. In the daily newspaper we saw that a farmer had collie dogs for sale
 I telephoned over and found out the price. l told my father and he thought the price very reasonable and he purchased one.
 Every time I go down to the store he follows me, and last summer at our cottage at Crystal Lake every day we would go in swimming
 One bright, hot summers day we could hardly keep ourselves cool, and my sister and brothers all went in bathing at Sandy Beach, and of course, my Htle brother John could not swim. He went out a little bit too deep and fell in a hole. The dog saw him and started swimming after him and all the people on the shore were excited. The dog caught him by the bathing suit but John was very much frightened and started to cry and very kind man gave our dog a big bone and gave us all a ride in the motor boat. After that we called our dog Bravo"
 MILDRED WHITE, Age 1S.
 Stafford Springs.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
The creat Northerner,


 Dear Uncle Jed: These are the days when the old soldiers who served in the Army of the Potomac under Gen. eral Ulysses s. Grant and in the Army of Virginia under General Robert E. Lee are thinking back over the days of Approximations, when the great sur render took place which ended the four years of desperate civil strife, brother against brother.
 Many of the veterans who laid down their arms were mere boys. as were those who formed the hollow square in which the surrender took place. Grant is remembered for the magnani- nous treatment he accorded to the defeated chieftain and his troops.
 The great northerner refused to take Lees sword, as is the custom when one commander surrenders to another. and he also refused to take the horses of the enemy, saying they should take them with them, as they would be needed for the spring blowing.
 Just a few weeks before the noble president, Abraham Lincoln, had been assassinated, and this was a grief to the northern soldiers, for the man they loved, and who proved to be the best friend of the south. had not lived to see the triumph of the cause for which he gave his life.
 Grant and Lee became warm friends instead of enemies, and the magnani- mity of the silent soldier" touched the heart of the eminent commander of the southern forces. No such thing as the giving back of horses or swords had ever been heard of in times of war ! before, and it is a bright spot in the history of America, and one which did more than any one thing to cement the scattered states together and bring about a spirit of real union. | Many were the boys who witnessed | the great event for it is a remarkable historical fact that the average age of | the soldiers on both sides of the great conflict was not quite 21 years. LILLIAN M. BREHAUT. | East Norwich N Y
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Norwich
My Kitty.

Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell you and the Wide-Awakes a story about my kitty and myself Her name. Is Fluffy Ruff1ez. She is a black and white kitty. I got her when she vaa six weeks old.
 One day in summer I came home from a walk and could not find her. I looked up the street and also down. but no kitty anywhere. I just drank c. glass of milk and ate a cookie for sup per and then went out to look for her. When Iscame in I heard a faint cry. but my mother said it was my frnAS- ination.
 The next morning my uncle went down to make a fire in the furnace, os 1t was beginning to grow colder. He heard a meouw and looked into the furnace and there was kitty. There was a little door in the back of the furnace and she had gone under the porch and had fallen in the little door. If there had been a fire em afraid I never should have seen my | little kitty again.
 RUTH BARTLETT, Age il. Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
My Dog Tom.

Toms hair is black but his ears are a litle more brGWnish, and when he runs they go flying up in the air and down again. His hair is very long, shiny and silky; his tail is fine and bushy and his eyes are brown.
 A man around here has dogs, and every morning, noon and night Tom my pays his friends a visit.
 He looks like a setter and is a very obedient dog. When one tells him to lie down. he'll go to his place and lie down. When you ask him to sit down he'll walk up to you and sit down, and most times he'll give you his paw. He will also sit on his hind legs and put the front ones up into the air and sit quite long,
 He likes to play with the school children and they with him.
 Now that winters here and fun has come with sleigh riding, all the children what have a sled bring it to school and down like a flash we go away down the hill.
 Tom will stay at the top of the hill until I call him; and when I call he comes running as fast as he can to me and pulls my sled up the hill.
 One day I went a little way up the road with my teacher and Tommy couldn't help following us.
 He gave me a ride home
 VERA KASS, Age Il. Mansfield
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Black Eeauhv

The first place I can well remember was a large, pleasant meadow with a pond of clean water in it Some shady trees leaned over it. and rushes and water lilies at the deep end Over the hedge at one side we looked into plowed field and on the other we looked over a gate at our masters house, which stood by the roadside. At the top of the meadow was a grove of big trees and at the bottom a run ming brook overhung by a steep bank.
 In the daytime I ran by my moth CTS side and at night I lay down close by her.
 When 1t was hot We used to stand by the pond in the shade of the trees and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed near the grove
 As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out to work in the daytime and come back in the evening.
 There were six young colts in the meadow besides me. They were older than I was, some nearly as large as grown-up horses.
 I used to run about with them and have great fun. We used to gallopi all together round and round the field as hard as we could go.
 Sometimes we had rather rough play for they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop
 ANNIE GREENB, Age 8.
 Eagleville
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
A Trin to ProNidenca.

One day my mother received a letter from my cousin inviting my brothers and myself to come down and spend a week with them.
 started about 2 o'clock in the after noon and went to Westerly, where we bought tickets for Apponaug. We had quite a while to wait, but finally we saw the train coming. We were pleased when we got aboard the train, Westerly out of sight.
 I don't believe there were many sights between the two places that we did not see.
 Finally the whistle blew and we were at our destination. There we met uncle, and as no car was to be along for quite a while, we decided to walk home, a short distance.
 So to take it all in we went to Roger Williams Park the first day. It certainly beats any park I ever saw. The lakes, trees, and flowers were beautiful. Everything was very in- tereSting.
 The next day we went to Rocky Point, which is a wonderful place. The scenic railway, the whip, the and everything kept moving all the time. I cannot tell all about these things as 1t would fill a paper.
 After we arrived home this night we did not stay up long as we had tray eled lot that day. The third day we started for Prov idence. Here we saw the capital Brown university, the new churches which were being erected and many other buildings. We also went through the gas works which is a very busy bed after our tiresome journey. We decided to stay only till Sunday five days in all. We had much to talk about that first night and was glad to get into bed.
 The next day we decided to stay home and get rested. So we played croquet and other games to pass away time.
 The fifth day it rained hard, but we decided to come home. We got home that night and had O great deal to tell about the sights we had seen It proved to be a very interesting time RAY HOLDRIDGE, Age Is. Isedyard
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
The Mvsterious Bundle.

It was a cold night in December. Out in the farmers yard was the far mer, who having just come in from the stable was carrying a lantern. As he was walking into the house, he glanced in through the window and looked with pride upon the happy group seated around the fireplace, joking and chattering.
 On hearing footsteps behind him he turned and came face to face with a little old man. After having invited him into the house, he saw that the stranger wore a battered hat, and a long coat made for a figure twice the size of the wearer. He had some thing bulky tied in a queerly shaped bundle, clutched tightly in his arms. The figure with his long arms that swung by the mans side, was so mo- ticeable that the farmer was attract ed by it in a remarkable degree, and even stopped short to observe it.
 The host, a man of hospitable means, asked the stranger to warm himself, and nothing loath, he did so.
 The fire seemed welcome to him and he seated himself by it, while the farmers wife set out a plain. but nourishins meal. Then. with all a hungry mans zest. the dwarf, still with the bundle sat down at the ta- ble. In the midst of eating, the fam fly were interrupted by a faint wall.
 One of the litle girls exclaimed, "Ol mamma, what can that be2"
 Her mother did not know but the sound came from the old mans di- rection, all eyes were turned on him, and very much astonished did they get as the man proceeded to unwrap his litle bundle, and loi and behold! the face of the most beautiful baby was seen. His large eyes rested on the grim, wrinkled face of the man beside him. Then twinkled merrfly and the urchin smiled and held out his hands.
 The children rushed forward each trying to get hold of him first. He was fine. healthy little fellow, with a chubby round face, and a little rose | bud mouth.
 "oI isn't he a dear?" cried every one in turn.
 The child formed a beautiful pic ture as he nestled among his bed o1 | rags.
 After an hour of amusement the I old man told his story, saying:
 "As was walking through a Lon- don street, one bitter cold night, sev- ! eral boys went past me and called out
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Why Country Life is Better Than City
 Life

The reason I like country life better than city life is because the city is not as healthy. In the country you can go in the forests for flowers, while in the city 1t is very different
 In winter when the snow is deep it is very good coasting in the country, but in the city it is very dangerous be- cause the streets are so crowded. In the country you can go fishing, hunting and also play many games, such as tag baseball, etc.
 When spring comes in the country 1t is a very busy time, helping blow the ground, planting seeds, and also making flower gardens.
 There are also many fields in the country for the children, while in the city they have to stay in the house most of the time.
 This is why I like the country life.
 RUBY SWAIN. North Stonington
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
Make the mighty ocean
 And this glorious land

At this day drop of water Is not so small an object as 1t used to be. Living creatures so small you can put a hundred thousand in a drop of wa ter are now exciting the interest of the whole world.
 In days gone by an atom was just an atom-that was all. Today an atom is a little round particle so small it cannot be seen by the most powerful microscope-you could get one hundred thousand of them in a drop of water.
 And an atom Is not the smallest thing known, for 1t is large compared with lnolecu1e or an electron, for science tells us one hundred thousand of these are only equal to an atom. : This little electron or unit of cleo trio force has a speed of 12,000 miles second and a current of them is what makes the lighting and the cleo trio force which carries our trolleys, and which could pass around the earth 30 times in a minute.
 And you have met the molecule in the garden i:l the invisible scent of the rose which sends out millions of them for days and days.
 And not only the flowers scent the air with molecules, but we all scent the earth with them-they go right through our shoes and cling to the earth so that our dog having lost us can follow our track and find us.
 And some of these electrons go with iron to the depth of a foot.
 There is great power in these little things, and they add to the comfort and pleasure of all of our lives every day.
 The seven wonders of the world are nothing compared to the invisible wonders which contribute to our wei fare every moment.
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
The Resurreotion pIant.

In the Rochester Nurseries there is a curious plant. It is found in Mexi- co and called The Resurrection Plant; and sometimes the Rose of Jericho. This plant was mentioned by Isaiah in the Bible.
 The Resurrection Plant is very rare, It has been found in the Philippines and Egypt.
 This is the legend the Indians tell: It is called The Mystic Legend and believed by all Indians.
 The large tribe of Lomas had for many years been in war with their weaker neighbors- They had a new chief who neglected worshipping the Great Spirit, then the Rain God brought a great drought upon the tribe of Lamos.
 All springs, brooks, ponds, lakes and rivers dried up, also all flowers This brought a fever to the tribe.
 One sad day Terrio,. the chief, was stricken and there was but one spring left and that was fast drying up. Af- ter several days the chief came out of his hut and stood on a boulder near the spring.
 Three times he asked forgiveness of the Rain God, three times he pray. ed, three times he called, then he fe1 dead.
 Soon after the Rain God descended and spoke to the people. To show hii powers he picked up a brown ana dead fern and instantly it became green. At dawn the next morninI there came a thunder storm and tho Lannon's lived in plentiness ever after This flower can be put into a sau. cer of water and in three-Quarterl of an hour will be alive again. I should be taken out of water once week. When it is asleep 1t is useC to Keep away moths and insects iron closets. cupboards, etc. MILDRED GRANDY, Age 10. YantiC
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
HELEN EVELYN CAMPBELL, Age
 Taftville.
Her First Visit to Bridqeport.

Dear Uncle Jed: I will tell you how first went to Bridgeport and how l liked it.
 When I was about eight years old my mother said she was tired of liv- ing in New London and would like a change. My father asked her if she would like to go to Bridgeport. She decided to go.
 The following week they left. Ieav- ing me in care of my sister. who was then 20 years of age. When they had been gone about two months they sent for my sister and I to come for a visit. When we were entering Bridgeport we thought we would not like it, for it was a very dirty looking place; but as we were nearing the depot 1t ap- peared much different than when he first entered.
 Mother and father were waiting at the depot for us. They took us to their lodging place and I stayed there for four months and thought 1t a very pretty place.
 IRENE MCCARTHY, Age 12.
 NOrrrfrb
Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
LETTERS OF AckNowLEDeMENT

Ruth Brown of Willimantic: Thank you for the nice prize book you sent me. I have read all of 1t and liked it.
 Irene Mccarthy, of Norwich: I thank you very much for the prize book you sent me. I have read three chapters and think 1t a very nice book
 John Spencer, of Scotland: I receiv- ed the prize book and thank you very much for it. I hope that I will find it interesting.
 Eva Partridge of Norwich: I thank you very much for my prize book. l have nearly read it through. I think it is very interesting.
 THE WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS.
 1-Mary A. BurriII, of Stafford Springs: Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point.
 2-James Ryan of Norwich: Uncle Sam's Boys as Sergeants.
 3-MiIdred Grandy, of Yantic: The