davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-06

Early riSers yesterday morning were
fortunate as they were given an unusual
opportunity to witness peculiar and
startling display of northern lights. The
power of the rays was searching. sweep
ing the whole sky from north to south,
giving forth a brilliantly penetrating light,
almost as strong as a searchlight The sky
over the large stretch of water in the lake,
due either to the water or peculiar
atmospheric conditions Immediately above
the lake, was a burning red with long red
flashes darting continuously across the
horizon. Many people who are habitually
out at an early hour Of the morning as
sert that this particular display was the
oldest phenomenon Of the sky they had
ever seen.
Mrs. John Quinn of Peru street has
received word that her brother. A. j.
Petit, who is with the first division
of the United States army in France.
has been promoted to captain in the
quartermaster's department. Capt.
Petit has been in the regular army
for the past Is years and has worked
his way up through the ranks. gain
ing promotions solely on merit. He Is
good example of what a young man
can do in the army and his promition
as an officer is a refutation of the oft
heard complaint that there Is no
chance to rise An the army without a
pull" Capt. Petit has been an as
ISOLATE editor of the Defense Maya
zine In which have appeared many
articles on military subjects that have
won the attention of military men
and civilians alike.
CATCH FIRST VERMONT DEsERTER.
1t,Ar nft ha frat
Vermont Infantry, has been arrested at
Calais on charge Of being deserter.
| Charles Duke. a member of Company H
] OF Montpelier. was detailed by Col. Fred
| Thomas to go to Montpelier and try to
locate Prescott. He found the man at
his home In Calais ana took him to Mont
pelier. where he was locked up In WASH
ington county jail. and later taken to
Fort Ethan Allen to stand trial.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Ruth E. Clark.-The Birth.
place of My Parents"

Dear Juniors:
l have written few times before
this received prize some time ago
and wish to thank you for 1t.
l am going to write in the new con-
test about THE birthplace of my par
entS"
NY papa was born in an old log house
about three miles from Moulton, where
the Wabash railroad Is now. The
house was rudely built Of logs, and was
chinked and pointed. that is. the
chnks were driven between the cracks
and plastering was dobbed on. hole
was cut in one side for a window, and
another for a door which was hung on
wooden hinges.
The roof was covered with clap.
boards. Some of you Juniors may not
know what that is. 1t is a kind OF
single which Is split out of log.
These were held on by ridge poles.
My mamma was born in a little old
house north of Monterey Iowa.
The house stod in large timber. 1t
was about 16 by 20 feet in size and was
built Of native lumber The walls We're
not plastered but were ceiled and white
washed. The roof was Of shingles.
This old house is still standing but
there has been sheds added to 1t ana 1t
is now used as yranary.
Ruth E. Clark, age 10,
Moulton, Ia, r. No. l.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Media Madigan-Story of a
Nickel.
Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:
I am writing a story about nickel. I
am a lonely nickel. / was made in the
year Of 1925 which is very many years
ago. When ! was made all the people
thought ! was pretty ana shining. After
being laid around for while I was put
In the bank where somebody would draw
me out
One day a rich man came In to draw
some of his money from the bank and
1t happened that 1 was the unlucky
nickel and l was given to him. He went
into store to buy someting and as 1t
just cost a nickel he put me on the
counter. The storekeeper put me in a
drawer. l disliked this very much, so
that evening when the srorekeeper took
the money from the drawer he happened
to drop me on the floor and could not
find me so he gave me up as being lost.
The next day when little boy came in,
he found me on the floor and picked me
up. He got what he came to the store
for and left with me in his hand
AS he was going along a wooden side
walk he dropped me in hole and lost
me forever. He wept bitterly over the
loss of me.
Many years afterwards some men
were taking up the sidewalk. One Of the
men found me and showed me to the
other men. He looked at the said and
said: MY goodness, this nickel was
made in 1925 and 1t is sr years old I
shall keep 1t as a keepsake"
Media Madigan. age 10,
91S West Mill ST., Ottumwa-
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Veola Composition
A Strange Visitor.

One day an old woman was spinning
and as she spun she wished for com
pany.
And as she spun the window came
open and in came two souls and they
slid along until they came to the old
woman and then came two legs and they
slid along and jumped upon the two
souls and they seemed contented.
Then in came two thighs and they
slid along until they came to the two
soles and two legs and hoped upon the
soles and thighs and they seemed con-
tented
Then came thin waist and 1t slid
along until it came to the two thighs:
and jumped upon them and 1t seemed
contented.
And there was half Of a man already
and the old woman did not know what
to do.
Then in came two broad shoulders and
they slid along until they came to the
waist, two thighs, two soles, two legs
and Jumped upon them and seemed con-
tented
Then came two arms and two big
hands and a head and they slid along
until they came to the old woman and
hoped upon the rest and they seemed
contented and stayed.
of the company and he said in a gfuff
voice he was called the stranger. But the
old woman went on spinning.
Veola Allen,
All North A ST., Abba, iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
S a m my Bookin's Best
Friends, Mother and
Father.

Dear Juniors:
Speaking Of good friends I will say
that my father and mother are the best
trends l ever had and which will ever
have. They are my best friends In JOY
and in trouble. Their best wishes are to
see successful man out of me. They
are striving to bring me up physically
and morally strong. There are a good
many fathers and mothers who are
trying to obey the commands of their
children and to fulfill their wants, also
such commands and such wants which
1t are entirely against the good of the
children.
When you come into such a house
you can hardly tell who Is the master
of the house Small children will try to
conduct the business Of the house.
Such children are spending their vaca-
ton time in useless things. The long
winter evenings they will spend their
time in the moving picture shows IN
stead of making their lessons.
In our house we children know that
father and mother are the masters OF
the house. They are giving us orders
and we fulfill them. They taught us
how to spend our time and our money
In useful ways and we are doing it. We
love our father and mother and our
father and mother love us.
Sammy Bookin. age s,
4O4 East Main ST.,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
John N, CalhOun-An Auto
Ride Through Part
! of Iowa.

Dear Juniors:
AS have just taken trip in an auto
thought I would write about that.
We got up in the morning at about
o'clock and dressed, ate breakfast and
started for Fairfield We left Birming-
ham at 5: 30. We went through Fairfield
Veo, Pleasant Plain. Brighton, Wash
ington, kalona and Iowa City. The
crops are fine up that way. They do not
have very many silos. Their barns are
larger than around here.
About every farm had sign on the
barn who owned the farm and the
name of 1t as "Cloverdale' or sunny
slope"
We did not meet very many autos
while on the road,
We ran out of gasoline. but it hap
pened just in front of a farm house. We
saw the place where man ran off the
roadway into the Skunk river when he
tried to make the turn to the bridge.
The crops along the road are oats
and corn almost every time
They have as high as 80 or 100 acres
of corn in one piece. We went on to
Waterloo from Iowa City, through
Cedar Falls and we followed the Red
Ball route most of the way
We stopped at almost every town
and stretched our legs and saw the
sights. We came back by different
route. Most of the roads were good and
oiled The people up that way are nice
and kind. We had no trouble at ALL only
being little stiff when we got home
John n. Calhoun.
Blrmingh ham. Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10

ing for its own state, stood together
for one big thing.-the Union, the Uni
ted States Of America! Since then a
star has been added for every new
state. That Is the only change.
How many stars are there today?
After this, when you see the stars in
our flag, will you try to think what
they mean. and that they watch over
us in the same changeless way as do
the stars that come out in their places
above us, night after night? We can
depend on them both Nothing can
change the real stars, so nothing shall
change what our starry flags stands
for. What does 1t stand for? Think
hard, and you will know that 1t stands
for all the lives Of all the gosd men
who have lived and who do live under
It. It la Washingtons flag, it is Lin.
coins flag, it is your flag, 1t is my
flag, our flag, and we couldn't live
without II.
The red, white, and blue Do you
know what the colors stands for? Red
is for courage, white Is for purity
(which is another name for goodness),
and blue is for truth. Isn't that won
derful flag? It's three colors you can
see with your eyes, and they stand for
three biggest things which You cannot
see with your eyes but can feel in your
heart. You can live under its colors;
you can live by its co1ors!
Be proud of your flag. our flag. to-
day and every day, and make our flag
proud of you'll
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Villa Stevens-My Best
Friend.

Dear Juniors:
have not written to the Junior page
for some time. SO ! thought | would
write in the new contest.
My best friend is Thelna Bloom. She
lived on the same street as ] do only on
the other side of the street. Thelma
has blue eyes and dark brown hair, al
most black Thelma was fourteen years
old last Saturday.
Thelma had been going to Sunday
school some time when she asked me
to 60 with her, so did. She and have
gone to the Willard Street Methodist
church ever since then. We were both
in the first class then but now we are
in the tenth class.
Thelma and went to school together
until Thelma had eye trouble and IT
kept her back but now she is in grade
I, class and ! am grade 8, class A.
But 1t makes no difference, we are still
very good friends
When first went to the Stuart school
for Sth grade thought had ought to
wait for Thelma or else go over after
her because this was the way we al
ways did.
Villa Lee Stevens, age IA,
719 Gladstone and Ferry SITS.
Ottumwa Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Ethel May Boyce-Hans
And His Boat.

Dear Juniors:
l have never written to the JUNIOR
page before, so l thought 7 would send
you one of my compositions
Hans lived In Hollsnd. He liked to
play In the sunshine as well as we do.
He wore very queer clothes. He wore
wooden shoes and big trousers. Every
day he went down to the river to sail his
boat.
One day as he was sailing his; boat.
the wind was blowing hard. And the
waves were raising high. Hans took his
boat in the water and said, sail. little
sail
This time the boat went too far out in
the water. Hans took long stick and
tried to get 1t but he could not. Tears
came into his eyes. Pretty soon he sa "
a fisherman out in the river fishing. He
called out. Hey. Mister. will you please
get my boat for me?"
The fisherman got the boat for Hans
And Hans never sailed his boat when
the wind was blowing after that
Ethel BoyCe. age IL.
$50 Pocahontas tS., Ottumwa, la.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Mildred COrnell-"Her Best
Gift"
Dear Juniors:

AS l have never written before
thought would see what l could do.
It, happened good many years ago
when snow was on the ground and
everyone was talking about Christmas
and what they thought old Santa was
going to bring them. But in one lone
ly cottage there was not so lNuch joy
because Mrs. Dean and her two
children were very poor. and all Mrs
Dean owned in the whole world were
her two children, Ruth and Margaret.
the youngest being Ruth, who was
four years old and Margaret being ten
years old. The only means Of suppirt
that Mrs. Dean had was to take in
washings.
AS days passed by and Margaret
grew older she 1onged to see her
mother in comfortable house and en-.
joyins all the pleasures of life. Mar.
garet possessed very sweet soprano
voice which had rich and mellow
tone to it. A neighbor of the Deans
would often give Margaret few coins
If she would sing for her. This rich
beautifully that she told some Of her
friends.
A few month slater the news spread
from mouth to mouth that there was
very great singer coming to this city
to give a concert Margaret's kind
neighbor asked her to go to the con-
cert. After the concert Margaret was
taken up to the singer by her kind
friend who told the singer of Mar
garet's voice. Margaret was asked to
sing over few OF her songs, which
she did so well that it left the singer
amazed. She asked Margaret to
Sign up" and told her what chance
she had to make name worth hav-
ing Margaret quickly accepted this
great offer and that night as she
bounded home she was dreaming of
her future; she could see her mother
and Ruthie in a splendid home, while
she was fast earning money and a
name worth having. And her dream
came true. As she told her mother
the joyful news. she thought this the
best Christmas gift she had ever re.
ceived or given to her mother.
Mildred Cornell, age 10,
916 N Main street, Charlton, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
COURIER JUNIOR REMNANTS.

The Courier Junior has decided to
have some beautiful pennants mado
and the colors will be gold and blue.
OF course the pennants are for the
Juniors, but the Juniors must work
hard to win one We have decided to
award four pennants to the four Jun
Tors writing the four best stories on
one of the following subjects:
1.-THE MOST INTERESTING STORY
EVER HEARD" or
"THE. HAPPIEST DAY OF NY
LiFE,' or
"MY BEST FRiEND.'
This contest closes Sept. l. Inc
pennant will be of gold color and the
lettering, THE Ottumwa Courier Jr
Club" in blue.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Clara Louise Lambert Her
Uncle a Doctor at Ft.
Oglethorpe, Ga.

Dear Junior:
I have not written you letter for
some time.
So thought I would write you about
my uncle who is a doctor at Fort Ogle-
thorpe, Georgia.
There are almost as many men at
this fort, soldiers. officers, doctors, etc.
as there are people in Ottumwa.
They have five hundred German pris-
oners and they built their own prison
which is a very large building.
There are many sick men there and
not half enough doctors, only five hun
dred.
He has been over all the old battle
grounds and on top of Lookout noun
tain. He rode up on the trolley cars.
He has been In several accidents but
never got hurt We hear from him al
most every day.
/ hope he will not have to go to
France.
My nncles name is Dr. E. ]. Lambert.
love him very much, and hope that
this war will soon end so he can re-
turn home safely.
Clara Louise Lamber. age 8,
All e. Fourth ST.. Ottumwa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Dorothy .Troth-Her Trip
To the Country and to
the Fair.

Dear Juniors:
am going to write about my trip tc
the country and the fair. We started or
the 6:15 train from Ottumwa and
reached the fair grounds at 1880.
saw the races and went through the art
hall and saw many beautiful pieces OF
art. We ate dinner about IL o'clock
My uncle. Corporal Maring and my
stepfather Private Beeler, ate with
us.
About s O'Clock my uncle came II
from the country and took us out t.
my great grandfather's farm.
Dorothy Troth. age 9,
661 South Davis ST.,
= OttumWa, L.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Night
Hazel BrOwn-A
Time Visitor

Dear juniors:
n was midnight Every member of the
family was fast asleep. Suddenly their
dreams were shattered by loud noise
Again it sounded, and again.
1t is some one knocking at the front
door. said mother NO It is some one
humping on the front door porch, said
Tom.
Bangt bang! bang! came the sound
again. Father started toward the front
door.
Come back. father! cried May. am
afraid.
Father only smiled at May as he
walked away to the front door He drew
back the bolt and threw open the door
There stood a goat. They had forgotten
to shut the goat up that night. They
left 1t in the barn lot and it came up to
the yard and came up 10 the door.
Hazel Brown. age 3.
PouRs-Lea.ndo. Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
The Hotel Ottumwa.
NV soldier brother,
ALL ABOUT PRIZES.

We do wish the Juniors would ae'
knowledge their prizes.
II any Junior has ever failed to re-
eeiye a prize after it is announced
IN this column, it is because the
wrong address has been given us.
When We say wrong address we es'
recially 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 box send
IN their parents names.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
SONG.

! meant to do my work today.
But brown bird sang in The apple
tree,
And a butterfly fitted across the
field,
And the leaves were calling me;
And the wind went signing over the
land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And rainbow held out its shining
hand-A
So what could do but laugh and go?
~Richard LIE Gallienne.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Mark Crosson of Eddyville
Current Events.

Dear Juniors:
AS have not written for a while l
will write some current events.
There are three new buildings being
built in town
There were many bushels of corn and
potatoes grown this year.
Nearly every one raised some garden.
There are going to be lots of apples
around here and not many cherries
There are four soldiers and one sail
or from here.
Mark Crosson,
Eddyville. Ia, Box 40.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
SEVEN RULES FOR THE JUNIORS

1. 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
4 separate piece of paper, with name
and address in full.
7, Address envelope to The Courier
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Thelma Dagle-Story of a
Nickel.

Dear Juniors.
thought I would write story about
nickel.
Once a piece of gold came from a
mine. After a few days It went to mint
where 1t was made into nickel The
president brought it with some other
money. He gave 1t to a little girl who
was poor. She bought a loaf of bread
with the nickel. The store keeper bought
some oranges with ii. The man who
got the nickel bought box Of candy for
his little girl. The man that got the
nickel went to a fair and lost 1t there.
Thelma Dagle, age IL.
Rich1and Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
THE COURIER JUNIOR
DEPARTMENT
Published by
THE COURIER PRINTING co.
Ottun1wa, Iowa
EDITOR
MATILDA DEVEREiUx
A PICTURE CONTEST.
Dear Juniors

Dear Juniors:
The picture adjoining todays Jun
Tor is most patriotic one, and the
reading over it expresses the sentl-
ment of all the boys and girls OF the
u. S. A., The Unconquerable
Spirit of 1916 burns in the hearts OF
Americans today" Now, we call the
special attention of the Juniors to II
because we want them all to study II
carefully. Perhaps some of the Jun
iors' papas and mamas will help
them understand all that this pictures
represents. We want all the Juniors
to use this picture as the subject TOR
A new contest which opens today and
closes August 16. The award VIII pc
q flag.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Paul E. ELISA Nickel's
Life.

Dear Juniors:
This is the first time j have ever writ
ten to the Junior page.
am going to write about nickel
Once a little boy was coming home
from school He found a bright nickel
He ran to the store and bought some
candy with 1t.
Then the store keeper gave it to the
bakerman. And the baker gave 1t to his
little boy. He bought marbles with II
and the man lost 1t and little girl
found II and put 1t in her bank.
Paul Ellis,
Ottumwa, Ia, r. 3, Box 20.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Doris Cockerill-VacatiOn
On the Farm.

Dea- Juniors:
The way I spend my vacation is
feeding the chickens, hunting the eggs.
feeding the pig and pulling weeds in
the garden, picking cherries and some
times go horseback riding. Mamma
and and have been picking gooseber
ries
sometimes spend a week in town.
am years old
Doris Cockerill,
Ottumwa, Ia. Box A.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Virginia Venyard's Cats
Name is Tabby.

Dear Juniors:
This is the first time ! have written
to the Juniors SO / will tell about my
pet cat. The cats name is Tabby. It Is
blue. love it very much like to play
with it, II loves milk. 1t will not eat
hardly anything. have lots of fun with
it.
Virginia Vineyard age 9,
72o Wabash Ave. Ottumwa. Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
Ralph Starkey-Iowa Land
of Corn.

Iowa, the land Of corn;
Where plenty fills her golden horn
With wheat stacks high,
Oats. hay and rye,
She will do her Bit" boys. in the food
supply.
Ralph Starkey,
Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-08-10
MANY SUBJECTS.

We want the Juniors to write snort
stories on the following subjects
Midsummer day in Sweden.
The birthplace OF my parents.
Summer pleasures.
The qood roads near my home.
Why like my home (city or coun
try.)
What makes city grow.
A successful boy or cir! farmer.
The improvements in my city.
The bathing beach.
The oirls and boys corn club.
The LaddsdaIe boys and girls club
The country beautiful.
School compositions.
Ancestor stories.
Interesting letters.
Unusual stories.
Current events.
Soldier stories related by veterans
and retoId by juniors.
The garden Of kindness.
Kind hearts.
The cheerful giver.
Her best gift.
A motorcycle trip.
Fifty miles in an auto and what
saw.
The Hotel Ottun1Wa.
Ny soldier brother.
This contest will run all through the
month of August but prize winner
will be chosen each week. The writers
can select their prizes from among tne
following articles: A character doll
letter paper, knife, ball bat, roller
skates, full picnic basket, flag, DOOR,
box of candy, or knitting needles.
Clara Louise Lambert is the prize
winner today