davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-26
BY JOSEPH MORAN.

Another boy named Bobbie
Bowman-there he is-CBobbIe p
was riding to the hospital with
joel and were wading the gut
ter in the park. 1t was rainin',
but we didn't care, and pretty
soon, Bob says to me:
"'Joe, this currents gettIn'
swift. We better get out
Il didn't think the current was
gettin' swifter. though, so we
kept on wading. All Of a sudden
Joe and I looked up the gutter
and here came a big rush of
water. 1t looked like a little
wall, only 1t made the gutter
deeper'n my waist. It was up
around my arms. Joe give a jump
and climbed up the side OF the
gutter and he tried to grab at
me, but the water was too quick.
"All Of a sudden felt the
water hit me. apd couldn't keep
my feet. 1t was awful swift.
tried to grab the sides as 1 went
along, but couldn't hold on.
looked down the gutter and the
big sewer was getting closer and
closer every second. (The sewer
had a stone entrance about five
feet high)
Il tried awful hard to keep from
going into the sewer. but I
couldn't help It Then all OF a
sudden, everything was dark-oh,
dark as anything. couldn't see
the sides or the top or anything,
except the hole where I came in,
and that kept getting smaller and
smaller. Pretty soon, couldn't
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-26
How Little Joe Moran Almost Paralleled Jean
Valjean's Experiences in HugO's lies Miserables'
His Rescue, After Hour and a
Half Imprisonment in the
Sewer, Saved Him
From Almost Ger
tain Death.

Yesterday afternoon Joe Moran, q
ttoeIUe-Vedr-old Washington boy, faced
almost certain death for Ninety minutes
and HeUer lost his Herve. St1ept into q
setoer, the chances favored his being
stoept along underground for str miles
and then be toashed out into the river.
4 filtration plant workman named
Thomas II. Green, BY the merest. chance,
opened a nldHhoIe in the parking Of the
filtration plant district, along Hobart
place, and found the boy cliHOinO in the
black depths, piping pldiHtively for
help.
Joe told the story Of his trip through
the bidckness Of the seioer, a distance
Of nearly ttoo city blocks, TO a police
man, as he rode TO Garfield Hospital
{" the patrol tcGooH yesterday after
noon. The description he 0oVe toGs as
follotcs:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-26

a SEARCH for a stolen
Violet Diamond, a
strange religious sect that
had its origin in Arabia,
and a beautiful goddess
who exercises uncanny
power over her subjects
figure prominentlyin this
latest and best Pathe pho
toplay serial. The factthat
Pearl White is the star
is sufficient assurance
that such a serial would
be a success. But Pathe
has added Warner GLAND,
famous william of Patria,
to the cast which doubly
assures success. In ad-
dition there is Ruby Hof-
man, Earle Foxe and
Henry Gsell in the prin-
cipal roles, making an all
star cast. You can'taford
to miss this rare treat.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-26
VOTE BILL
SET IN SENATEFOR
NEXT WEDNESDAY

A vote on the nationwide prohibi-
ton constitutional amendment will De
cached in the Senate next Wadne sday
afternoon. Senator Sheppard, author
OF the bill. predicted today. An
agreement will be reacI"d during the
day between pro and anti Senators
whereby debate will begin on the
measure Tuesday with a vote the fol-
lowing day.
One Senator can Upset. an agreement
TO vote wednesday as II requires unan-
imous consent. Such anti-prohibi-
ton Senators as Pcnrn"e OF Penpsyl-
vania, Reed of Missouri. and Under.
wood OF Alabama. acquiesced in the
agreement, however. Senator PenrDFe
said he thought the Senate would ac'
Cept it
DFys Are CONFIDENT.
The adoption OF the Sheppard reso-
luton is declared certain by the
''drys." although it will require a two,
thirds vote Senator Sheppard pre-
dicted II would have sixty six votes,
or two more than two-thirds, IL all
Senators were present.
Twenty-Five States are now classI-
fed as dry"
The prohibitionists viii have TO
hold their present strength and gain
eleven more States. They believe they
can do It. Senator Sheppard said.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-26
Catarrh
OF The Stomach:
Is Dangerous

Thousands Have 1t and Don't
Know It," Says Physician.
Frequently Mistaken for IT.
digestion-How to Recognize
and Treat.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
IDdn 'tLike the 7 une

Outside the village hosiery a trav
cling musician was coaxing "The Lost
Chord" from battered brass instru.
ment. The landlord, unclaimed his
hungry bull-terrier, with a view to in.
duce the musician to continue his
travels. But, strangely enough, the
dog evinced quite friendliness
toward the performer.
Music hath jarms," said the must
|cian, with a smile
mot always" replied the landlord.
"Play that tune outside yon red brick
house, and I'll give you a shilling"
Five minutes later the musician,
katless. muddy, and badly scared, re-
turned. "You vas right" he gasped.
Music hath farms, not always. A mad
fellow came out Of dat house and
knock me down. He not like dat
Lost Chord"
II thought he wouldn't" observed
the landlord. Hes just done a
months hard labor for stealing some
clothes-line from a backyard" - Tit
Bits.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Lou Currie Tells of Noun
tain Home Near
Haley, Idaho
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
l am writing my first letter to
Juniors.
am boy about fourteen years old.
have lived in Bloomfield for the past
ten months used to live in Idaho,
where there are many cowboys and
cowgirls, and Indians out there, too
lived out there eleven years.
There are many bears, deer, coyotes.
and many other animals.
There are many nice streams and
beautiful mountains. The mountains
above us have five lakes on the top.
We have beautiful weather there In
the summer. 1t is cool there in the
summer, and not very cold there in
the winter. The snow Is pretty deer
in the winter, and the boys and girls
have lots Of fun in the snow. They
go snow-shoeing and ice skating.
do not live very far from the
capital city, called Boise. The highest
mountain in Idaho is fifteen miles
from there and its name is Mount
Hymann. If you want to you can
look it up on the map. Look in Blaine
county, HALEY.
Well. / guess I will close until
write another letter.
Lou Currie.
Bloomfield, Iowa, Gen. Del
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Cleo Lees Nickel a Great
Traveller

Dear Juniors:
am going to tell you story of a
nickel.
Once there was nickel. 1t had
been in a big box with its brothers.
A rich man came along and got me for
change of dime. then was sold to
q boy for a newspaper. The news.
paper boy sold me for sack of candy.
The candy man gave me to his little
girl, who sold me for some peanuts.
The peanut man gave me with some
more friends to the coal man, and the
coal man gave me to butcher for
some meat, and the butcher gave me
to a blind man on the corner. who
gave me to the bun man and the bun
man was rolling some meat up for
a bun and happened to get in the
hun and the last thing they saw Of
me was going down big hole.
Cleo Lee, age IL.
ottusnwa, Iowa. 226 South Ward St
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
aAge 49," Ottumwa, Iowa.
Forgot to Sign Any Name
Dear Juniors:
Y AhN,,ohf T

Dear juniors:
thought I would write you about
4 poor boy whose name was Ned. II
was not his fault, it was something
he could not help. II he had nickel
! he would spend 1t, for he was fond
OF luxur1es, and everything he could
buy with a nickel. for he was fond Of
nice clothes, and 1t takes lots oil
nickels to buy them.
He used to think what he would dc
II he was rich, and what he would
buy for this one. and that one. And
IN q very short time he had spent all
he had earned. for though his purse
was small his heart was large and II
was said of him by those who knew
him best that he would give away the
last cent he had in the world.
It seemed to this boy as II there
was a voice in his heart that said
give while you live, for you live mol
long. and 1t rang through his ear like
4 strange, weird song, give while you
live, for you live not long.
Age Thirteen.
Ottumwa, Iowa, Box As.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Evelyn M. Roach on the
Great State of Iowa

Dear Editor:
/ will write about Iowa.
Iowa was first part of the terri.
tories of Louisiana, Michigan and
Wisconsin.
In 1888 1t became a separate terri.
tory.
The first white settlement in Iowa
was made by Julien Dubuque close to
the present city of Dubuque.
It was not until the close of the
Black Hawk war in 1882 that per.
manent settlements were made.
The first legislature met at Bur-
lington in 1889.
At the time OF it's adoption to the
union in 1886 there were twenty-seven
organized counties. Iowa City was
the first capital of the state. In 1853
they moved it to Des Moines. In 1857
Des Moines was declared the capital
of the state. The present capitol Of
Des Moines was erected at the cost
of three million dollars. It is one of
the finest buildings of the west.
In the civil war Iowa furnished
1858 men, more than one-tenth OF
the population.
Iowa is situated between the
parallels of 40 degrees twenty-five
minutes and 43 degrees 80 minutes
north latitude. and 80 degrees twelve
minutes and SO degrees 80 minutes
west longitude. 1t is one-third as
large as Spain and nearly as large as
England and Wales, seven-eighth as
large as New England.
Iowa Is about three hundred miles
in length and its width is about two
hundred miles. It is almost free from
rocky, barren. or swamps, and con-
ltains no large bodies Of water.
Iowa is bordered on the west BY the
Missouri river. and on the east by the
Mississippi river. on the south by the
state Of Missouri and on the north by
Minnesota. The chief cities Of Iowa
are Des Moines, the capital Of Iowa,
Burlington, Omaha, Waterloo, Council
Bluffs,
1owa's soil is rich, sandy loan. The
soil is chiefly glacial drift.
The animals are the rabbit, SPUR.
rel, ground mole, chipmunk, bobtali
cat.
The trees Of Iowa are the elm. bass
wood, white. oak, burr oak, ash, maple,
black walnut, hickory.
The wild rose is the state flower.
Iowa stands eighth in production OF
coal. One of the largest gypsum de-
posits is near Fort Dodge.
In 1910 the population Of Iowa was
2,224,771.
Agriculture is the chief industry.
A large part Of Iowa is in the corn
belt. Oats is next.
In production Of fast horses, Iowa
| has become rival Of the famous blue
grass region OF Kentucky, and Is
famous for its draft horses.
AS my letter is getting long, ] will
close
Evelyn M. Roach, age 10.
Abba, Iowa, r. R. No. 2.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Gertrude Kelly of North
English Writes Her
First Story
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
This is the first story have writ
ten and hope it is put in the paper.
The first thing l knew was in a
very dark place with my brothers.
Then all of sudden,I heard a pick
ing. soon found out that it was a
miners pick. He dug me out with
my brothers and put me in a car with
several other coins. was very much
frightened at first, and soon fuond
that our car was in motion.
I was then taken to place where
1t was light. Then they put me in
another car and it took me to large
city where was taken to a large
house. There l was put into large
mint and shaped into nickel and
then laid away. Soon a man came
and wanted some change. was
amongst the money he got.
The man took me home and gave
me to his little girl She wanted to
spend me. So she went down town
and there she gave me to man for
some candy. The man took me to
house where he put me in an en-
velope and sent me away on a fast
train. Soon arrived at factory
where l was put in box with some
other money At last the man took
me to the bank and l was. given to
another man. He put me in his
pocket and took me home. On the
way to town one day he lost me. A
little girl found me- and gave me to
a storekeeper and got some candy
with me. The storekeeper gave me to
his boy. The boy went fishing and
lost me in the river. A fish swal
lowed me and I have not been found
Gertrude Kelley, age 10.
Icx,1rlia.h Iarx,o RDY go
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Helen Mary Parks The
Story of Iowa. "Beau-
tiful Land"

The story of Iowa, Beautiful
Land" is as interesting as fairy
tale. Thousands of years ago our
beautiful land was covered over by
the sea- Then during the glacial
period she lay buried beneath a mass
of ice. When all this was gone plants
and animals sprung up and thrived in
a tropical manner. For then 1t was
very warm.
Slowly, hills and valleys. rivers and
lakes, trees and plants such as we
see today were fashioned by nature
and the hand of time. Traces OF
mound builders were found. In these
mounds skeletons, stone, weapons.
pottery, and rude stone engravings
are found. In time the Algonquin In
dams of the Atlantic coast came west
ward. Iowa became one long battle
ground between this tribe and the
Dakotas, who drifted east from their
camp in the Rockies.
These Indians, it is thought, chased
the Mound Builders out and left the
land for the Indians. America had
been discovered almost two hundreo
wears before white man set foot In
Iowa.
In June. 1873, Father Marquette,
French missionary, and Canadian
trader by the name Of Joliet, with i've
companions whose names are not
known, sailed down the Great
rather of Waters" as the Indians
called the Mississippi.
These white men were charmed
with the beautiful region they had
discovered, and decided to go on iano'
They did. and were greeted by the
Indians, who asked them to their
yigwams in peace. The next morn
ing the guests set forth upon their
tourney accompanied by the great
chief and six hundred of his men IN
canoes, Neither Marquette nor joliet
ever returned and more than nun
dred wears passed before any white
men thought of making Iowa their
home.
In the year 1888 young french
man nv the name Of Julien Dubuque
came down from Canada in search OF
adventure. He was a friend OF the
Indians. Dubuque was gallant ana
no,ite when in company Of ladies'. he
was welcomed in society, which was
Of halls and dances in st. Louis. Du'
buoue died in 1910 poor man. Inc
Indians came in large numbers at MS
death, There were many settlers after
DUBUQUE. After the opening OF the
Black Hawk purchase the Indians got
nushed out of Iowa. The last treaty
was signed at Agency, six miles east
of Ottumwa.
Iowa became state December ~,
1896 She was the twenty-ninth state
to enter the union and the fourth state
carved from the Louisiana purchase.
Ansel Briggs was the first governor
of Iowa. o,,.. ,,,,+
The capitol was at Iowa City put
the people thought it should be
nearer the center, so it was changed
TO Des Moines in 1857. Iowa came
into the union as free state
More than s9.00o.0oo are used an
nuallv to keep up her schools. iowa
has the most beautiful heads or STOCK
found In any part of the world.
The capitol at Des MONIES was
erected at the cost Of s3,ooO'ooo:
She sits enthroned "Pral1e
Queen
Helen Mary Parks. age Is.
Ottumwa, Iowa, r. R. No, 8.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Yvonne Sperry's Nickel
Story

Dear Junior:
l am going to write a story of .
nickel.
One day a poor little girl came into
a bakers shop for loaf of bread. The
man took the nickel and put 1t In the
cash drawer with many other nickols.
When the man put the nickel IN
with the others he was bright, shiD-
ing nickel He was very proud of him.
self and wouldn't have anything to do
with the rest One day the nickel
was getting very lonesome. Finally
he made up his mind to start an arBu-
ment with dark, sad looking nickel.
Soon he said, am younger than you
and much brighter. Well, said the
dark. sad nickel, have been In the
drawer for two weeks, but there to no
sign Of getting out yet Just then
little girl came into the store to buy
some things. She had nickel coming
hack for change. He opened the
drawer, picked up the nickel that was
30 very sad, but when he saw what
was going to happen he had vey
happy look upon his face.
Ant soon after he was given to ma11
more stores.
1NOuHS oPSiiy, GOV -
113 Fairview Ave-, Ottumwa. Iowa.
THE SUNSET LIMITED.
oh. Hush-a-bye Land is beautiful
place
For sleepy small people to go,
And the Rock-a-Bye Route is the
favorite one
With a certain wee laddie l know.
The track lies on sleepers of feathers
and down,
No accidents ever take place.
Though there's only one track, ana
there's only one train.
But it runs at wonderful pace.
There are beautiful things to be seen
on this route
II you're good you may take just .
peep;
But strange as it seems, they are seen
best in dreams,
Be sure that you soon go to sleep
Say goodnight to the Sun. for he's
off to bed, too -
He can't hear you, so just wave
your hand;
The Moon and the Stars they will
light up the cars
AS you travel to Hush-a-bye Land.
So, quick, jump aboard, 1t is time to
be off,
You have nothing to pay, you young
elf;
Just think of the luxury, laddie, you'll
have
A whole sleeping-car to yourself!
- Booklovery Magazine
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Samuel Cohn's Nickel
Brought Much
Happiness

The first thing remember was that
I heard little machine 90 bz-z-z-z as
If to say, Get out Of my way"
Then cut was made which sepa.
rated me and some, of my other broth.
ers from the rest of our brothers.
When we were taken out in the sun.
shine felt ashamed Of myself because
was very dirty, but In day was
proud of myself, for had been washed
and now shined brightly in the sun.
shine.
I was wondering what was going to
long to find out, for I heard man
say, Get the nickels ready, we pack
1T away tomorrow"
asked one Of my brothers who had
been cut up in another piece, what
this man meant, and he told me that
he had seen some Of our other
brothers packed in houses that moved
and that's what they were going to do
with US on the following day.
The brother had spoken to was
right, for the next day was put into
Ia dark house that seemed to move.
I was not ut all comfortable, because
was crushed by my other brothers.
At last we reached large city where
we were again taken out in the sun
shine. Oh, how happy l was!
We were then taken to factory
where we were cut into round pieces
and had something stamped on both
our sides. What did they do this for?
The next thing remember was that
] was taken to a bank where l and
nineteen other old nickels were
wrapped in brown paper. While l
was with the other nickels they told
me of their lives in the world, which
made me want to go out in the world.
The next day man came in with
with five dollar check and said,
"Give me two in quarters, two in
dimes. and one in nickels."
Lucky for me that my package was
given to him. for now was going to
be in the wide world.
AS my owner was coming out of the
bank a poor man asked him for a
nickel and he gave me to him.
The man after receiving ME ran as
fast as his legs could carry him to the
bakery where he bought a loaf Of
bread for me. The baker put me into
his cash register, where I am today.
But this is not the end of my story.
While l was in the cash register,
one of my brothers told me that he
saw the poor man take gold piece
out of the bread. The man being an
honest man took the gold piece to the
baker and asked him II he had not
made mistake, but the baker toll
him that traveller gave the bread to
him and told him to give 1t to the
poorest and the most honest man he
know, 80 the baker gave 1t to my poor
used-&o-be-owner. SO all the nickelsa
praised me and said l had done good
In the world. was glad to hear this
and hope that the next time l will do
as good as did this time.
Now will end my story.
Samuel ]. Cohn, age III.
1872 East Main street, Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Albert r. Gardner, Jr., and
a Nickel

Dear Editor:
One day a little girl and her papa
went to visit mint in Denver.
Alice, I think, was her name. She
exchanged some pennies for nickel
and took it back home to the eastern
city where she lived.
She priced this little coin very much
because it reminded her of her vaca-
ton with her papa in the western
states.
A little friend OF hers invited her
to a party one afternoon, and she took
her pocketbook along. Az she came
home the nickel was lost and laid IN
the gutter a long time. When one
day a man picked it up and gave it
to his little boy.
It was all rusted now and was not
very pretty.
He ran to the candy store and got
a sack of candy to take home to his
little sister and the baby.
It is all coming out all right, after
all, said the nickel.
But alas, that night there was big
fire. The building burned down and
the nickel, with several other coins,
we're scattered among the ruins. When
the ashes were carried out and were
put on a wealthy mans garden, ser
want found this nickel and bought five
cents worth of stamps with It.
II then was sent to Washington,
D. c., and was put in safety deposit.
It is very proud of the good 1t has
done, but It would like to brighten
many more faces.
somebody must have heard this, be-
cause it was sent to Belgium IN the
relief fund.
Its next duty was buying bread for
an old man.
Now 1t considers itself veteran
and has retired, as 1t has seen sixteen
years of service.
Albert r. Gardner, Jr, age II.
Bonaparte, Iowa, r. No. /
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-16
Maxine Wiegand and a
q Nickel

The first thing can remember, !
was in the hard. cold ground. 1t was
very lonesome down there with moth
ing to do but to look at my brothers.
Well. finally something did happen.
I sow a stream Of light. In little
while ] felt warm and happy. Very
soon I felt something cold beside me,
and then ! was taken away out of the
earth up into the sunshine.
I learned from some Of my brothers.
who had been taken out before, that
a man whom they called miner had
brought me out This miner was very
lparticular about giving me bath be-
fore sending me to the United States
mint. There I was detained for quite
while, and l got little nervous
what was to become of me.
At last man came and took me
to large room where he put me IN
an immense melting pot where l got
so hot melted. My! l was so scared
I thought it would be the end of me.
But when / cooled off, SO they could
handle me, tool. heart again, for it
was evident that they were making
me into something. l was indeed
very happy when I was finished to
find myself bright, new. shining
buffalo nickel, one of the first put In
circulation.
Upon leaving the mint was taken
to the vault of bank. 1t was as
lonesome in that vault as it was IN
the ground. kept wishing ! was
out where I could do some good, when
one day my wish was granted, for the
banker came for me and handed me
ito man who was waiting at the
little window for change.
Upon reaching his home. this man
gave me to his little girl, who admired
me very much, and put me in a red
goose" bank, where there were lots
of other nickels. ! had another long
rest, when one day the little girl took
me to town and exchanged me for
candy.
For some time | Travelled around
quite lively Now finding myself in
1.-THE hand of poor boy. who looked
at me Iongingly as he passed me on
(his last money! for food; now in the
rocket of rich man, who scarcely
noticed me, now here, now there,
finally landing in the pocket of man
boarding a large boat, for he was
going abroad to get materials for hi!