davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
THE EASTER LILAC

about me. It starts my sap flowing and I shall grow ill spite of myself
 Let us see what we can do. to help the bush along" said Hester's mother Take your trowel and dig around the roots first" ("They'n find a wet, sticky place and be better able to synpathize with me-" thought the 1iiac.) Then put in some new earth, the richest you can get, and we'll snip off the w1thered leaves and dry. twigs and see if they don't take a new start"
 T shall have to, I believe, if they don't stop making such a fuss about me-" thought the lilac bush. It's a pity if thing can't stop growing and wants to- But though the lilac grunn- bled little at first. it felt so much better after Hester and her mother had spent an afternoon doing things to just out of gratitude. Then several things happened; the sun shone; the earth that Hester had brought gave everything it had to give for sap, and the warm air dried up the ugly moss that had disfgured the trunk and branches. The lilac bush was glad again, and 1t set out to grow as fast as it could. It knew it would be be- hind time, anyway, because it had lost many a day standing still and grum- bling.
 So it made sap all day long and the leaves and buds grew and finally jiIacs began to group it's hower buds up among the branches. By this time it was the week before Easter and the lilac almost sat up nights to work. Hester said to her mother: 'Tt is go- ing to be prettier than it ever was be- fore" and that was true, for it had never worked so hard before, though of course Hester didn't know that. She was afraid, though, that it wouldn't bloom soon enough, it was so very late this spring.
 One morning, the very last one be- fore Easter Sunday, Hester turned in her sleep and dreamed that a sweet perfume was coming in at her window. Tn a minute she Awoke and ran across her room, and what do you think? Ev- cry cluster of buds on the lilac bueh had opened into purple flowers and they were waving in the morning sum- shine as if to say: we are ready, Hester. We are ready, after al1!"
 And 50, as usual, one spray was pinned on the teachers dress Ut was shabby and black, and she was glad of the flower, because 1t reminded her of home), and one spray was put on the dining table (There was never very much to eat at Hester's house. but the little girl and her mother did not care that day-they were thinking how beautiful the flowers were.o One bunch went to the church, and the ioveIiest bunch of all stood in a cup of water on the lame girls window sill and when she wont to bed she moved it to the table beside her bed and put her little hand out to touch it in the dark and went to sleep smiling.
 Now the lilac bush knew all about these things. and when 1t went to sleep that night it smiled, too. and it said: I'm so glad I got over my srouch and did my duty. How ashamed would have been on this Easter if had doGe as once thought of doing"
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19

Crossing. Tlie school is one and one half stories high. It has six windows in it. Each window has a pair of blinds painted gray. Tn the top of each blind is a half moon., The inside of the school is salmon color. There are two blackboartls and a set of maps of the world. There are few pie lures on the wall.
 Out teachers name is Miss Ruth C. Moore. There are seventeen pupils in school. The oldest ones in school are fourteen years old.
 There are eight grades in school There is from one up to four pupils in a grade, a boy and two girls. We have fifteen minutes recess nnd a half hour noon. We play all kinds o1 games at school-<
 I like to go to school in the summer as we can play out of doors more.
 JULIA MONTY. Age 10.
 PiainfeId
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
A Clever Hedgehog.

Mir and Mrs. Hedgehog lived in a snug little corner in the wood. One day there was nothing for dinner. so Mir. Hedgehog had to go and try to find some food. He roamed about for a long time, but found nothing. And at last he was afraid he should have to go back to his wife and the little Hedgehogs with no dinner for them. But he presently spied something on the ground:
 'Ho, said he. Apples! the very thing for the children. They will soon have their dinner now"
 But, oh. dear me! he very soon found he could not even carry one apple in his mouth. and one apple wouldn't be nearly enough What did he do7 leave the dinner behind him ? Not he! He just spread out those little spilzy quiils all over his body, and then rolled amongst the apples. Of course. some stuck fast on the spikes. and off he ran, as happy a little hedgehog as ever you saw, with his fauniiy,s dinner sticking on his back. Wasn't that clever?
 WILLIAM BOUREY, Age 16.
 GIasgo.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
The Poodle Doa.

The poodle dog first came from Ger many. Now they are seen in alnoft every country. They can oe taught many tricks. They are good water dogs and are very bright.
 This is story to illustrate the clev- erness of one of them.
 An English gentleman was once crossing a bridge in France. All at once he felt something rubbing against his foot. He looked down and. there was little poodle dog all covered with mud.
 The gentleman became very angry and wanted to hit the dog, but the dog ran away. When he passed the bridge he went to the bootblack and got his boots cleaned. Every time he went past the bridge he got his boots covered with mud by the little dog.
 One day when the dog rubbed mud on the gentleman's boots he watched him. He saw that the dog ran down to the water and covered himself with mud and then rubbed everyone's boots who went by the bridge. Then he saw how the dog ran over to his mas ter. the bootbiack. and the master pat ted him.
 The gentleman now knew that this
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
The Mistaken Hen.

The first time the white hen be- longing to Mir. Farmer raised a brood. it almost broke her heart to see the little creatures take to the brook. and go sailing of beyond her reach. She stood mournfu1ly on the bank and called to them. and promised them all sorts of dainties. such as fat worms, and big grass choppers. They took no notice Of her calls. whatever, they foated about, ducked their heads un- der the water. and came ashore when they felt like it.
 As they did this every day, and sev- eral times daily. the mother hen soon became a little used to it; but it was always d puzzle to her. While she waited for them on dry land she must have wondered great deal why they didn't drown. At last she must have given it up as one of those things no hen could find out.
 The fact was, MT. Farmer had set her on ducks eggs. After she had raised half a dozen families of ducks, she no longer worried about the ways of her brood.
 Possibly she thought that when she was a chicken she had known how to swim herself. and that it was only advancing age which cut her off from this pleasure.
 EDWARD T. MARIA, Age 10.
 Bozrahyille.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19

Once upon a time lilac. bush grew Ity a child's window. There was no garden there, only a little bit of ground with a few green things in it, and be- cause there were no trees in the crowd ed streets the birds perched on the lilac bush to sing and two of them hid a nest away in it's branches for want or la larger tree.
 It had been a happy lilac bush ali it's life. drinking in moisture from the earth and making it into sap; adding each year a tiny bit Of wood to its slender trunk; filling out it's leaf buds; and then-oh, happy, happy timei- hanging purple flowers here and there among it's branches. It always felt repaid for it's hard work when Hester came to gather some of the flowers just before Easter Sunday, for one spray went to the table where Hester and her mother ate together, one went to Hesters teacher, one to the gray stone church around the corner and enc to a little lame girl who sat quite house.
 But one year the lilac bush grew tired of being good and working hard,
 and the more it thought about it the aged it grew. The winter had been dark and rainy; the ground was so wet that it's roots felt slippery and un- |comfortable; there was some disagree branches; the sun almost never shone: the birds came out but seldom, and at last the lilac bush said: I'm going to
 give up! I won't do thing for Easter
 this year. I don't care if my trunk
 doesn't grow, nor my buds swell, nor my leaves grow larger. If Hester
 wants her room shaded she may pull
 her curtains down, and the lame girl
 can-sne can. the lilac was going to say "do without" but it didn't quite
 dare to think of the little lame girl
 without any comforting flowers, so 1t
 head.
 Six or eight weeks ago Hester and
 her mother went out to see the lilac
 bush one morning. Tt doesn't look as
 well as it ought" said Hester, shaking
 her head sadly. There are only a few shriveled, and see how limp and fabby the stems of the leaves look" Per
 haps it is dead" said Hester's mother,
 "or perhaps it is too old to bloom.''
 T like that!" thought the lilac bush
 'Tm not dead and I'm not dying, a1- though I'd like about as soon die as to keep on working through this damp, nasty winter or spring, or whatever
 they call it. And as for being past blooming-Pd like to show her that it she think Lam, wonder? There isn't anything in this part Of the city that
 is over ten years old. and I wasn't the first thing planted by any means"
 Just then Hester said: "My darling, darling lilac bush? Easter won't be out of her window every day as I come from school and asks: Is the lilac bush buddedg" "Oh, dear" sighed the bush, T wish she wouldn't talk that way-it makes me nervous to have lame Jenny asking questions
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19

was a trained dog. He was so pleased with the dog that he bought him and paid very high price for him. He then took him to England.
 His home was about forty miles from the sea. A few weeks later the dog was missing. The gentleman of fered a reward for the one who would bring back the dog. About three or four months later he got letter from a man in Paris. The Paris man wrote that the dog was with his former mas ter doing his daily routine of splash ing peoples boots with mud. It was found out that the dog was not used to the country so he tried to get back to the city. He found his way back to the shore where he smuggled in among the people. When the ship landed at France the dog got off the steamer and found his way home.
 ANNIE SFIEBITZ, Age 13.
 Yantic.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19

ized at meeting of the stockholders warned and held for that purpose bg vote of the stockholders holding moi less than two-thirds of the stock 0i the company and subject to the ap- proval of the public utilities commits sion.
 Section 4-This act shall take ef- feet from and after it's passage as an amendment to and alteration of the charter of the New York. New Eta- ven and Hartford Railroad company.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE.
 AWAkES.
Showing the Strength of a Giant.

0iC0HnS SHS SSFSH9hH 0T q s4tdHgs
 This trick is not so well known fas it might be, although for a while if was quite popular drawing attraction for circus side shows and other amusement places. It is one Of the favorite Hindu tricks. The performer passes for ex- animation two pieces of rope ten feet long. In one end of each rope large ring is fastened. Taking a ring in each hand, the performer commands three or four men at each end of the rope to take hold of it and at a signal they pull as hard as possible They pull until they are exhausted as in a tug of war, but the performer only appears trifie exerted and finds no difficulty in holding the men.
 s- The secret is in the nse of a piece Of flexible wire which passes up the right sleeve of the performer, across the back and down the left sleeve, Iy- ing just inside of the coat sleeve. At the ends of the wire are small hooks When about to perform this trick the performer puts on, a pair of gloves. The gloves are slit in the palms to allow the hooks to pass through. The hooks are covered with cloth, coIored to match the gloves. An essential point to remember in performing the trick is to keep the fingers we'll around the rings to- prevent the ropes from drop ping in case. of eslack-up on the ten sion.
 LILLIAN NJ. BREHAUT.
 White Plains, N. Y.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
UNCLE JED's TALK TO WIDE
 AWAKES,

Perhaps you will feel a sense of sur prise to be told that animals hear a great many sounds human beings can not.
 Sound travels over 1000 feet a sec ond in the air. and four times as fast in water; but the air can carry music, or harmony of sound while water does not. A bell rung under water sounds like two pieces of metal struck to- gether.
 A horse is of great service on army outposts because he can hear a sound long before his. rider can. The cavalry man who is posted far out in the country of the enemy at night doesn't bother to listen but lets his horse/do 1t for him He dismounts, stands be- eide his horse upon the ground and places his hand high up near the ears Of the horse. When he throws his ears up it is time for his rider to re- mount, and he does not hear the sound of marching companies or Of prancing hoofs for several n1inutes-a signal for him to return to a point Of safety. A dog or cat can hear sounds that their masters cannot. When in a close city room a Boston bull terrier will 5 hear the footsteps of dog on the pavement on the opposite side of the street. and recognize them as belonging to the dog family.
 Those familiar with animals can tell when they hear sounds which theys do not by the manner in which they prick up their ears and listen.
 Most of Eyou have heard an echo This repeating of sound is caused by the striking of the sound waves against some nearby obstruction. and returning to our ears. Nature in the echo pro- duced the first photograph
 If man had not carefully studied sound be could hot have produced music; not only the birds who were the first musicians helped him, but the sounds of the hammers of metal workers were the forerunnerz of the brass bands.
 THE WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS.
 l-John SurriII of Stafford Sprfnoe
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
The H.un.ed Gateway.

Once upon a time man drove mail and he had to so through an old gate way, and at night the two sides of the gate would shine, because they were rotten. There was an old saying that 1t was haunted gateway. One night he came driving by and the horse stopped in front of the gate way. The man felt afraid and got off the sled and asked If there was any one there; but no answer came. Then he got mad and took his knife and stuck it in the post. That ended the haunted gateway.
 ANNA OLSEN, Age 8.
 Baltic
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Rulss for Young writers.

I. Write plainly on one side of the paper only, and number the pages. q. UHe pen and ink. not pencil $. Short and pointed articles will h@ given preference. Do not use over $50 words.
 (. Original stories or letters only will Dc used
 $. Write your name. are and ad- dress plainly at the bottom Of the. story.
 Address au coudmunications tc Tncle Jed. Bulletin OfHce.
 'sWhatsver you arS-Be that!
 Whatever yon gay-Be truck
 Strai@htforward1y act
 Be A@neBt--an fact. Ba nobody else bus you"
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Where the pardesion Came From.


 Dear Uncle Jed: Now that 1t is al- most time for the dandeliCns, per- l1aps the Wide Awakes would like to know how the first dande1ions came to be.
 Years and years ago many stars lived in the sky. Their mother was the moon. One night the mother ca11- cd to the little stars to shine. but they were naughty. They only hung their heads and looked cross.
 Now the mother thought of a way to punish them. She got some good little stars to take their places, and the naughty ones felt themselves fall ing to the earth.
 When they reached the earth they were sorry for being naughty, and cried and cried themselves to sleep.
 The next morning when they awoke they cried and cried again. The Sun asked them why they were sad.
 They told him how naughty they had been and how their mother pun islned them. Then the sun said:
 Don't cry any more, but shine on the earth and make if beautiful"
 Now every morning when the little stars awake. they shine in the grass and are happy. We call them dande- lions.
 Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
A Country Girl in the City.

A girl like me who has always lived in the country just outside a quiet little village meets with many pug zling experiences when she comes tc large city.
 In the country I could walk leisure ly along the sidewalks of the village chat as long as l. wished with the farmers. Then stroll home, meeting sometimes a stray COW which had broken down the fence and wandered out into the road.
 In the city found things very diff ferent. When went downtown shop ping I was jostled and hustled along by the hurrying crowd.
 One day I desired to see dentist whose room number was sixty-six. On the first floor a grinning negro boy peered out at me from a scr< q cage
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Colchester.
IittIe Winkv.

Mary was about four years old. and the youngest of a large family of bfofhers and sisters.
 She often leased her mother to a1- low her to sit up after supper as long wes right that she should always be put to bed so early; and one evening 1f1e was granted permission to remain up as long as she liked
 But she soon grew weary of look iHG at her books and pictures. and was fast nodding on to the land of dreams. When reused by her moth CT, she exclaimed:
 aOh, mamma I'm not ene bit sleepy, only my eyes are 90 winkyi'' But in less than three minutes she was fast asleep.
 After that we called her .Tittle Win1y..
 HELEN CAMPBELL. Age il.
 Taftville.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Norwich.
Georges Trick.


 George lived in the far west. There were no good schools near so his mother sent him to a school many miles away.
 When George returned from school his father and mother were sitting in the parlor. His little brother and sister were playing near the fire. Let's play hide and seek" said his little sister
 Hide and seek! indeed" said George. When a fellow goes to school he has something better to think Of than games"
 George saw two large apples on the table.
 'I can make those two apples into three apples" he said to his fath- CT.
 Indeed said his father. Let me see you do it.' That is one apple" said George. :" and that is two apples, and one and two are three"
 Very we'll" said his father. Your little sister may have the first one your little brother the second, and you may have the third" George never troubled. his father with any more of his tricks, after that
 ANNA CORCORAN. Lowell, Mass.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Who Are the Patriots?

F. There is som mething wrong in think Ing that soldiers and sailors are the only patriots. What shall we say of the women who do not fight? What shall we say of Martha Washington, who was compelled to stay at home while her husband was at Valley Forge? What shall we say of thous- ands or women who sent their broth CTS and sons to fight for liberty? Were not these women as good as patriots
 A multitude of men were never sol diers or sailors, yet were patriots. There was Benjamin Franklin for in stance. He never fought but. who loved America better than he? Then there was Washington's friend, Rob- ert Morris of Philadelphia, who helped get money to pay the soldiers.
 Thousands of brave men risk their lives to save others from harm Brave doctors and nurses go where deadly disease is. Brave engineers are not afraid of sudden death if they can save their passengers from accidents
 Brave f1remen stand ready to die to bring little children out of burning buildings Brave boys every summer risk their lives to save their comrades from drowning. Brave fellows hold in check maddened horses and prevent them from running away with women and children. Brave women risk their lives for the sake of others.
 Wherever we see a brave man. or woman, or child, there we look for a patriot.-Unsigned
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Seribbie Scrabble.

Dear Uncle Jed: There was a little mouse named Scribble Scrabble. He lived under the floor of the night nur- sery. He made hole in the floor. In the night when the children were asleep he would come out and eat the scraps that they had left there. He grew bolder and bolder and one night he came before the nurse had taken the light away. The children
 When the nurse came in for the candle Scribb1e Scrabble ran like
 The children told the nurse about the mouse. She did not say any thing but looked very wise and took the candle away. When the children were asleep she came back with a tiny trap which she baited with. a piece of toasted cheese and set 1t near the hole. The mouse soon snelt it and came out.
 Poor Scribb1e Scrabble! When he was eating the cheese there came a click and the poor little mouse was caught fast. He was very much frightened. He spent a miserable night there.
 The. children. awoke early the next morning and saw their dear little mouse in the trap.
 "Oht'' said Ellie and she pressed the spring of the trap and away ran ScrfDble Scrabble.
 When nurse told about the cunning mouse at breakfast Ellie and Babs looked at each other and never said a word.
 scribb1e Scrabble lived to a good old age and never went into a. trap again.
 JOHN BUHRiLL, Age :.
 Stafford Springs.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
The First Tariff.

It is believed that the word "tarin' Is of Moorish origin. and refers to thd duty placed on imports or exports. At the southern point of Spain, running out into the Strait of Gibraltar, is e promontory which from its position commands the entrance of the Medi- terranean Sea. A fortress stands up- on this pTomontory. called in the times Of the A1oorish domination in Spain, "Tarifa." It was the custom of the Moors to watch from this point all tho merchant ships passing and to levy duties according to a fixed scale on all merchandise passing in and out of thg strait. The duty thus levied took fta name from the place and was called tarlfa or tar1f.--Famlly Herald.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19
Love Or Duty.

In a little village one summer day a man walked up and down along his cabin. He was a switchnNn. It was his duty to watch the signals of the down trains when they came. $ He was now waiting for the down train to appear, but the down trains were often late. So thinking he had plenty of time he lighted his pipe, leaned against his cabin and smoked away.
 Suddenly he heard a rumble-a roar. It was the down train. She is on time today said he. Not far of between the rails he saw his young est boy at play. Not far. but too far There was not moment to spare. If he had waited to get the child the train would be wrecked. and many lives lost.
 So trusting his child to God, he turned the switch and the down train was saved. The train had not touch ed hair. God had watched over his son while he was doing his duty
 MARY GIBSON. Age F.
Norwich bulletin., 1917-04-19

which recoeni14d as one of those e1e- vatorz had read about. He inquired in his deep voice:
 @Goinx up !ss
 I said nothing but began climbing the first hieht Of stairs. After staring at all the rooms on this fuors climb ed the next 4iEht, sffif gazing at the numbers over the doors. The num- bers were all mixed and was not able to find the room I wanted. Re- ] iuctantiy II frudged down the three nights of stairs to the drst floor. There I saw the negro boy. So asked him if he would please tell me where room sixty was. He said:
 ''Why, yes, could have told you that long axon< He asked me to step into the elevator. He banged the doors together and up we vent We soon arrived at the third floor, where the which I had been looking for.
 got out of this building by means of the stairs.
 when I was ready to 70 home got beside one of those black and white posts and he1an waving my hand kerchief frzutically at the car. But was on the wrong siie of the street and the cor1ductor paid no heed to me. The car whi1zed by, leaving . sWirlfHE cloud of dust k trudKed homes cufsing the cCnduc- tor &very step of the wNy, but I am gradually Eettirg accustomed to city VERONICA RoeFfEnEAU.
 North Franklin.