Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, June 10, 1915, Page 9

NORWICH BULLETIN, THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1915 Rules for Young Writers. Write plainly on ohe side of the Paper only, and number the pages. 1 [ 3 be given preference. 250 words. ¢ 5. Original storles or letters only will be used. Use pen and ink, not pencil. sm;r? and pointed articles will Do not use over 5. Write your name, age and ad- dress plainly at the bottom of the story. ‘Address all communications to Ungle Jed, Bulletin Office. “Whatever you are—Be that! ‘Whatever you say—Be true! Straightforwardly act, Ba_honest—in fact, Be nobody else but you POETRY. The Day Dreams of a Bey. Wouldn't it be great if you and me Was walkiog together one day, And a man came along in & great big car, With a chauffeur and swell valet, ¢ then, wouldn't it be great i the car would stop, nd the man_would holler and say: ump in, kids, I'll give you a ride, I'm goin’ to the circus toda: An’ wouldn't it be great when we got to the srounds, It this swell guy would say: “Go on 1n, boys, I'm standin’ treat, An’ there ain't a cent to pay.” An' wouldn't it be great, when we got in An’ eet in the front eeat, It we had some peanuts and pink lemonade, ice cream cones to eat? wouldn't it be great if a clown come along An’ ast if weo wanted to ride On a bare-back horse am’ through a hoop, An’ sposin’ we bgth tried, An’ sposin’ the horse ran back to the tent ‘Where the circus people wait, An’ the boss would ast us to join the sho - Say, wouldn't it be great? —Miriam L. Wright, in Baltimore Re- view. Jump UNCLE JED'S TALK TO WIDE- AWAKES. = Uncle Jed likes the boy or girl who is jolly. This does not mean the boys or girls who are always gigsling. Laughter is a part of jolliyt, but it is far from being all of it. A jolly boy or girl must always maintain a good natured mood, and enter into whatever they are required to do with a hearty will to do it weil. They have cheerful faces with cheerful hearts back of them. They have a happy way of making the best of everything, and are never heard grumbling or causht scowling. A jolly boy or girl generally knows it is better to pursue pleasure than to catch it. It was a jolly boy who said: “When his teacher tried to show him what is what, he only found out which was switch.” It was a jolly girl who, holding her aunt's glittering gold teeth, exclaimed: “Aunt Mary, I wish I had copper-toed teeth Just like yours!” There is lots of joy in the world, and the only way to get your full share of 1t Is to keep sweet. There are those who can find joy In work as well as joy in play. If your lot in life does not suit you, just make it better—you can easily make it worse. LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Frank Pardy of Norwich: I thank you very much for the nice book you upon be- THE WIDE AWAKE CIRCLE BOYS AND GIRLS DEPARTMENT awarded me entitied The High School Rivals. It is a very interesting book. Thom: O’Connell of Norwich: I thank you very much for the prize book entitled Tom Fairfield in Camp. 1 have.read it through and think it.is & very nice book. Mary A, Burrill of Stafford Springs: I recelved the prize book you sent.me Thursday, and I thenk you very, very much for it. I have read half, and. it is very interesting. The name of it is Two Boy Gold Miners. Gladys Randall of Voluntown: I re- ceived the prize book you sent me, and 1 send many thanks to you for it. I think it is very nice and interesting. The title is Odds and Even. My long vacation will soon come and I am sorry. I will have to be out of_school so_long. My robin has built her nest again in the same old place, and she has got little babies. 1 love to watch her get worms to feed them. Oh, I love to hear thé birds in the morning when they sing so sweet. I am reading a book now that is very nice, Black Beauty. Rosina Rogler of Norwich: Received the prize book you sent me. 1 have read it through and found it very in- {erusting. Thank you vety much for t. Winifred Briggs, Jewett City: Many thanke for the prize book 1 received Thursday. 1 have read it half through and like it very much. Miriam M. Grover, Norwich: I thank you very much for the nice prize book 1 received. 1 have read it and found it very interesting. Mary Stelnmeyer, Eagleville: I thenk you very much for the prize book. It is very nice, and has very important things in it. THE WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS. 1—Themas O’Connell of Norwich, Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice. 2—_Alex Dugas of Versailles, Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers. 3_Frank_Sagaski of Norwich Town, Swift and His Sky Racer. 4—Leo Poliquin of Versailles, Mead~ ow Brook Girls Under Canvas. 5—Margaret _Danahy of Norwich, The Meadow Brook Girls on Tennis Courts. 6—Edith B, Baker of Pomfret Cen- ter, Madge Morton’s Trust. 7—Hattie Perkins of Madge Morton’s Victory. $—Frank Pardy of Norwich, Madge ‘Morton’s Secret. . Winners of books living in the city may call at The Bulletin business of- fice for them at any hour after 10 a. m. Thursday. Colchester, STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE- AWAKES. The Hippopotamus. The hippopotemus is a rare and cu- rious animal which belongs to Africa. He lives in the rivers and delights to wallow in the mud and reeds. This is why he is. called a hippopotamus or river horse. The hippopotamus is not so tall as the elephant, but he is as broad, and his skin is even thicker than the ele- phants' skin. His legs are so short and thick that his body almost touches the ground when he walks. The hippopotamus can swim and dive; very often he stops under water for five or six minutes at a time. He is very fierce when attacked and so strong that he can tear a boat to pieces with his teeth. If he is not in- terfered with he will not offend people. FRANK PARDY, Age 14 Norwich. Telegraphy in the Revolution. Our forefathers sometimes used fire to telegraph with in the Revolution. Whenever the British troops started on a raid jnto New Jersey, the watch- men on the hilltops lighted great bea- . THE SUN-BONNET CLUB GARDEN “Oh, mamma,” exclaimed Ruth. “Guess you'll have to make another sunbonnet, because Sadies Just told me she had decided to join our club, and that makes six of us now.” “What's this, some new fangled no- tion?" asked her papa as a kindly smile stole over his face. No, sir; just a good plain notion,” replied Ruth very earnestly. “but you could wiot join anyway, for dom't you see, papa, that you would look too fun- ny for anything with a sunbonnet on your head.” This caused much laughter. Now do stop-just a minute” cried Ruth, “and let me tell papa all about it Then she began. “You know the large lot down back of the house has been used only as a playground, and 1 thought you would be willing for a few of s girls to make a little garden there instead.” Throwing both arms about her pepa's neck, she sald coaxingly: “Will you, please? And will you give me some change to buy some seeds?” “Why, little daughter, what a good idea! Did you plan it yourself? Of course, .y have the land, end welcome. “Yes, 1 did," replied Ruth laughing, while her eves were just sparkling with excitement. “There are six of us girls and we are to wear the cutest little sunbon- nets, too, just like the one on the lady in the parade the other day, don't you remember “I think I do” said her papa as he tossed Ruth a handful of change. “I suppose you'll need my help to get the place in condition? Oh, what great gardeners you little folks will be!™ “Guess we will; you just walt and see” said Ruth, dancing about and humming a tune. That afternoon the girls met at Ruth's to arrange their plans and look the ground over to see how many beds they could make. Much merriment prevailed. “Now, girls” sald Ruth, seriously, “what do you think will be the best Kkinde to buy " turnip and spinach for her part of the garden. “Now,” said Maud, “I suggest we buy the seed tape. for then we would not have to transplant and they say the seeds really start earlier than any others.” “All right. Oh, won't remarked all gaily. “I just love to dig in the ground and watch things grow,” said one. “So do L” returned Ruth with a smile, “and we'll call ourselves Sunbonnet club.” To which all at once agreed. Hopping and skipping, the merry party rushed into Jim Bumper's gen- eral store with so much hilarity that Jim had to laugh out loud before he really knew what 'twas all about. “Declare for it!” he exclaimed. “Seed tape? Sure I've got it. One of the very best articles out.” Jim hee-hawed louder than ever When the girls bought all of it he had in stock. Then he gave them a bit of advice about using it, and wishing them the best of luck, said he guessed he'd have to stroll over some time to see their garden. This, of course, pleased the girls very much. Ruth's papa got the ground ready for the various beds and soon after in the early mornings six little sunbon- nets could be seen bobbing up and down as the little girls worked steadily until all the seed tape had been plant- ed. The warm days came, some sun- shine, a little rain, and ’twas not long before the girls were®actually weed- Ing and hoelng. How interested they were as they watched things grow. Not long after, when _everything seemed about right to gather for use, the girls declded there were far more vegetables than could ever be used in their homes, so it was planned some should be given away. e I know,” said Florence, “let's give poor lame Mrs. Porter enoush each day for her dinner.” “Yes, and we'll each carry the same amount to someone else,” said the little girls in unison. The vegetables grew in such abund- ance that the little Sunbonnet club hardly knew what to do. The more they gave away, the more there scemed it be fun?” “Well,” replied Florence, “I don’t like radishes, so I' don’t want them to care for.” “On, I do” laughed Maud, “so I'l choosé that for my part.” Then Grace thought she'd have early peas, and finally Helen's choice was Dush beans, while Florence decided on lettuce. “Now, Sadle, i's your turn” said they. “Oh, yes, to be sure, I was just pieturing it all out in my mind and I think some tomatoes and a bed of onions will be needed.” . A “For goodness' sake!” exclaimed Maud. “how I detest onions! -Never mind, T won't have to Work over them T uth, who now came last, decided on to be, to the delight of the girls and their parents as well, who could not help but praiee their efforts. Almost any time some one of the ‘Sunbonnet club could be seen hurry- ing along with a fresh supply as a gift for someone from their luxuriant garden. declared: “The At the end of this happy summer spent together the little club girls sat for their pictures, which to the delight of all came out remarkably fine, sunbonnets and all. ‘Then one and all agreed to plan the same another year, as their little Sun- bonnet club garden had worked won- ders for their health and bappiness. g E. J. W. con fires. Those who saw the fires, lighted other fires farther away. These fires let the people know that the en- emy was coming, for light can travel much faster than men on horseback, Have you heard the story of Paul Revere? ~When the British were about to send troops from Boston to Lexing- ton, Revere and his friends had an understanding with the people in Charlestown. Revere was to let them know when the troops should march. They were to watch a certain church Steeple. If one lantern were hung in the steeple, it would mean that the British were marching by land. If two lanterns were seen, the Charlestown people would know that the troops were leaving Boston by water. Revere weas seat as a messenger to Lexington. He sent a friend of his to hang up the lanterns in the church steeple. Long before Paul Revere got across the water in his little boat the people on the other side had seen the lanterns in the tower. They knew the British were coming, and were all astir when Paul Revere got over. Revere rode on to Lexington and beyond, to alarm the people. Paul Revere's lanterns were used at the beginning of the Revolutionary war. ‘There is a story of a different sort of telegraph used when the war was near its end. It is told by a British officer who had not the best means of knowing_whether it was true or mot. But it shows what kind of telegraphs were used in that day. This is the story: A British army held New York. Another British army under Cornwalils was 4t Yorktown in Virginia. General Washington had marched to Yorktown. He was trying to capture the army of General Corn- wallis. He was afraid that ships and soldiers would be sent from New York to help Cornwallis; but there were men_in New York who were secretly on Washington's side. One of these was to let him know when ships would sail to help Cornwallis. Washington was six hundred miles away from New York. How could he get the news before the English ships should get there? There were no tele- graphs. The fastest horses ridden one atter another could hardly have carried news to him in less than two weeks; but Washingtor, had a plan. One of the rien who sent news to Washington was living in New York. When the ships set sall he went upon the top of his house and hoisted a white flag, or_something that looked like a white flag. On the other side of the Hudson river in a little village a man was watching this very house. As s00n as he saw the white flag fiying he took up his gun and fired it; far- ther off there was a man walting to hear this gun. When he heard it he fired' another gun. Farther on there was the crack of another, and then another gun. By the firing of one gun after an- other the news went southward. Bang, Bang, went gun after gun across the whole state of New Jersey. Then guns in Pennsylvania took it up and sent the news onward. Then on across the state of Maryland the news went from one gun to another till it reached Virginia, where it passed on from gun to gun till it got to Yorktown. In less than two days Washington knew that ships were coming. He pushed the fighting at Yorktown with all his might. When the English ships got to Chesapeake bay at last, Cornwallis had already surrendered. The United States as free. Tho ships had come too ate. THOMAS O'CONNELL, Age 13. Norwich. A Bear Farm. Fifty years ago there was great excitement over the finding of gold in California, and thousands of peo- ple rushed to that far-off country to make their fortunes. The trip across the scorching plains, and over high and rugged mountains, was a difficult one beset by hardships and dangers. There was no railroad to the Pacific Coast at that time, and many people made the journey of more than two thousand milés by ox teams, fighting hunger, cold and heat, and hostile Indians. Among those who braved the terrors of the overland trip were a young man and his wife from Missouri, who settleq near the Sacramento river and opened a tavern. They had very lit- tle money, but plenty of pluck. For a time theéy prospered, and often took in from their guests a hundred dol- lars in gold before breakfast. But fortune after some years turned against them. The digging of gold was less prosperous. and the hotel business suffered. Finally, the father died, leaving the mother with a family of nine children. She sold the tavern, and removed with the family to a country far north, where she bought a farm and set up a new home. Then occurred an_ outbreak of the Indians, who burned her house and barn and drove off her cattle. But the brave woman never gave up the struggle. She kept her pursuers at bay with a rifle until she reached a refuge for her family, five miles away. After that she, with a son and daughter, moved to a wild mountain ridge in the Coast range. The prospect before them was any- thing but rosecolored. All around, as far as eye could see, were moun- tains, forests and grassy hills. What chance was there to make a living here? The answer to this question will show what people of quick wit and courage can do when they are ener- getic and are determined to make the most of their circumstances. She built a cabin and started to raise sheep and pigs on the grassy ranges. But the mountain wood about them ‘were_the home of bears. There were so many bears that they ate up not only the sheep and pigs as fast as they were raised, but even the chickens. This seemed to be the worst plight of all that had befallen the ill-fated family. How could they make a liv- ing now? The mother, a tall old wo- man with white hair, was equal to the crisis. ~She had Droved her own skill with the riflle. Her son was a 500d shot and knew nothing of fear. Her daughter also had learned how to handle a rifie and was equally courageoys. So the mother determined that if she could not raise sheep, pigs and chickens, she would make trouble for the bears, and compel them to pay for the damage they had done. Then the three set about killing bears, and sending their meat and skins to the market. Mary, the daughter, soon became a “erack shot,” and the skins of the ani- mals she killed went to market bear- ing her name. Jn the early spring it was not hara to find the winter dens of the bears. Whenever a mother bear was shot, the cubs were brought home to the farm. This started a new idea—a bear farm. ~ Why not? One of the cubs sTew to be a large creature, and be came a docile pet, whom they named Pansy. ALIX DUGAS, 3 Versallles. Asods My Trip to Alaska. Starting from Portland, Oregon, wi went up the Willimette river into the Columbia. It took us about two hours to cross the bar. We took the outer passage, 50 we did not meet many large passenger boats, or stop at any towns until we reached Ketichi- kan, Alaska, where we stopped for a few hours, 'unloading freight. The captain and myself went back in the hills to a stream called Fish Creek. It received its name from having S0 many salmon in it. The creek is not more than two feet deep, We stopped at many salmon. can- them can salmon by machinery. They hire Chinamen and Indians, mostly to do_the work. ‘We finally reached Juneau, the cap- ital of Alaska. Sheep Creek is a town about three miles below Juneau. Between these tow towns is the largest stamp mill in the world. They crush rock so as to obtain the gold. Douglas and Tredwell, Alaska, are just across the bay from Juneau. Here the iargest gold mines in the world are located. We stayed four weeks in Alaska. We saileq on the steamer Jefferson. We saw many whales. - We saw seals and glaciers and_icebergs. GEORGE CONE, Age 13. Versailles. A Doll's Wedding. One bright, beautiful day in June, Marion was dressing her dolls for a Wedding, which was to be held at Viola’s home. The bride was Viola's large doll Elsfe May Elizabeth Helen. The bride- groom was Marion’s large teddy bear, Fuzzy Moses Teddy de Bear. Marion had the dolls dressed ex- cept Dinah and Sambo. She thought she wouldn't let them go, but they pleaded so hard that she at last let them. They nearly spoiled the whole thing by wearing red, because they declared it suited their complexions better. The dolls were dressed and Marion was busy packing them in the car- riage. She had so many things to put in oakes, cookles, etc) that there wasn't room for Dinah. But she set her on a cake, which made Dinah very proud, because she was sitting up higher than the rest, Dinah’s pride soon had a fall. Chiny. Marion’s dog, came rushing down the walk, ran against the catriage and poor’ Dinah landed in a mud puddie. Poor Dinah was having such trouble that afternoon, but her dress drled out before the wedding. 1 When Marion reached Viola's home she found the bride and minister wait- ing for her. The bride was dressed in a white silk. The minister had been through the war. He had one eye, no hair, one arm, one leg and half of an- other and to spoil his whole beauty the tip of his nose was gone. After the wedding there was a large feast. Marion was quite ashamed of her dolls, especially Dinah, they ate so much. After the feast, Flsic May Elizabeth Helen and Fuzzy Moses Teddy de Bear went on their honeymoon up in the attic. EDITH B. BAKER, Age 15. Pomfret Center. The Birds. The birds have all come back again and are_ building their nests, Last Sunday I saw a bird trying to take a plece of cloth away from a beanpole. A man_had tied it there as.a scare- crow. I told the person who was with me, “That isn’'t much of a scarecrow.” The bird tugged and tugged, but could not get the knot untied. When I came back from in the woods the cloth was gone. The robin is careless when she builds her nest. She builds it in a low tree, or in a clump of bushes, or somewhere where a child can easily reach. The crow builds her nest high up on the top of a tree, where no one dares to go. A crow is sometimes chased by sparrows. The other day I was on the street near my house and I heard a loud cawing and twittering. There were three sparrows after a crow. The crow would do everything to try and get rid of the sparrows, but he was always caught. The crow flew very low to the ground. The sparrows would jump on the crow’'s back and peck him. The last-I saw of the poor crow was when he disappeared into the woods. with the sparrows after him. Every day when we feed our ducks the sparrows come in the duck yard and eat the grain After a rainstorm birds fly down on the lawn and eat the worms. The sparrows make their nests in barns and sheds. In our roof there is a place and just about enough room for a nest. Every year a_sparrow makes her nest in there. This year she laid her eggs early and has some young birds up_there, FRANK PARDY, Age 14. Norwich. How Birds Help Us. If_there were no birds the people would have a hard time because the insects would eat and destroy every- thing that grows on Farms. When the farmers go plowing the birds follow the plough and eat num- Dbers of bugs. The swallows eat mosquitoes tiny flies that bother us. he owls and hawks eat fleld mice, and ground squirrels that destroy the crops. The woodpecker pecks the trees see if he can get any grubs. The nuthatch goes round and round the tree without resting until he has searched every inch of the bark. The rose-breasted grosbeak eats numbers of potato bugs. The sparrows and all of the finches are fond of seeds; and most of all they like the seeds of weeds that are hard to_get rid of. From morning till night almost the whole of his life, nearly every bird is working for us and we ought to repay him by being kind t ohim. FRANK SAGASKI, Age 11. Norwich. and to Peter and Polly, Polly was a little girl who lived with her father and mother in the country. Peter was her brother and he was only thres vears old, while Polly was seven. Polly had long, black curls, and freckles, but Peter had light hair. Poter called Polly’s freckles rust sports. One day he took some sand and rubbed and rubbed it very hard on Polly’s face. Of course poor Polly's fave grew red and sore from the sand. His mother said: “Sand is good for rust spots, but not for freckle: One day they went to their father's store to buy Some things. Please zive me a pound of stock- ings,” said Peter. How they all did laugh. MARY HOLUBEC, Age 10. ‘West Willington. e The Bluejay. Who has not seen the bluejay flit- ting through the woods with its gay colored plumage. What a pity that such a handsome bird should be a wild and lawless outcast to all its neighbors. For the bluejay is a thieving, noisy bird and often visits other bird's nes and finding eggs, within breaks them. He robs gardens and makes himself a nuisance. But for all his mischievous faults he is a cheery bird and often warns the other birds of the approach of in- truders. When he sights a_hunter he at once flies through the woods screaming as he goes, for when the birds hear his warning notes they in- stantly flee, for they know from ex- perience that the bluejays warning is to be accepted. Aside from this he is onme of the prettiest birds of Amer- ica. ESTHER HYMA! Norwich, Age 11 An Original Story. Once upon a time the birds were holding a carnival, which was ruled by the king of birds, the eagle. They all kept quiet and orderly except the naughty chimney swift; he kept chat- neries, It is very interesting to mltflu and pushing and jumping up and down, and would not mind whea he_was spoken to. Finally a fairy sent the swift out and cast over him a spell and he was doomed to continual unrest, and that is why the chimney swift is always on the wing and can’t even lay down at night, but has to cling to the sides of the chimney, Moral: It is better to always obey our elders. MARGUERITE SUTHILL, Age 11. Norwich. Indian Farms and Farmers. India is shaped like a triange with the Hilmalaya mountains on the north and the sharp southern end. which lies within a few degrees of the equa- tor. India has more than one-sixth of the population of the world within its boundaries. The people are crowded more closely together than upon any other part of the earth, . Most of the people have dark skin on account of the very warm climate, although there are many races and kinds of people living in India. India is sald to be the.land where people first came from. India is governed by the governor general, who lives in a beautiful pal- ace in ‘Calcutta. He is appointed by the British sovernment. The governor eosdl Ban & MWt S OF sURS and besides he has & thousand officials un- der him. India was not wholly civilized when the British came. A few years ago the people built schools, coileges and telephones. They established post of- fices in every little village and had a postmaster to deliver the mail and letters on a bicycle. The people of India are most all farmers. The land is just right for farming; it is very rich and fertile. They do most all of their work by hand. What makes the oil so rich is the fertilizing material that is washed down the mountain by the rivers. The people raise a large amount of coffee, opium, spices, indigo, wheat, cotton and flax. Indigo comes from a plant that grows three to five feet in_ height. When the plant is ready to blossom it is cut close to the ground, then it is tied together in bundles. and put in large vats of water ten hours until it Degins to ferment; then it is whip- ped with bamboo sticks by half naked men two or three hours. The water turns yvellow, then green, then indigo settles to the bottom and the water on top is let off and the indigo is boiled down and pressed into cakes and is then used for making paints and for other purposes. Vase fields of popples are raised for their opium. The seeds are plant- ed in November and weeded until Feb- ruary. Then the blossoms are full grown, the pods are cut off. This is done in the evening. In the morning the juice comes out of the pods. This is _called opium, The government officials take the opium and ship it to all parts of the world. The others of Indla give it to their children, so they will not have to_give them much other food. Flax is another expensive filbre which is raised. It is raised for linen cloth and thread to use in India. The people do not live on their farms in the evening; they all gather together in little mud huts with thatched roofs in little villages. The huts are very uricomfortable to stran- gers. The food of the people is millet and rice. The drink is water. The people get but six to eight cents a day. It costs them but liftle to live. The dress of the men, women and children is just a piece of cloth around the lower part of their bodies and a little jacket with no sleeves and a plece of cloth around their shoulders. MARJORIE WILLIAMS, Age 15. Lebanon. The Thrush. All_members of the thrush family can sing, but the most operatic of them all is the wood thrush. Many coun- try people who know hig song do not know him by sight, for he is very modest. In the early evening, or toward the close of a sultry afternoon is his fa- vorite time for singing. He has a peculiar sweetness in his song unlike any other bird. The veery and hermit thrushes are also good singers. As is usual among birds, the gayest colored members of this family are the poorest musiclans. The bluebird and the robin sing less frequently than the sombre-colored thrushes. ‘While all the thrushes like berries and fruit, they are fond of animal food. They are especially partial to beetles and these make about one-fifth of their animal diet. Thrushes eat many other pests be- sides the beetle. They also eat certain fruits and berries of value to farm- ers. The farmers, as well as the fruit raiters, may be ‘Interested in know- ing exactly what is the ordinary food of the thrushes. According to the diet is quite varied. scientists their Some idea of it may be obtained from the following menu: Angle worms, cutworms, spi- ders, grasshoppers, cabbage-worms, ants. beetles, army worms, snails, May beetles and corn weevils, HATTIE PERKINS. Colchester, Conn. The Prairie on Fire. In some parts of our country there are immense plains that reach for miles and miles. Long waving grass erows on them. It is like a wide sea of grass. These far-spreading plains are called prairies. Birds and animals make their home in the prarie. The wild horse gal- lops about with his mane flowing In the wind. _The great heavy buffalo is there. The wolves roam about in packs. There is plenty of food for them all. Sometimes the hunter who is out in the prairle sees red streaks shoot- ing up from the line of the sky and the earth volumes of smoke keep rolling on, and there is a queer crack- ling noise. The noise seems to come nearer and nearer, and soon it rolls along with a lour roar. On come the red leaping flames! ~ The long, wav- ing grase {s on fire! How did the prairie get on fire? Perhaps an Indian left his camp-fire burning, or dropped a spark from his pipe; or the dry weather has lasted a lonz time, and the grass took fire from the rays of the sun. At any rate, the mischief is done. If men are near, they try to save themselves by burn- ing a space all around where they Stand. When_the fire gets to the bare place it finds nothing there to burn. MARY NELSON, Age 9. Versailles. Execution of Mary Queen of Scots. In. the middle of the great hall of the castle, had been raised a scaffold, covered with black serge and sur- rounded by a low railing. On this scaffoid Queen Mary was to be exe- cuted. A message was sent to the queen asking her how soon she would be ready. The queen replied she would be ready in half an hour. At that time the sheriff went for the queen to her room. When he en- tered the queen arose to go with the sheriff. She took with her the crucifix and her prayer book. When she was taken away many of her servants wept and tried to follow her, but they were sent back by the sheriff. When the queen reached the scaf- fold where she was to be beheated a great cry arose from the bystanders. She stepped on the scaffold with her executioner. The warrant was then read. Then Queen Mary addressed the assembly. The executioner was now ready. ~When he struck he trem- bled, missed his aim and hit the queen in the lower part of the skull. The queen lay motioniess. At the third stroke her head Was severed from her body. JAMES O, KELLY, Age 14. Versailles. ” “Looking Indian. Aunt Alice dropped a stick in the hall the other day and m&l’d work to find ft. Bhe hunted high and low, and even went down on her knees and hands and looked for it with a candle, but it was no use for the pin was very small and insignificant. Finally Aunt Alice, after a last shake of the rug was about to give up the search, when her little nephew, old, happened to come downstairs. “Why don't you ‘look Indian’ for it?” he asked, when he knew what the trouble was, and before Aunt Alice quite realized what was meant, he was down on the floor, his head and body lying sidewise and just as nearly level with the carpet as possible. In this position his eyes quickly took in the whole floor rface, “I have it1" ho shouted! and, sure enough, right in the middle of the floor, and so plain a place thut the wonder was that it had escaped notices was the missing stick pin. Harold then explained that “looki Indian” meant putting the head level with the ground in order to catch sight of the smallest object between one's self_and the horizon. “The Indfans and plainsmen always do it,” he sald. “That is why they can always tell when anyone or anything is coming. But it works just as well in- doors as on the plains; and when- ever we lose anything in our home we just “look Indian" and find it right oft. MARGARET DANAHY, Age 10, Norwich. Flowers. The anther is really a little powder box and after a while it bursts open, spilling a quantity of fine dust, some- times brown, but usually golden. This is pollen, and without it it we would have no flower seeds. The grains of pollen, when magni- fled from one to two hundred diame- ters, are seen to be exquisitely regular and’ dainty in form. Those shed by the stamens of the rose of Sharon are little globes, covered with bristly points. Those of the lily are smooth and oval, lke miniature eggs, and those of the muck-plant are gobular and adorned with a deep spiral groove. In the very heart of the flowers we find the pistil or pistils, for there are sometimes many. That of the tulip is a sturdy affair, green at the base, vellow at the top and dividing into three heads. Hepatica and anemone have many pistils, which ahe huddled together in the blossom's centre and look like lit- tle green seeds. They are in real seed cases. The duty of the pistil in the floral division of labor is to form, guard and in due time distribute the young seed. In its lower part, at flowering time, we may find one or more, per- haps many, tiny pale green bodies, destined to' become seeds if all goes well, MARIE A. SHEA, Age 14 Norwich. Mr. Whittier’s Mocking Bird, Mr. Whittier had a beautiful mock- ing bird. His name was David. He was full of music and fun. He would whistle to the horses. He knew Mr. Whittier and woull call his name, He would sing, “Whittles ‘Whittier! Whittier!” Mr. Whittier let him fly up in the air. Then he would fiy upon Mr. Whittier's head. I will tell you the pet Mr. Whittier loved best. It was a little girl. She lived at Oak Knoll, and her name was Phoebe. Mr. Whittler used to play with her. They would play school to- gether, and Phoebe was always the teacher. He helped her to bufld a playhouse in the grove. Mr. Whittier wrote a poem about Phoebe. He called it “Little Red Rid- ing Hood.” How many ‘beautiful thoughts he must have given to the little girl. You must learn to read his poems for yoursel. LEO PELIQUIN, Age 11. Versailles. On the Farm. Once upon a time when I was visit- ing my grandmother's farm, I was playing in the hay. My cousins and I were making believe it was a moun- tain. It was very high and it took a long while to climb it. By and by two boys came along and had some matches. . They were pull- ing the hay and putting it ento papers which they had for smoking. One boy lit a match and threw it into a hole which we made for a cave. By and by we smelled hay burning. We slid down the side to see what was the matter. By the time we got down to the bottom the flames were coming through the top. One girl left her handkerchief up there, but she said, “My life is of more consequence than my handkerchief So her hand- kerchief got burned up. It was dur- ing the summer vacation. MARY ELIZABETH O'NEILL, Age 10. Norwich, LETTERS TO UNCLE JED, The Fairies’ Slippers. Dear Uncle Jed: I wonder if any of the Wide-Awakes have found _the ladies’ slippers. I have found both the vellow and pink. The yellow ones are very rare, but we find many pink ladies’ slippers where there are pine trees. They generally blossom in the early part of Jume. 1 am going io tell 'you a little story about how the ladies’ slippers got their names. Once upon e time, long, long ago, there lived twelve fairies together in the heart of a deep forest. Far in the woods were many pretty places, where they often hid picnics and dances. These falries lived in a cas- ! Now they had one enemy, an ugly giant, whose name was Grump. While they had picaics one of the fairies had to keep guard. One fine spring morn- ing in June six of the fairies dressed in yellow and the other six in pink. They were going for a picnic at_their favorite nook in & wooded dell. While they were enjoying themselves im- mensely the guard suddenly cried ou “Far in the distance I see our enemy approaching!” The frightened fairies gathered to- gether their dishes and fled. They ran so swiftly that their slippers flew off. When they arrived at the castle they hid, fearful lest the glant should find their slippers and discover their hid- ing place. Early the next morning the twelve frightened fairies set out to find their slippers. To their astonishment they found pink and yellow flowers scat- tered all over the flelds and woods where they had been the night before and ever since that time the children always look for them in the spring- time and call them ladies’ slipper: MARY A.-BURRILL, Age 13. Stafford Springs, People Who Live in Greenland. Dear Uncle Jed: Féew people live in Greenland and most of these are Es- kimos. They are a cheerful, but ig- norant sort of people. They live in low, filthy hovels made of loose stones, or sometimes of blocks of snow and ice. They live chiefly by ~fishing and hunting for sea animals, using the flesh for food, the fur for clothing and the fat for fuel. On the southwest coast there are two S e ALD 'u.'..m. old 35 Doses — 35 CENTS For Over Thirty Years ~GASTORIA THE CENTAUR COMPANY, NEW YORR orTY. or three small trading settlements of white men from Denmark. PAULINE PERRY, Age 12. South -Windham. A Thunder Storm. Uncle Jed: T thought I would tell you about a thunder storm. One sultry day in July, I sat at my window. The heated, heavy alr made me drowsy. 1 was dreaming and I heard a great moise. I thought it was a big team wagon. I was awakened by the rumbling sound. The sky was growing dark and I heard the noise again, The torrent of rain came pouring down. The lightning flashed and the thunder was rumbling. The rain last- ed very long. After the rain it was cooler. SUSAN HATTEN, Age 9. . Mount Hope, $3,500 MORE FOR CONNECTICUT FOOD SHIP Additions to Fund for Relief of Bel- gians—$500 Group Planned. Over $3,500 has been added towards the Connecticut Food Ship for Bel- gium since the last list was published in these columns. One gift of $1,000 has been received from af anonymous triend in New Haven—the largest sin- gle contribution to date, In_addition, one gift of $300 and 15 of $100 each have helped materially towards swell- ing the total. A former contributor to the fund has offered to add another $500 provided the conditional $500 group is com- pleted by July 1st. Accordingly, when 18 more pledges of 3500 each are se- cured from varfous parts of the state, his pledge and the eleven other condi- tional pledges already received will become absolute. The completion of this important group would carry the fund well towards its goal. Among gifts and pledges, condition- al and unconditional, reported to date are: Sarah D, Spicer, Noank, $100; Annie C. Spicer, Noank, $7100; Wil- liam 8. Spicer, Noank, §100; Norwich fung, through’ Gen. Alken, 6 = gifts, $136. The total is now $17,008, BIRTHDAY SOCIAL. Friends Entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Henry H, Pendleton, of Preston Plains. Saturday evening, a few friends were entertained at the beautitul home of Mr. and Mrs, Henry H. Pendleton at Preston Plains, it being the birth- day of Mrs. Pendleton. A jolly time was enjoved by all. Those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur _ Whit- marsh, Mr. and Mrs. Bert McCabe, Miss irene Quinley of Hallville, Mrs. Eliza Eccleston of North Stonington, Willlam Higging, Miss Dell Main of Westerly, Miss Helen Main, Mr. Wil- son of Mystic, Bert Hood, Miss Jose- phine Nicoli of Poquetanuck, Mr. and Mrs. James Mahoney, Charles Gosda, Miss Mary Gosdafi Mrs. Louise Col- lins, Thomas and Rose Collins of Pres- ton, Soon after arriving a delicious luncheon of baked beans, salad, sand- wiches, cake, coffee and fruit was served in the dining room. The house was prettily decorated, the color scheme being green and white. Mrs Pendleton was presented many prett: and useful gifts, which she acknowl- edged in an affable and cordial man- ner. Many games were played and enjoyed by all. After refreshments a soclal evening was spent. Imitating the Big Noise. As the privatest sort of a private citizen the Colonel is the loudes tkind of a quiet citizen. —Philadelphia In- quirer. Best for . the Skin To keep the complexion clear of blemishes, the head free from dandruff and thehands white,use Contains 305 Pure Best for pimpl Dlack bouds, e Bives, It’s a fine toilet 1Bold by all druggtata, Keen Femi Not merely do the women sesm ta relish housecleaning, they can see a d: ture is all put News. been appointed by American Loomis has been vious to that time in NEW exclusive guests; the containing_a and second floo private parlors and women. The service assisting and alil th sary to t traveler can be hours. tha q A _bright, bath. Meal be sent free. Writing Paper manager of the Oakland division, suc- ceeding the late R. G. Campbell. Mr. sistant for the last five years. Martha Washington 20 East 20th St, near Fifth Ave ADVANTAGES The 450 bedrooms are for the use two magnificent res. taurant with orchestral evenings and the careful kind; nearly ali the employes are wome: Beiobed o & saiehees Jeloped to & r maids are accustomed %o - jests in their rooms Jittle thing comfort of a woman offered araciously and at To tie woman seeking proe fesslonal, soclal or business prevtige a residence at the Mar- ‘ashington Is a real costs $1.50 per day and mere for. a’larger room of 'E“,’.,,m"":: Table d'Hote and a la Carte. illustrated booklet sets other Interesting facts and will ne Ey but they claim fference in the ap- pearance of the rooms after the fumi- back. — South Bend Manchester—Charles N. Loomis has the officials of the company Mr. Campbell's_as- Pre- he wWas bookkeeper the office of the Vernon Woolen company at Vernon. —_— YORK of women lower floors grand losby th numerous wi both men are for is of that even, the tele- em s de- he cham- neces- secured and are asset. cheerful room forth and get one vote the Great Library A. B iiothing Better Send Your Laundry to Rogers Domestic Laundry for every penny im Contest. Telephone 914 ] MAINE i Sells the 2alston Health Shoes in the Market. 219-225 Central Ave. *! DR. N. GILBERT GRAY Gradzate Veterinarian OFFICE ; Bailey's Stable, 37¢ Main St Phone connection DR. C. B. ELDRED DEN 3 Broadway, Telepho TIST Central Bullding ne 341-3 M. A. BARBER, Machinist and Engineer. St--m Engine Repairs, P S S — THERE Is mo a Eastern Connecticui letin for business vertiag, aua ta The Buis Tesuits.