davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
Time for Freshenino
Out of Place in Dairy

Have the COWS freshen when dairy
products sell highest
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
A MINISTER'S CONFESSION

Rev. W. Fl. Warner, Route 2, Myers
vile, Md, writes: my trouble was
sciatica. My back was affected and
took the form of lumbago I also had
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14

If life hands you a lemon adjust your
rose colored glasses and start to sell
ing pink lemonade.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14

Polish mirrors with a cloth soaked
In alcohol, followed by a soft, dry
cloth.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14

You miss getting many good things
by falling 70 ask for them.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
Plain Reason.

'Why do they try new plays on the
dog?"
'.To get 'em licked into shape"
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14

An ill-tempered man is a misft in
the dairy business.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
Not Hard to Do.

'They spend their money faster thai
they make it"
"wen, that's no trick nowadays"
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14

Dr.. Pierce's Pellets are best for EvRs
bowels and stomach. One little Pellet toE
= Exative-thres for q czthzrtic.-Adys
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
Contamination of MIX.

Every instant that milk stands in
the stable it gathers contamination.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14

II people told only what they know
there would be less talking.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
Never Makes Mistake

The Babcock test never makes q
mistake.
The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-14
The LikeIiest One

"Whom shall we send to write up
this bear StoryT'
''Why not send a cub reporter?"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Marjorie Bowen Tells How
a Mouse Helped a Man
Swallow Two Nickels

I am going to write about nickel.
have not written before. 1t is my
own makeup.
Once there was nickel and it was
lying on the floor and the girl that
lives in the house found it. She had
bank that had a man on it, and he
would hold out his hand and she
would put the nickel in his hand and
she would press on piece Of tin that
was on his back and then ha would
swallow it And ono night her father
gave her . nickel and she put It IN
his hand but did not press on the TIN
because she was going to town "a
buy her nickel's worth Of candy.
But when she got up the next day and
found that the nickel was gone and
then she went and told her mother
and father all about It Then her
father gave her another nickel, br1.
she did not 60 to town because It
rained and she put that nickel on his
hand and pretty soon she heard q
noise. She looked up and saw two
mice and she saw that ono Of them
got on the tin and made him swallow
It and so she found out how he swal
lowed all Of her nickels.
Marjorie Bowen. $50 %. !.
Chil1icOth0 Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Alma Josephine Malonei4
Composition - Corn
and Apples

Corn il valuable plant. We plant
It in little hills. and usually put two
or three grains in q Hill. It grows with
tall green stalks with silky fringes.
Later It has long golden ears. Then the
men husk the cars and haul them -
the crib for winter. Corn is ground
into meal to make bread to eat. PtsA
chickens. cows and horses all liko
corn. Corn was first raised BY tho
American Indians That is why It Il
called Indian corn.
Apples ara very healthful fruik
1.-TWO apples day keep the doctor
away" The are many kinds and colorB
of apples. We use apples in many,
ways. For pies, preserves, jellies. and
apple sauce. What IL nicer than y,
plate Of rosy checked apples on a cold
winter evening?
Alma Josephine Malone, age g.
Ottumwa, Ia, Ut N. Frank St.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Hazel Milligan Writes o
Her Life in the Rocky
Mountains

Dear Juniors:
May I enter your circle?
I am II years old and for three
years lived in the Rocky mountains,
one-half mile from a peak called Mt.
Garfield These mountains are very
rocky and barren as their name would
imply, with hardly tree or spear OF
grass growing on them, but thought
them very beautiful for all that.
must tell you about the fruit crop.
Where l lived they raised mostly
peaches. The first peaches are called
Sneedes. The main crop, the AL
bertas, begin ripening in August. Hun.
dreds of people flock in to help get
the fruit ready for market. Some
make boxes. some pick and pack, and
others hauling to the associations.
There the peaches are graded and put
into cars and shipped. The people
make good money packing, as they
pay two and two and one-half cents a
box. A good packer can pack two
to three hundred and fifty boxes a
day. Loads and loads Of nice big
cver.ripe peaches are hauled and
thrown into the river and stacked In
big piles along the roadside, as they
can't be taken care Of
Now | think I have told you enough
about peaches. and will write some
time about my trip to the San Fran
cisco and San Diego fairs.
am eleven years old and In the
sixth grade at school.
Hazel Milligan.
ploonfiald Towa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Reva Marie Bales Tells the
History of the Flag

The history of our glorious old flag
| is of exceeding interest, and brings
back to us throng of sacred and
thrilling occasions. The banner Of
st. Andrew was blue, charged with a
white satire or cross, in the form Of
the letter X, and was used in Scot
land as early as the eleventh century
The banner Of st. George was white,
charged with the red cross, and was
used in England as early as the first
part of the fourteenth century. BY a
royal proclamation, dated April IL,
100, these two crosses were Joined
together upon the same banner. form
Ing the ancient national flag of Eng
land. Uniting. as it did, the flags of
England and America, it showed that
the colonists were not yet prepared
to sever the tie that bound them to
the mother country. On the 14th day
OF June, 1777 1t was resolved by con-
gress THAT the flag OF the thirteen
United States be thirteen stripes,
alternate red and white, and that the
union be thirteen white stars in the
blue field"
In 1894, there having been two more
new states added to the union, it was
voted that the alternate stripes. as
we'll as the circling stars, be fifteen
in number. and the flag, as thus
altered and enlarged, was the one
which was borne through the war of
1872.
Your friend,
Reva Marie Bales, age IA.
FlOris Iowa Route No
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Seven Hundred" ready for business.
Life of Abraham Lincoln, BY
Anna McMullen
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
This is a composition on Abraham
! Lincoln
! Abraham Lincoln was born in little
hut in Kentucky, February IL. 1909
! His father was q restless, shiftleSs
ne'er-do-well man, always seeking the
easiest way to make a living, who, In
the course Of his wandering from place
to place, moved into Indiana wher
Abraham was seven years old. Though
but child, Abraham was given an az
and set to work to help clear the
ground for the half-faced camp in
which the family lived for a year
The cabin, when built. had a door
way. but no door: window. but nc
oiled paper or glass, and nothing but
the bare earth for a floor. Little
Abraham's bed was heap Of dry
leaves in the loft, to which he climbed
by pegs driven into the cabin wall.
AS he grew older he learned all the
things a frontier settlers boy must
know. He could pillow. cut grain with
a sickle, thresh it with sheet; he
could chop wood, split rails, drive
teams. and handle carpenters tools,
and could do all so we'll that when
his father did not need his help he
could hire him out to neighbor for
more than ordinary wages.
Abraham learned to write, read and
cipher at a school taught by some of
the schoolmasters, who, in those days,
wandered about the country from
town to town. He went to school. as
he said, "by Titles" In all his school
ing did not amount to more than a
year.
AS soon as he could read he began
to borrow every book he heard OF,
among them Aesop's Fables. Bunyan's
Pilgram's Progress, Robinson Crusoe,
short history Of United States. This
last book got wet, and he bought it
of the owner by 'pulling fodder for
three days For slate he used the
wooden fire shovel, or shingles, when
they were to be had, scraping them
clean when they were covered with
sums.
His pencil was charred stick.
From the borrowed books he copied
long extracts. using brierwood ink
and a quill pen made from turkey
buzzard's feather. When paper was
not to be had. he wrote on shingles
or bits Of boards.
After Lincoln grew up he moved
to Illinois and became lawyer and
before he died, the whole world had
heard about him.
Yours truly,
Anna McMullen, age ~
Kirkville, Iowa Box So.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
A School Composition :
What the Moon Saw
BY Donald Hemm

Dear Juniors:
! am writing school composition
for you to read and hope you will be
pleased. The subject is, what the
Woman Saw"
About three days ago my father
got me black and white bulldog
whose name was Douse.
One day an old woman came over
to where lived and said she wanted
to see me, so I came to the door and
she asked me if my dog killed chick
ems. and l told her he did not.
She had about twenty-five chickens
and she had seen some one go in the
chicken house the night before and
bring out some chickens, and said
she was afraid to go out and make
him stop, so she wanted me to bring
my dog over about $50 p. H.. and
told her l would.
The hour quickly came and l got
Douse and put on his collar and put
"a rope on it and took him over. The
old woman told me to take off the
rope, so did as she said. Then we
hid out on the back porch and waited
for the fatal hour to come.
The moon was making all the light
it could and it was very light out.
Finally we saw Mexican come
slipping around the chicken house and
open the door, but alas! he heard a
grOwl and the growl became dread
full thunder, and out of the chicken
house came a Mexican with half his
clothes torn off, and then out came
Douse with mouthful of rags. Then
the woman and | came out from the
porch and / caught the dog and
started home when she called me
back and she was going to pay me
but I would not take 1t because she
was a poor old woman and l could
live long enough without taking her
money.
Donald Hemm, age IL.
Eld0n Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Marie BOSNIAN Likes Her
School and Her Teachers

Dear Courier Junior:
am little girl 10 years old. I live
on farm OF $50 acres. NY papa
takes the Daily Courier and as | have
never written letter to The Courier
! thought I would write certainly
enjoy reading the letters from the
boys and girls.
/ am pupil Of the No 9 school
NY teachers name is Hazel Judd and
/ like her fine. I have gone thirteen
months neither absent nor tardy.
like school and music. have piano
and play There are many other
sports that we boys and girls enjoy
coasting, skating, and sometimes We
engaged in a lively battle of snow
balling The patrons Of our school
have organized debating society at
our schoolhouse and ] am going to
speak a piece next Friday night |
have received three prizes for excel
ing in spelling.
AS my letter is getting lengthy
will close, wishing all the Juniors
success.
Marie BOSNIAN
Ottumwa, Ia, r. No. 2, Box 81.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Mary Elizabeth McGraw OH
a Nickel

This is the first time l have writ
ten to the Junior. SO I am going to
write a story of a nickel.
When I was new and fresh I was
given to poor girl. AS she was cut
ting across the field she lost me. She
looked and looked but could not find
me. The next day man found me
and he gave me to his little girl for
candy. was then given to the gro
Gerry man. He threw me into box
where there were many other nickels.
A few days later was given to an
old woman in exchange. She put me
into a bank where am now and will
be il l don't take any more advel.
lures. 1t is very dark in here. l hope
to get out soon.
Mary Elizabeth McGraw, age 10.
113 N. Marion St, Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Bernice Roberts Pays Glow
ing Tribute to Her Home
State - Missouri
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
l have not written but one letter to
the Junior page and this time I am
going to write about Missouri
When Missouri was admitted to the
union there were as many free states
as there were slave. The south
wanted Missouri to be slave and the
north wanted it to be free. The re-
suit Of this was compromise. After
ward it was called "The Missouri
Compromise" Missouri was not ad.
mitted as slave state or a free one.
Part Of it was slave and part OF it
was free Missouri was of the Louisi-
ana territory and the first state to
that territory to be admitted to the
union.
The name Missouri comes from the
Indians and means muddy. The reason
the Indians called it that was because
the Missouri river is SO muddy
At the present time If Missouri was
fenced in on all sides it could get
along by itself because it is in the
middle of the union and has all the
climates of the United States.
Yours truly,
Bernice Roberts, age II.
Queen City, Mo.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Loyena Christy Gets Forty
seven Headmarks for
Spelling

Dear Juniors:
l have never written but once. 60
to school. My teachers name is Miss
Florence Shelburg. like her just
fine. am in the fifth grade and 60
ing in the sixth and seventh. We
spell for headmarks. have got forty
seven. I will send you one of my
compositions.
The wind and the sun had dispute
which could make the traveller take off
his coat, so the wind blew and blew.
The traveller said, the wind is chilly,
and held his coat tighter.
So the sun shone, and the traveller
said. it is getting warm, and he took
off his coat. So the sun was the
stronger
AS my letter is getting long, will
ring off.
Lovena Christy, age II.
FIoris, Iowa, r. R. No. 3.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Helen Elizabeth Writes of a
Girl Who Oversight

Dear Junior:
I am sending you one of my school
compositions. The subject is "Over-
slept"
Marie was very lazy little girl.
She loved to stay in bed in the morn
ings and be late for school.
She was very tired one Sunday
night as she had been to town with
her father and mother and had to
get up early to go to school. She went
to bed with the thought Of getting up
early in the morning She changed her
mind as it was very cold. Her mother
lad already called her about four
times. At last Marie got up and she
did not get to go to school that morn
ing and did not get to go until after
noon. and she was very sorry after
wards. because she did not know how
to get the arithmetic which they were
taught that morning and thereby got
zero on her department card.
Helen Elizabeth Corrigan, age IL.
121 w. Myrtle ST., Ottumwa. Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Sammy Bookin Writes the
Story of a Dollar

Deep in the ground / was resting
for thousands OF years and had never
been able to, be at liberty.
On certain time ! was dug out
from the ground. cleaned and pol.
ished and on one of my surfaces the
picture of the lady of liberty has
been stamped.
On the other of my surfaces the
beautiful American flying eagle has
been stamped.
But am not at liberty yet, because
/ am dollar. Everybody loves me.
everybody is looking for me, every
body is working on account Of me be-
cause l am a dollar.
am spent for many purposes, but
the most pleasure l and my spendef
have is when l am spent for charity.
Sammy Bookin. age 8.
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Alice Jaenecke Belongs to
the Gardening Club; Has
"a Fine Chickens

Dear Editor:
This is the first time have written
to you.
am little girl eleven years old
We are living on large farm. NV
father works for the man that super
intends it. It is a very large farm.
There are over two hundred head OF
cattle and nearly five hundred head
Of hogs.
| have twenty-four head of Part
ridge Rock chickens which l raised
myself My little brother Johnnie,
age 3, is gardener. He raised lot
OF melons last season, and lot Of
peanuts. l am in the gardening club
this year.
Well, l must stop writing now.
From new Junior,
Alice Jaenecke, age IL.
Eldon, Iowa, r. r. No. 2.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
The Pumpkin Meeting - By
Paul MirgOn
Dear Juniors:

Dear Juniors:
Since have never written before
decided | would write to you now.
The pumpkins were rolling around
in the field week before Thanksgiv.
ing. They were going to plan way
to keep from being eaten.
The next day they had a meeting.
well" said one pumpkin, chow are
we going to keep from being eaten on
That's what l would like to know"
said another.
Just then a great big pumpkin said,
Lets not drink any water till after
Thanksgiving, and we won't be fit to
eat"
The rest all agreed and when
Thanksgiving came they were not fit
to eat.
Paul Mirgon. age 10.
213 lakewood Ave, Ottumwa, la.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Birney Shoemaker Writes
on Great State of Iowa

Dear Juniors:
have written to the Juniors before,
so | am going to write story about
Iowa.
Iowa is a great farming state.
Iowa's greatest occupation is stock
raising.
In 1903 Ottumwa, one OF lowa's
cities. was flooded by great flood.
The water started to go down in a
few days, but in bitches and holes 1t
stayed about three weeks.
Iowa's farm products are corn,
wheat, oats, barley, rye, cane, seed,
hay, etc.
Iowa's machinery is hay machinery,
which is made at the Dain Manufacture
ing Co., in Ottumwa, Iowa.
Birney Shoemaker. age II.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Two Franklin School Pupils
Write the Story of
a Pioneer
Dear Juniors:

/ Dear Juniors:
IN our room two pupils were asked
to write school composition. We
decided for our title to choose The
Story Of Pioneer
The Indians made raids on our forts
and killed our people until there were
only my companion and myself left.
We decided to go and live with the
people at Fl. Duquesne There were
very friendly Indians w. lived about
that fort. ?
Before we could start we had to get
tents for shelter, boats, to go across
the streams, colored beads and trink.
cts Of all kinds for the Indians and
provisions of different kinds. We
were then ready to start.
IN the forests there was game, manv
fish were In the streams, so our boats
were OF good use to us. From these
animals we found in the forests we
made some more clothing which we
needed.
We met many friendly Indians and
traded our beads and trinkets with
them for corn and meat. We then ask
ed them how far it was to another In
dian village. They said it was very
long distance and we would meet
many hardships for the Indians in the
village were savages and we would
have to go through there at night.
We stayed at the Indian camp that
night and In the morning started out.
MY companion was chased by a bear
and was almost killed. There were
many other things which almost ended
our lives.
After many weary days of travel we
reached the fort.
Mary Elizabeth Terhune, Age 10.
1901 East Main st. Ottumwa, Iowa.
Martha Groth. Age 10.
23o5 East Main St. Ottumwa, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
Cora Beatrice Johnson Has
! Seven Brothers and
Two Sisters

Dear Juniors:
I thought I would write you few
lines, as I have never written before
live on a farm. am 10 years old
am in the sixth grade. have seven
brothers and two sisters.
l guess I will write about surprise
on papa. He was SIS years old. While
the children were playing black man.
my brother and another boy ran
against each other. My brothers eye
was swelled up. After we played
games they served oysters and
peaches. It was IL O'clock when they
went home.
Will close, hoping to see my letter
in print.
Cora Beatrice Johnson.
Exline, Iowa.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
OTHER SUBJECTS.

We all want the juniors to send in
school compositions and other stories.
besides the ones on the subjects we
suggest. Sometimes children can
write better compositions when choos'
Ing their own subjects. We especially
want letters and ancestor stories.
TO encourage originality and variety
in the juniors work the following list
ID given:
School competitions.
Ancestor stories.
Interesting letters.
Book reviews.
Unusual stories.
Current events.
Soldier stories related by veterans
aa and retoId by juniors.
Z Select prizes from among the follow.
ing: Bluebird pin, friendship link,
book, box Of letter paper, doll, box Of
school supplies. box Of candy or a
knife.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-09
ANOTHER CONTEST.

We also want the Juniors who
think the other subjects are too hard
to write on one of the following sub
Jects.
The Story Of a Nickel.
Ny Best Friend.
A Pet Dog.
Corn and Apples.
Sweet Potatoes and Cotton.
A letter.
Select prizes from among the fol.
lowing: Box of candy, football, roller
skates, doll, knife or book.