Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, January 27, 1916, Page 9

ool ‘When' .mr:‘gu Deep. 1 m'u, ou I . uow Eratituds the birds will show For -:l-um';';‘-‘l mde seeds and bits “of meat, 3 Or anything that:they can eat ‘When- winter - winds blow loud and -cover field and hill. hole ;that they can get at, ote how soon the birds will come b; little bills will drum. o e g iniq3 ndliness. Blest be the tongue that speaks no il ose words are always true, That keeps the law of kindness still Whatever others do.” ' be the hands tHat toil to aid ‘The great world’s “Geaseless need, The hands thaf never are afraid To do a kindly- dsed. UNCLE JED'S TALK TO WIDE- A AWAKES. —_— ‘Unele Jed has nuticed there has been recéntly quite a’’-@iscussion among learnéd men né spell cocoa. Some writers spelled. it"'c-0o-c-o and other co-coa, and here in -America we are taught to-spell it e-0-c-0-a because it is.in most .of; our dictionaries that Now the well-informed. prove the a became added to that little word .in Johnson’s dictiorary over a century and .a._half ago by a _printer who did not know what e-0-c-o meant, .or how- to spell it. = Most of ‘the ¥Wide-Awakes know a end of the nut-shell 5 2 monkKey’s face. Coco is from'the. Portuguese and means mon- key’s face, so-the real nut where grown is simply the mankey-faced nut. The Oxford Universal dictionary and the Royal Géosraphical soclety’'s dic- tion: son changed the form of the spelling and ‘continue this error of a blunder- ing printer. - You.could not spell this word c-o=c-o in_your school lesson without receiv- ing a mark for an error, because all American authorities agree that the wrong way to spell this word is the “That “looks : qiésr ‘to> you, but this “énly one:of many things which are tHotight to ‘be Tight but.are not. We shall all have to go on spelling coco, €:6-c-6-d," because it has been confirmed as right by the use of it by “writers' for over a hundred and A blundgring printer once put a semjcolon - (;) into a Jlassachusetts law and-changed its meaning; and it Alfreda K. Walker, of Mansfleld Center—I thank you very much for the prize book which I received.. I WIDE AWAKE CIRCLE LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Al M, o the nice ¢ Versaiilea—I received al book yeu sent ?a -‘A:l like it very mnsh. I thank you have read some of it and like it very much. % : Mary A. Burrill, of Stafford Springs ~Many thanks:for'the nice prize book .. 1 was very much pleased with it, and réad it while T was sick. I found it very interesting. = 5 Blanche Potter, of Willimantio— Thank you for the prize bsok you sent me, The Meadow. Brook Girls Afloat. I read e Gladys Thompson, of Mansfield De- pot: T thank you very much for the prize book you sent me. I have read it half through and found it very in- was glad to receive it. It was interesting. it all through. teresting, THE WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS. J. Kinney, of South Coven- rammar School Boys Snow- 2—Robert J. Borgeson, of Williman- tic—Anderson’s Fairy Tales. - - i 3—iElizabeth Parker, of Mansfield— The Club at Crow’s. Corner, 4+—Raymond W, -Gray, of Willlman- tic—Thé Pony Riders in- the Grand Canyon, 5—Annie Farnell of Stonington—The Girls of Central High at Lake Luna. 6—Mason Parker, of Mansfleld—The Speedwell Boys in a: Submarine. . 7—Clara Parker, of Colchestér—The Girls of Central High on the Stage. s—Egbert W. Lowe, Jr., Howard, R. I—Story of the American Flag. STORIES WRITTEN BY WIDE- AWAKES, . . The Jack O'Lantern. . The children had been working bus- ily all day, helping their father and mother with the harvesting. It would soon be Thanksgiving day and the nuts had to be gathered and the pumpkins and carn put into the barn, and the apples cut, strung and hung up to' dry. . a5 After supper the family “gathered around the big fireplace—all but, the an.r,her who had gone ta help a neigh- or. ' “Let us string ‘'a few more apples,” said Endurance. “Father filled the baskets again this afternoon.” “Oh, no!” said Obed. “Lét us make 1 found a big yel- low . pumpkin_and father gave it to me.] s Yes, yes,” cried all the children, “let. us make a jack-o’-lantern!” and they watched with eager interest while Obed cut off the.top of the pumpkin and scooped out the seeds. “Now make two big eyes,’ said En- durance, and Obed cut two round holes in the rind. Theén he cut a long nar- row opening. & 5 “What a big mouth!” said Patience. “The Dbefter "to "eat you with my dear,” said one of the boys, as Obed nda:ld (Dome ;;!d two ears. “Mother! ' Mother! m Wi candle? Our lantern--is ’in?u cried the children at last. Mrs. Moore found a bit of candle, and they fastened it into the pump- kin and lighted it. How the big eyes flued and the mouth grinned. Truly t was an ugly face. Just then a man came riding by. “The Indians! the Indians!” he cried. “They are coming up from the swamp. There is not time for you to go to the blockhouse.”, “Take the children, mother,” said Ve 8 edi” A LITTLE FROLIC. Tom and Edwin were always play- ing jokes on - people, and at schaol imtdmng pla;r-’eddfhcim more than to ead - r lends into some dilem- m* and then laugh at them. hey would b};!a pens and pencils, put ink into mucilgge bottles, mucilage into ini bottle, tie tin pails and shov- els' to ddors so that the racket upon opening the doors would cause a com- motion in ol Their pranks were innumerable and | S! an attempt to chrancile all their jokes ‘would useless. The teacher lived near the school and often intercepted apparently well laid plans of these mischieveous boys, but could noét always be on the alert, however. Hallowe'sn was drawi near and he knew_ the boys were planning mis- chief- of some sort. The very air full of mystery. ‘That night he was more ¢areful than usual to. lock the doers of the house _barn, .and said,.“They’ll have na ;Mafia to play any .tricks on me this The _boys wandeged around awhile the teacher.staod at his gate as Gt Coreing 1 wen- will be the victim. I rather it will_be wise to_watch them.” &. “vn_u lnmtfiho‘heu-g :ndhut _window, in. the dusk, but where _hulsmfv?swv!thumminul me.- Soon.the boys returned, stopped as in comsultatien. pumpkins in pumpkines in Mr. % Tom, * aps of -trouble when 'tis - and- they'll wonder how it . | of cream; everyone TEDDY'S LESSON. “Come, Teddy,” said Mrs. West, “it's time for the cows to come home.” But Teddy was reading a story about a shipwreck, and he did not want to be disturbed, just then. “O mother, wait a little while,” he said. A little later Hester came to the door. “Teddy, you ought to get the cows,” said. replied Teddy, sister went away. face apeared at the “Edward, the cows!” said Mr. West, and when his father spoke like that, Teddy lost no time in obeying. Sulkily he lald down his book and walked through the kitchen, where his mother and sister were cooking the supper and his father was piling up 4he kindling wood for the morning’s re. “I hate cows!” Teddy grumbled, as he walked slowly across the pine floor. “They're a bother, and I wish we didn’t have any. I wish nobody had any. Cows.are no gbod, anway, Just in the way. I hate cows!” ._An hour later, the cows were safe in the barn for the night and Teddy was in better humeor, He was hungry, too, after the walk to the meadow and back, in the fresh, bracing air, A fine round of meat was smoking on the table, but there was none on Tedy’s plate. ¢ 5 “This is beet,” said Mr. 'West. I did not give you any because you hate eaws, Teddy.” 3 Tedy opened his mouth and then “then | closed it again without saying a word. “I won't give you any butter, Teddy," sald Mrs. West, “becat ] i Hester poured out milk for the other children, but. to Teddy she gave a glass aws ch & bother,” she. sal s a .said soberl: %nu?w you don’t ‘want any looked wistfully at the te 1y, cheese, .but it was N"to but him. But, worst when the custards . were swveet and brown in their ey eddy was you the cows and you hate little, wh 1" he and they hur- Obea kept the Jack- window. 3 JOHN FOX, Age 10 The American Museum of Natural History. o o us avenue. The present build- ing is a part of a group that will some day cover the entire square. one can find something to interest him The building {tself is imposing. the exhibition halls are roomy and bright, and the collections are extensive and complete. Here may be séen collec- tions that will help the children in their studi are collections of mammals, birds, Insects, shells, fos- sils, woods, minerals and gem: In’ cases we find Indian relics, which heip us to understand a little about Indian life. There are thousands of abjects gathered here that show some- thing of the customs and domestic life of many of the different races of North and South America, and M other coun- es, There is a large lecture hall in which lectures are given to teachers and pu- pils of the public schools and also to the” general public. s Cases containing specimens for study are always welcome in the museum, are sant directly to the scheool. They are helpful in the study of birds, in- sects, corals, eponges, woods and min- Children are always welcome in the museum. BERTHA BIENENSTOCK, Age 10. New York City. A Dime Novel Story. A boy returned from school one day with a report that showed that his scholarship had fallen below the us- ual average, and this conversation n,” said the father, “you've fall- ehind this month haven't you?” es, Sir.” “How did it happen?” “Don’t know, sir.” The father knew, if the son didn’t. He had observed some dime novels scattered about the house; but had not thought it worth while to say any- thing wuntil a fitting opportunity should offer. itself. A basket of apple stood upon the floor and he said, “Empty out those apples and take the basket and bring it to me half full of chipi ‘Suspecting nothing the son obeyed. “And, now,” continued the father, "’(pttx( those npplgs back into the bas- et.” When half the apples were re- placed the boy said: “Father, they roll off. T can’t put any more in.” “Put them in, I tell you.” “But I can't.” _“Put them in? No, of course, you can’t put them in. You said you did- not know why you fell behind at school and I will tell you why. Your |mind is like that basket: it will not hold more than so much, and there you'vé been the past month fliling it up with cheap dirt—dime novels. The boy turned on his heels, Whis ahd said: “Whe I see the Not a dime novel has been seen in the house from that day to this. TRIAM M. GROVER, Age 12. Norwich, Early, in the West. The prevailing race were Indians until the pioneers appeared. & The Indians hunted buffalo and wild beasts and went to war. As the pioneers pushed westward the Indians looked for new hunting grounds. s The pioneers cut the forests, built ‘homes, and cleared land for the farm. ._They kept pushing west and on up into the mountains until gold was dis- covered. The discovery of gold brought an almost steady string of settlers on their way to get a fortune quick. The settlers were -raided or were robbed by highway robbers of which thers were many. Sometimes, as the stage coach came along, drawn by six or eight horses, they ~would be suddenly surprised and held up by a band of robers of about twenty or thirty in number. £ Some of the bandits would catch and hold the horses ,while others would kill the passengers and take the spoils, if there were any. Buffalo were numerous and formed the principle food of the Indians and settlers. Buffalo meat was- dried in many cases to keep it by hanging it in the sun and called jerked buf The Indians of the West differ from those of the East because those in the ‘West travelled about and never tilled :!’l:peloll. as did those on the Atlantic ‘The Western Indians would in a half hour gather together their wives and belongings to start on a hun- dred mile journel. FOREST GRAY. Willimantic. 3 A Dream Trip to the Moen. I had been sliding this afternoon and was_very tired. 1 stepped inside the house, I saw a bright fire burning cheerily in the fireplace. I retired soon after entering the house, and as my bed was near the window I d at the stars for some time and fell ”}“fl. - 1 was. going ;«h the moon.” I was to go by automo- 5 : On my way'l s&w many things, sofe of which I ‘will mention, ther'a- ‘were with , trees rhue!‘,e‘a.nd tall of many .different va- mountains in a dis- Use we get our | over. of all, | ¢ in: | ite | | | *! be late. on a trip’ ‘Colchester. Ponto Is a Very Knowing Cat. have a cat whom we call Pon- tiger colored WO e Do ke mwess ol FANNY RYSHPAN, Age 12. A Celebrated Slide. “Just one more sljde and then I must go in” I exclaimed to my companion, Who answered: “All right! If you must go in, we ‘will have only one more slide, and let us make this the best.” seated one of the neighbors she to give Ponto some sweet oil. hen she turned around Ponto was nowhere to be found. He didn’t come back for four or five hours, Ponto likes to_be little blue sult I have Httle hat is just large enough for his head and runs up to a point on the ;3]) of which is a tassel of blue yarn. e will let me wheel him around in a doll’s carriage with a tiny pillow un- der his head and a doll's -Mns bot- tle in his lap. He will eit in different %umom for me to take his pictures. @ is very contented if he is in the center of attraction. 3 ANNIE FARNELL, Age 13. Stonington. up in a him. The safely down the hill. ] Half way down the hill the ride was glorious; but then my feet slipped, the rope became entangled and the sled went zigzag, bouncing lightly over the large bumps, and ste itself the most unruly mann till finally this celebrated slide ended in one grand tumble into _the soft white snow. HELEN O'NEIL, Age 11. An Automobile Ride. One day in-summer a girl of about 15 years of age started from her home in Kentucky to visit her uncle, who luved in the same state about 50 miles {from there. She went by auto, and was traveling alone, except for the chauffeur. 1 As she rode along she could see the long dusty turnpike ead of her, looking like a white thread winding and straightening like a snake, crawl- ing slowly out of sight, losing itself, only to appear again farther on, where the foliage of the cypress was not so dense. This long road led to a wide shaded avenue which brought her to the brown iron gates of an old fashioned park. At this gate, or rather a little back from the avenue, there was a small white cottage surrounded by a garden of mahy-hued flowers. This was the home of the gatekeeper. As he ran out to open the massive gates to let her motor in, she could see his simple dress, consisting of a brown corduroy suit and red neckerchief. As she passed through this park the par- tridge and quail flew startled into the underbrush. Evidently they were not used to the whirr of a motor. As she passed through she could catch glimpses of a quaint, brown stone house. This house stood in the center of a ‘wide area of ground. Its verandas were broad and gave it a cozy home-like look. The broad -lawne were free from shrubbery, there being now and then a large shade tree. As she drove up to the front door a "shout arose and several of her cousins appeared, hardly giving her time to breathe, they were so glad to see her. At last they were all seated at the supper tablé and as they wefe eating they talked of what they should do on their first evening together. At last an automobile ride was de- cided on. As they left to prepare for the trip her unclé came in and said in rather a worried tone that the lodge must be the limit of their trip. He had just heard that a raid of lopters was expected and that they were to go to the lodge and warn the ‘people there and then drive directly home. They started on the trip and reach- ed the lodge safely and were prepar- ing to return when they eaw a light dancing among the trees, not more than-a mile away. They had their re- volvers and were not afraid. When they were exactly opposite the spot where the light was, a man sprang tipon the running board and said: “Hands up!™ One of the boys snatched off the fellow’s mask, hoping to identify him. ‘The man discharged his weapon, but the bullet went over the boy's head. Suddenly there was a shot from the road and their uncle appeared with a party of men. The robber gave up after quite a struggle and turned out to be her uncle's chauffeur, who had been dis- charged. He was tried, and it was found that he had stolen two other cars in differ- ent parts of the state. He had to pay a heavy fine and stay in jail for one year. ALMIRA KRAMER, Age 13. Colchester. Bird's Enemies. The English sparrow is one of the enemies feared most Dy other birds. They are noisy, dirty and seldom ever eat insects, but instead drive away the birds. Bird comumittees sometimes break the nests and eggs of these sparrows every ten days during breeding time. Often they are trapped in the fall, and also in the spring. he crow is another enemy of the birds. It is s=aid that in late fall, winter and early spring they do much good, but in the late spring and sum- mer so much harm, that they have to be watched closely, and thinned out occasionally on account of the crops and insect eating birds. Bluejays do a certain amount of good, but if there are many they drive away other birds. It is the same with Amerjcan Masgpies and both kinds have to be reduced in number. Some kinds of hawks and owls do much harm and certain kinds do good. Other enemies of the birds are carts, snakes, red squirrels, rats, mice, dogs, weasels, foxes, minks and skunks. Every boy and girl should learn to protect birds from their natural en- emies and aid them in every way pos- sible to increase and make our world more beautiful with their songs and our gardens more luxuriant for their industry. MARY A. BURRILL, Age 13. Stafford Springs. A Good Hike. One Saturday morning my friends came over and said they were going on a hike, and asked me if I could go. 1 gladly said “Yes!” got some lunch, and started. ‘We hiked for about four or five miles and then as our appetites began to grow we thought it best to stop and have dinner. One of the boys had brought some steak and pancake batter. We started a fire and cooked our food. The pan- cakes were the best of all (at least that was what the boys said). After dinner we played a game call- ed “Smugglers,” and we had a lot of fun. When it was time to go home we stopped playing, picked up our things and started for home in a big hurry, because one of the boys had an en- gagement and we did not want him to We got there in time, so ev- erything came out all right in the end. JOHN P. BIGELOW. " Norwich. Fun in the Country. I will try to write about my last summer’s vacation. Well, I wa to the beach several times an in bathing, and thought I was having great sport, and I was; but when you want real fun you should go to the country. Memma took sister and I up to grandpa’s on the farm for a few days. I have nine cousins up there, so you can see that we had fun when we all got together. ‘The first thing I did was to change my' clothes, get into some overalls and vutton an old pair of shoes, and then I wis ready for fun. One of my cousins has a donkey. We thought we would like to have a don- key ride, so several of us got on his back. He went along a little ways un- til he saw a nice place to dump us, and he did. He laid down, threw us all off, and jumped up and started to run. My cousin caught him and told me that I might have a ride. 1 was pleased to think 1 was going to get a ride. I got on his back and the donkey went to the brook to get a drink and threw me over his head into the watér. They all laughed at me and you can imagine how I felt. I can tell you I' had all the fun I wanted with that old donkey and I didn’t go near him again. Then I went out to the peach orchard with the boys to gather peaches. I never saw so many or such large peaches. I was to eat all the peaches T could and drive the horse back and forth with a load. Of course, I en- joyed both driving the horse and eat- lnf peaches. went to the pasture with Collie to get the cows and we had fun chas- ing the cows and sheep, whistling and shouting and making the turkeys gob- ble and the guineas cackle. After the boys got the chores done they all went to the pond swimming. They wanted me to go in With them, but 1 knew I couldn’t swim and 1 was afraid that they would @uck me, so didn’t go in. Just think of all the jolly fun there is when you're a boy. You can build hay stacks, ride on loads of hay, jump fences, go swimming and tle fellow's clothes into knots. Oh, my! The days aren’t half as long as they ought to be, ‘when you're a boy. ERT 'W. LOWE, JR, Age 8. Howard, R. 1. My First Visit to Pleasure Beach. One day last summer my mother, my sister and I took the trolley car and met some friends with whom we ‘were going. We were going to stay in our friends' cottage, for they had in- vited us. We got off the car at New London and took an to to the beach. We reached there about 1 o'clock. We were going to stay a week. After we got there we had dinner and after an hour we went in bathins. Before we came out of the water we went out rowing in the boat with the children. When we came out we play- ed on a big rock at the side of the cot- tage, and waited for our mothers to get supper. After supper, as we chil- dren were tired after our day's jour- ney, we went to bed. “Next morning we arose early and went in paddling. Later in the day we went in bathing, and did so évery day. One day, abonut supper time we went to a part of the beach called South Point, where we ate supper. After that we gathered drift wood, made a fire in the rock, and toasted marsh- mallows. The last day of our stay, in the morning we went fishing out on the breakwater. My sister caught thir- teen fish right off. LORAIN C. MACPHERSON, Age 9. Norwich. When Consctence Beckon: cried Lucy as she ran all the girls are going evening. Won't you come?” 'd love to, Lucy, but I do not know whether my mother will let me, but I will try to come. ‘Martha went home and found her mother in_ the kitchen. i “Mother, ma. ‘Her mother replied in. the n‘gcuvq. towards her, skatin this Owen’s Errand. “Owen, remember not to loiter so that the British will have a chance of capturing you, for this is an important mission I'm sending you c‘m. and if the y. 1 go_ skating evening with the giris?” she said. “Why, un angry? She'll be proud to e! Mother know that her son could Ind lence. right, my boy! Good bye, may god be with yon till we meet p;d Sade ‘ix tncle farewel] aud Jum; upon orse, waving "kerchief, while his uncle staod silent- ‘ly watching his - Owen rode in | would have ;. much The Indian Story of the Plsiades. Have you ever seen the seven Plelades? They are a group of seven are ‘would dance around the mound. One night they thought that they usual. agreed upon What to bring. But their parents would not let them have what they wanted, so they went to the mound without the feast. The singer sat on the mound and sang while the others danced. As danced their heads and their hearts grew lighter until at last they flew up until they reached the sky. Their parents saw them and called to them to come back, but they did not. They changed into stars. One is dim- mer than the rest, and some people say it is because the little singer is home- sick, but cannot come back. ‘This is a story in my reading book which is about Indians. ‘ MASON PARKER, Age 12. Mansfield. LETTERS TO UNCLE JED. She Wants to Become a Teacher. Dear Uncle §2d: I am in the eighth grade at school and enjoy it very much. Last year I graduated from the eighth grade, and as I thought I needed an- other year I went this year. Next year I hope to go to High School, and after I finish High School I want to g0 to Normal School as I wish to be- come a teacher. - Often I get my lessons done befo: the rest of my grade as I did the work last year, then my father allows me to help the younger children. I like to do_this. ‘What are some of the Wide-Awake's plans for the future? What do you wish to become when grown up? What studies do you like best? I like to study about nature: Trees, flowers, butterflies, and birds. Don't you like to study about these things ELIZABETH PARKER, Age 14. Mansfleld. The Village Hill Scheol House Fire. Dear Uncle Jed: Last Wednesday afternoon about half past one of the children happened to notice the smoke coming from the schoolroom wall near the chimney. ‘Some of the small children started to run, but the teacher made them 80 back to their seats. Then she told us to stand, and we marched out. As soon as we got out, some of the children ran to get help, and the old- est children carried out all of the books. By that time most of the men from the village were fighting the fire, work-, ing hard in trying to put it out, but it got the best of them and they had to give it up. When we went home at half past six there was nothing left standing of our school house. ROBERT J. BORGESON, Age 10. Willimantic. How the Fire Began. Dear Uncle Jed: "Wednesday morn- ing, January 19, 1916, we smelled smoke in our school house, but we could not see any fire. In the after- noon about three o’clock, my play- mate Annie Borgeson saw the fire and told our schoolmates and they told our teaeher, Miss O'Nell. Soon we were dismissed and ran for help. We had many helpers. but could not put the fire out. Soon the §chool house was all afire. It lasted till eight o'clock in the night. One tree was spoiled. In the morn- ing the next day, a dout nine o'clock. T went to see it and only saw ashes. ISRAEL REI. .STEIN, Age 11. ‘Willimantic. An Accident. Dear Uncle Jed: I have toride to schooi in a school wagon. One night when we were going home we had an accident. We were going down a hill and one horse got his foot over the pole. The man who drives team at the top of the hill. the pole broke and the horse down. Then he unhitched them and the horse got up. The pole was broken and we thought we had better go home and rot wait for him to get another one. If we had waiteg for him to fix it we would have been an hour or an hour and a half later than usual. We were glad afterwards that we GLADYS YOUNG, Age 11. Rain-in-the-Face. Dear Uncle Jed: I thought I would write and tell you about the Indian who was up to visit the school. His Indian name was Rain-in-ths Face, and his English name was Win- fleld Scott. He was very interest- ing. He wore his native suit of buck- skin, crnamented with different .col- ored beads. He wore his moccasins, to. He had feathers in his hair and on the end of the feathers he had torn pleces of ribbon, and little bells, -and every time he shook his head the bells would jingle. He told where he was born in Okla- homa, December 22, 1865. He told how the Indian squaw carried her papoose. When she is doing her work she hangs the papoose on a tree, then when the baby cries she rocks herself back and some pictures and post cards One of the girls took the In- dian's picture. ‘ALICE G. KINNEY, ‘Age 13.- South Coventry. Had a Fine Time at Mohegan Park. Dear Uncle Jed: 1 spént some fes feast than eas b I will tell you Awakes about my chickens. T got dozen eggs from Storrs college set them. Five hatched, they all lived, and were pullets. When the man came after one to pay for the eggs, he bought two others and gave me three the other two dol- dollars for them. I sol two, to my uncle and lars. I hope to raise some more next year. RAYMON W. GRAY, Age 11 ‘Willimantic. A Trip Through an Alligator Farm. Dear Uncle Jed:—I am going to tell you about a trip through the alligator Alligator eggs would make splendid -nlgke! food cake, for they have no yo The female alligator lays from fifty to one hundred eggs each season, but instead of laying them like 2 hen, one a day, she s them all in one day. She then mixes a bed of slime and dry leaves, covers her eggs and leaves the mass to-ferment. The heat of the fermentation hatch- the egg: It requires sixty days. ‘When th young are hatched the motheér ‘gator returns and digs her voung but of the decaying mass and leaves them to shift for themselves. At ‘the alligator farm in Los Angles cannabalism is prevented by penning alligators of the same size in one pen. Even then flerce fights occur among the larger reptiles. Their teeth are not adopted for cut- ting and they are unable to reach their food with their short fore paws. On the alligator farm there is a hospital for wounded ’gators, where they are nursed till they are well They are finally killed for their hides. Among the patients are ’gators with eyes out, legs bitten off and tails gone All the treatment necessary for their wounds is mud. No fever ever gets in in_their wounds. The 'gators. are killed painlessly by putting them into great fron tanks, and turning the gas on. DORIS EAf RBROOKS, Age 9. ‘Willimantie. Nice Time S8Ii Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tell you about the nice times we have slid- ing down the hill ‘There are six large hills around here. One if the neighbors has a bobsled ize lets us take to slide on! school house that we slide on at re- cesses, but noontime we have more time to slide so we go on the larger hille to slide. The first time we went sliding wa did not take the bobsled, .but we did the next day. We have only been sliding twice on the large hills. The first time we went we got back to school just on . The next time we were five minu late , so I don't know if the teacher will let us go so far again. The next day was Saturday. The boys went sliding in the morning, but the girls couldn’t go before afternoon. By afternoon the boys got the bob- sled. The hill we went on was about a half mile from home and the bob- sled was heavy to pull. There wers two or three bends in the hill so one of the bays has to go down ahead of us to see if there was a team coming. He had to signal twice; and once if there wasn't a team coming. We stayed there sliding for three hours and had about ten slides, or more. We were then getting cold so we started for home. There were eight or nine sliding on the bobsled. e all had a nice time and hope it will be so we can go next Saturday. ARLENE PEARL, Age 12. Augusta, Me. My Ninth Birthday. Dear Uncle Jed: My ninth birthday was a very nice day. I was not feeling very well. Just then the door-bell rung and the maid went. It was one o!It.ha girls I had lnvl!ag yery mice presents. Gne present was ... ::y district school, big enough to get nto. This was my first big birthday party. I also had a traveling case with my name on all the articies in the case. Wasn’t that a lovely birthday? NANCY BIGELOW, Age 10. Norwich. o His Christmas. _Dear Uncle Jed: School closed Fri- ‘!’.y noon, ‘Decmb-r‘ug uu.m:v: went 0 to e met use ai the station. o%e stayed for Christmas. Christmas day we had a big Christmas dinner. I will tell you what I received, an Brector set, two books, some. soldiers, a drawing set, :nllmldglclmudn.boxofdm- HENRY HOLDEN, Age 9. South In Hard Luck. st luck. Jabe. Addame o $hs R SR