davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
An Autobiography of a Quarter.

My first owner was little girl who was very proud of her country. Her mother said she ought to buy a thrift stamp with me
 I wondered and said to myself: "Tll watch and see what it is" So l watched She came up to a man in a team and said: q want thrift stamp" He gave it to her and I saw it was mere piece of green paper with something written on it, and poor little I was handed over to the man.
 Later I found out I was going to help my Uncle Sam, who is in war with man called the kaiser. United States wants us to help it.
 After a while a man in a gray suit came in and, seeing me on the table, came over and looked at me and said: Who would think that little quar- ter would help the government? Then he held me and said I was made in 1901.
 I felt very proud of myself. Then the man put me and some other quar- ters in his pocket and went out. When he took out his handkerchief I fell out in the gutter.
 1 wanted someone to pick me up, because I was being walked on and run over so many times that I was already bent.
 Pretty soon a ragged child came and picked me up and was so delighted that I was glad. The child ran to the store as fast as she could. @
 The storekeeper sent me to the door where a man was waiting for me Afterward 1t was said if not for me a man would have been arrested. Then man took me to a large safe where I-stayed all the while.4
 LENA SCHWAITZBERG, Age 13. Eagleville.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
DaffvdowndiIIy,

Once there was a little boy named Daffydowndilly. His mother sent him to a very strict schoolmaster, MT. Toil The lessons were very hard. He did not like MT. Foil, so he decided to run away. He left Mir. Foil the next morn ing. On his way he met man going in the same direction. The man asked him why he was going away
 Daffydowndilly did not tell him a lie, but told him the truth. On and on they walked till they came to some haymakers who all looked like MT. Foil; but the man told Daffydowndi1ly that they were MT. Tolls brothers.
 Next they came to some carpenters at works, next to some musicians next to fiddler.
 "They all look like MT. Toil," said Daffydowndilly
 'But,'' said the man, they are ali Mir. Tolls brothers"
 Daffydowndilly said 1t was "all Mir Tolls in this world.'
 And next they came to the same old school with the old MT. Foil in it.
 This story teaches us no matter where we go, we shall always meet MT. Toil; and Mir. Foil means work
 LEO POLIQUIN, Age 1s. Versailles.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
LETTERS TO UNCLE JED.
School War Exercises.


 Dear Uncle Jed: I will tell you how we show our patriotism at school ev- cry week We have a war programme and do patriotic work.
 We first sing patriotic songs, Amer ica, the Red. White and Blue, the Star Spangled Banner and also we have to memorize the bugle calls of the U. S. army.
 After these the small children snip soft white cloth. which Is put into pillows made for the soldiers.
 The third and fourth grades make joke books to be sent to the soldiers 10 read and feel a little happier. The jokes are cut out of magazines which our teacher brings to school and they are pasted into little notebooks. On the outside we draw nice pictures which are used for covers.
 The larger boys make gunwards, if kthey make enough of these they can belong to the Junior Red Cross.
 There are four large girls in euy school who. are knitting instead of sewing, as we were going to- We knit ted three face cloths and are knitting four inch squares now. We hemmed khaki colored handkerchiefs and hem med some bootees also. 1 All the women on Wormwood Hil are knitting things for the Rec | Cross.
 If we get along with our knitting l we become members of the Red Cross
 We help the government by buying thrift stamps. We bought seven thrif stamps Nellie and I. I am going t buy them all the time. The first on I earned by washing the floor in thu schoolroom for my teacher. and I shal 1 wash quite few times more becaus wash it once every month. We shal buy two this week. I hope we all vii try to help this war to be won in al the different ways we can by savin food and many other ways.
 SOPHIE MUSIAL, Age 13. | TNo 11o
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
poErR4.
THOSE WtLFULl TOYS.

 My house is 70pife full of such curious things. There are Blocks that have feet, there are books that have wings; And dolls that can walk, and two old Teddy bears With legs that can carry them up and down sta3fss And Pollys nots sure, and Jimmy can't say Just how thkye were made in this curious way We stand each book nicely away on the shelf. But somshop isssserns to get down by itself And toF thss 9s put every day in All i1 sqsH5ss ssout til they re quite a And Polly ssn,t say. and Jimmy don't know Just why we should find them wherever we go. This morning I called in voice loud and ciear So even the boys in the attic could hear, ''1f you're all in your places at bedtime I might Bring home something good in my pockets tonight sAnd Polly don't know, and Jimmy can't say,
 But they think that the toys are quite sure to obey.
 -Harper's Magazine.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
The Forests of New England.

In the days of early settlement most of New England was covered with forests. One of the first products sent back to England was lumber. Much of the wood has been cleared away, but in some places where it is too steep and rocky for farming there are still large tracts of forests.
 There are large forests in Maine. New Hampshire and Vermont. Stand = ing on the summit of Mount Katahdin you can see nothing but wilderness in all directions. ..
 Winter is the busy season for cut ting in these wildernesses, for the swamps are frozen and the boulders are covered with snow.
 About fifty men make a numbering camp. They go forth and chop down the trees and trim of, the limbs. Then they are hauled to the streams where in the spring they are fioated down the rivers to the saWmilis
 The New England forests supply much lumber, but no as much as for merly. Forests have another impor tant use. Where the forests have been destroyed the rivers rise rapidly after a storm and rapidly decrease; and of- ten there is not enough water to rim the factories.
 KATHARINE TAYLOR, Age 1s.
 Norwich Town.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
WHoo-cO?

wonder if you have ever heard Of the queer, little dismal Whiney-
 bird. As black as a crow. as glum as an
 owl A most peculiar kind of a fowl? He Is oftenest seen on rainy days, When children are barred from out
 door plays; When the weather is bright and the
 warm sun shines, Then he flies far away to the gloomy
 pInes. Dreary- looking. indeed, is his old
 black cloak. And his voice is the dismalest kind of
 croak. And his whitney cry makes the whole
 house blue There's nothing to do-oo: there's
 nothing to do-ooi" Did you ever meet this doleful bird ? He's found whsre the children are I've
 heard. Now. who can he be? It can! be you. But who is the Whiny- bird? Who-oo 2
 Whoo-oo?
 Jean Halifax, in St. Nichols.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
Our Graduation

Graduation exercises in Bozrah were held at Palmer hall, Fitchville, June Il, at o'clock fin the evening.
 A cooking exhibit was held. each member of the Busy Bees of Bozrah exhibiting two dishes which they had learned to make. I exhibited Scottish. faneies ands esealloped salmon.
 About 15 children had parts in the speaking contest. My piece was eve Stand for the Schoolhouse."
 After the speaking contest was over the prizes for speaking and cooking were awarded. Prizes of thrift stamps were given for speaking. Five stamps for first and three for the second
 Thomas Sullivan of the Bozrahyille school got first boys prize and Harry Schatz of Center school second prize Dora Wernick of Bozrahville school got first girls prize and Katharine Kallv of Fitchville school second prize.
 For the cooking, Mary Bentley got first prlzc, Ruth Dickinson second. Jennie Thompson third, Lucy Gilman
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
SToRIEs WRITTEN BY WIDE
 AWAKES.
The AnuIo. sasons.

The early ancestors of England liy ed on the continent of Europe, along the German coast, from the mouth of the Rhine to the peninsula of Jut- land. They were divided in three tribes, the Saxons, dwelling near the Elbe; the Angles. inhabiting the southwest part of Denmark; the Jutes, extending north of the Angles into Jutlard.
 How far into the interior these tribes lived, no one can tell. They lived in small tribal or fernily settlements, sur rounded by wild moors and dense for ests, which they peopled with mon strOus creatures, and by the stormy northern ocean also filled with shapes of shadowy fear.
 Whether from superstition or from the difficulty and rougt&ess of the country, these people seemed not to care to live far into the interior. They lived mainly along the coast.
 When spring unlocked their froz- en harbors, they pushed out their boats to seek adventure and search for booty They would sometimes open a feud with some tribe, or harry monasteries along the English coast, their future home.
 These men delighted in bloodshed and plunder, and were much given to deep drinking; but. nevertheless were sensitive to blame or praise. Their re- l!gion was a reflection of their own wild natures. worshiping Tin, diety
 of war and various other gods repre- senting thunder, etc.
 They loved glory, and to have thei1
 names and deeds handed down from generation to generation. Therefore the poet was held in high esteem, fol he alone can insure this fame. Their literature is very grim. They have, of course, moments of tender
 ness and genialty, but for the most part the darker aspects of nature snow, hail and mist, and the terror of the sea are what they most love to dwell or. It was characteristic oi them to fill the element they most low
 ed with gloom and terror. The great business of life was war; from it came all honor and dignity to be faithful to friends, and deadly foe to enemies, was the whole duty ot man. Such a religion schoo1ed rraer i of bravery, and such men were Anglo. | SaXons.
 EVA ALPER1N, Age 16. l MaurfA1d E041rs Cornare
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
My Cat.

Dear Uncle Jed: Pinl1y, the cat. was a naughty cat, because whenever I want to give her some milk she will not drink it. She spills it all over the floor as if she does not like it. The trouble with my cat, she wants her own way. She has been ugly to the dog and no one can tell her that she is naughty cat. She is nice when she wants to be nice and mean when she wants to be mean.
 One day she heard a strange sound down the cellar It sounded like mice She said to herself. The sound went on for long time. then she said: q bet it is a family of mice"
 I never heard of any mice down my cellar, but just the same I let her down there.
 And what do you think? There were six mice down there! She ate one,
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
Rob and the Panther.

Rob Norris lived on a western farm in the backWoods He was lad of 12, brave and fearless, with the sturdy spirit of the pioneer. He lived in cabin which was situated in the bot tom of valley.
 On clear, frosty morning, when the snow was frozen to hard crust and the lake sheet of ice, Rob strap ped his skees on to his feet and taking his gun in his hand, climbed the hill and entered the woods As he walked, whistling cheerfully, he thought he heard something move in the bushes.
 He turned cautiously, but could not see anything, so he went on walking. E Still he thought something was fol- lowing him. He looked and saw it coming. What was it? He looked again and to his horror he saw pam theri UnconsciouslY he turned around and the skees began to go backward. He wondered how he would get his skees off, and get into the cabin. If he stopped to get them off the pan ther would bounce upon him and tear him to pieces.
 He tried to slip his foot out of the strap, but just then he came to stop. The skees bumped against the cabin and his feet slipped out of the straps ouSI dS tlldl HdppeIleu Ae JuHlpeQ up and opened the cabin door and got in shutting the door quickly. He sprang to window, opened it and saw the panther spring at him, should be come out through the door.
 He leveled his gun and taking aim shot-without success. He tried agair 1 and the panther fell dead. When Rob skinned the beast he spread out the skin. It was one yard l and a half long and two feet and six
 inches wide: He sold it and received
 $11 for 1t.
 | ISADORE ALPERIN, Age il. 1 Mansfield Four Corners.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27

like this very much. Then they said. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Then the presidents went to the king and thus to him said: King Darius, live forever" Daniel worships q statue and to make firm decree, that whosoever shall petition any god or man for thirty days, save thee, o King, he shall be cast into the den of lions. They told the king to establish the decree and sign the writing, that it shall not be changed. and the king did so.
 When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and kneeled upon his knees three times a day. Some of the men saw him and went to tell the king. The king listened to everything and said | he was very much displeased and told | them to bring Daniel before him; and they obeyed and cast him in the den of lions.
 The king said to Daniel. 'Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will 1 deliver thee"
 Then the king went to his, palace and passed the night fasting-neitheI did they bring any music to him. SC his sleep went from him.
 He arose very early and went ir haste to the. den of lions. When he came to the der, he cried with a la- mentable voice unto Daniel The kins said to Daniel: 70 Daniel, servant ot the living God. is thy God. whom thor servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"
 | Then said Daniel to the king: "C King, live forever. My God hath. sen | I,ies 11a
 mouths, that they have not hurt me
 forasmuch as before him innocenc. Twas found in me; and also befor
 thee, O King, have T. done no hurt
 Then was the king exceeding glat
 for him and commanded they shoul'
 take Daniel out of the den. l. So Daniel was taken up out of tn den and no manner of hurt was foun,
 upon him, because he believed in hi
 YETTA LEVINE, Age F. Colchester
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
WIDE-AWAKE STORIES

loving disposition, she had given little time to serious thought until a friend lovingly presented Christ's claims. With characteristic directness she ac- knowledged the truth of her friends plea and from that hour she dedicated herself to a closer walk with God.
 One raw day in early April Mary walked toward the home of lady she had recently become interested in. The lady was older than Mary, but they had found they had many things in common. But on this rather dreary April morning Mary was making her way to lar new friend with a little feeling of dIca>., hecaase but few days before the lady ncd met TSSth an accident which was keeping neT rem her desk work as bookkeeper. Miss Christie had slipped on the icy pave ment, and Mary was wondering what she could say in the way of comfort.
 Tt is so hard for her." she mur- mured as she made her way along. She needs every cent to get along with prices as they are, and now there will be doctor bills"
 To Mary's surprise, Miss Christie, herself, opened the door, Although the i face which greeted her was a trif1e pale, the smile was bright. It some how seemed to Mary as though she were going to receive instead of confer pleasure.
 To Mary's words of sympathy. Miss l Christie said: 'Yes, it is a poor time to be deprived of ones earnings but I can be glad 1t is not my right arm 1 which is broken. I can do many Ithings with it, which I could not dc
 with my left" seaen she went on tc tell some amusing little ways which she tried in order to help herself. Al
 times a ripple of laughter escaped hei lips.
 At last Mary said: You seem SC
 happy. I don't see how you make s,
 light of it."
 Why, child, you surely did not thinl
 1 could allow my real happiness to b,
 taken from me by just slip on tn
 pavement?" was the reply. What i our deeper life worth, dear if it i affected by incidents any of us ar
 liable to meet?"
 Tears came to Mary's eyes "If al were like you, dear Miss Christie, she said, what different world
 would bel"
 AS Mary walked home through tn sunshine that was then falling throug the mist throwing an April rainbow over the hills, smile wreathed he : face with rainbow, too.
 "Oh, how sweet she is about it!
 she cried, as she selected her step
 carefully to avoid the little puddles C : water along the pathway. Why can s not we always keep hold of the fac . that although the rain falls a sun an l rainbow is likely to come, too-"-Girl = ICompanion.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
Ruiss for Young Writers.

| Write plainly on one side of the paper only. and number the pages.
 Use Den and ink, not pencil. .. Short and pointed articles will be given preference. Do not use over Sbo words- L Original stories or letters only will be used.
 B.-sWrite. your name. age and ad- dress plainly at the bottom of the story. O.
 Address all communications tC Uncle Jed, Bulletin Ohice.
 Whatever you are-Be that!
 Whatever you xay-Re true!
 Straightforwardly act
 Be honest-in fact,
 Be nobody else but you"
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27

can girls and women without regard to wealth or social distinction is em- pioying every spare moment in Red Cross work.
 The subscription to :he Liberty loan afforded another opportunity to show of what stuff the patriotism of the American woman is made. In count less shops, stores. factories and offices. girls, receiving only a few dollars per week, and too often responsible for the support of widowed mothers and younger brothers and sisters. loyally made their subscription for bond, when to do so meant actual sacrifice and even privation for 50 weeks. But no one hears them complain of this, and their only expressed regret is their ability to take a larger amount.
 ADELARD DUQUETTE, Age IS.
 Dauielson.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
UNCLE JED's TALK TO WIDE
 AWAKEs.

Uncle Jed would inform the Wide Awake gardeners that the reason there seems to be more pests in the garden now than ever before is because there are fewer birds and it is. proclaimed for a truth, If there were no birds man could not live on the earth"
 The birds are of many classes. scav. sngers. noxious weed-seed- eaters. in- sect eeg-eaters, caterpillar destroyers beetle consumers, moth catchers, and the fly and mosquito enemies.
 There Is not zoe birds in this part of the country today where there was a thousand one hundred years ago. The farmers do not know the birds who wero designed to help them by Keeping the pests down and they with the sports have Killed so many of the friends of man since New England was settled. they have ftp do with poisonous liquids what birds were designed to do. in this vay killing more birds and sometimes poisoning themselves.
 Millions of birds have been useless iy killed in New England in the past iSo years by men who liked "the sport" The hunters supper was the signal for hut by two parties in the fall 10 see which side could kill the most creatures in day, and the par ly killing most were given a supper oy the other party. and two ox-carts were needed to bring in the game, which was counted, and then went 70 the compost heap. This custom was & fall festival of as general in- lerest as the fall training, and the lead birds amounted to thousands.
 The farmers today know very. lit- gie about the birds God designed as helpers for them in the field; but every wide-Awake slfould watch the birds to know their habits and where they live n the country and should put up boxes Tor them in the orchard so that they will help keep down the insects and the weeds.
 Bob White. who seme people say is RlwayB crying more wetI" is one of the most valuable helpers on tht farm, and tht i1Iiia5 of him for sport ought to be prohibited.
 Wide-Awalees. learn enough o birds SO you will not through ignor. ance, kill your. friends
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27

fourth and Helen Dickinson fifth. These prizes consisted of money. Ev- cry member of the cooking club hand ing in a report and making an exhibit got a bronze button.
 A cooking demonstration by three girls was also a feature of the evening. It caused great deal of amusement besides being instructive. Cornmeal mullins were made.
 Last of all, the essays were read and the diplomas awarded. My essay was on Choosing a Vocation"
 After this we collected our food that we had exhibited and went home.
 MILDRED GRANDY, Age 13.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
EVA ALPER1N, Age Mansfield Four Corners.
Rice.

Did you ever hear the story of the way in which rico was first grown in South Carolina? there was no rice growing in South Carolina until a man came to live in Charleston, who had lived in a 'coun- try where rice grew. His name was Thomas Smith. He had noticed that there was great deal of wet soil in Carolina and wet soil was the kind for rice. so Smith often wished for rice seeds. And his wish was granted.
 One day a wrecked ship whose cap- tain was Smiths friend, gave him a bag of rice which he planted in his garden. So it was that~Carolina be- came. a rice state.
 JOHN SHEA, Age 1s.
 Norwich.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
My Vacation,

Dear Uncle Jed: Last summer dur ing school vacation I went to Long Island to see some of my cousins and friends. I stayed two weeks and had d grand time.
 My cousin took me to a baseball game and some nights we went to the moving pictures.
 When come home brought rab- bit. He is white and yellow. Now she is the mother of eight dear little rabbits. Three are. gray and five are white. They are just ready to come out of the burrow. I hope I can raise them all as we like to see them around
 EDWARD FRANZ, Age 10.
 South Coventry.
Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-27
THE MEN IN GRAY
(True Story)


 Into one of. the ruined villages of France, razed and desolated by the Germans in their. retreat, came one day a party of the Men in Gray" the Friends, or Quakers of England, who altho their religion will not per init them to fight, are spending their strength to restore the ravages of fighting. =
 In that 7Ti1 7i-T;11.esc ltvAa Ns1lA who, in the pleasant days before the war, hs~a lived happily with her father and mother. her old grandmother and baby brother in a comfortable, red-roofed cottage. Now, the father was at the front, the cottage was burned and the lonely frightened, half starved family of four had taken refuge in the corner of a cellar.
 When Marie saw the Men in Gray" she took courage. She had heard of the wonderful things done by those quiet men with the red star and the black star on their sleeves. More over, she was rich! She had sous, and was, therefore, in position to undertake a real estate negotiation.
 'Maman," she said to her mother would not the Man in Cray build us a cottage for my sous?"
 Mon. non" said the mother. \ But Marie persisted. T will ask them,'' she announced.
 You must not trouble them. They would laugh at you," the weary, sac mother told the little girl, but Marie had the dauntless spirit of the woIner of France and she was tired of tht dark, damp cellar, where grandmothel ceughed all night, and where there was no furniture; only rags to lie on 1 So. with her sous tight in her hand she stole forth and sought the "Mel in Gray"
 Sir" she said to the one who me her, "could you build cottage with ; living room, kitchen and bedroom fo grandmere, maman, my brother am me? Could you do it for 6 sous See. I have the money" She opene her hand and showed the coins. "Is enough?"
 The tall Friend never smiled "Quit enough,"' he said. Tn fact, l think can be done with 4 sous. We wi build it at once"
 Marie got her cottage, a comfortabl shelter with beds and all necessarie in it, and when everything was com plete, the Man in Gray" collected tn 4 sous with all the formality of com pleting a large transaction.