Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, February 24, 1916, Page 9

NORWICH BULLETIN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1616 THE WIDE A Rwiss for Vaung Writers. Write plal one si¢e of the only, 38 Jubver 3. pages. fnz, not pencil. Short and pointed article: Be given prefesemce. Do not use over ¢ words. 3 Original stories or letters only v 5. “Wile your nams, age and ad- dress Bldinly at the duticem of the all unications to Undlo e, Bulletin Office. : ver you are—Be that! Whiniever Tou say--Be trie! Straightforwardly act, 3¢ nonest—in fact, i e aobody clse Dut yow' POETRY. The Unselfish Robin. By A. Judson Rich. y The Zollowing stanzas were inspired by a touching _incident in Milton, Mass. A pair of robins had built their Bes: one gyring under a piazza and all day were kept busy getting worms for thelr young. A caged mocking bird was suspended near, and several times the parent robins were seen to alight on the cake and drop worms into the prisoner’s mouth. (3 It was a mansion old and fair— Seaward it looked, all ¢lad in vines; Smooth lawns and fragrant blooms were there, Wide-spreading elms - and shady pines. * The aged sire, with whitened locks, And full of ‘sympathy for all God's creatures, kin, or herds or flocks, Was bound with them in happy thrall. One day, at early morn, he heard Red Robin sing her matin song, And knew the errand of the bird, Who piped and twittered loud and long. She came again another day, With moss and clay and hair, build Her nest, in which five eggs to lay, As Nature, God, or instinct willed. to Five tender fledglings filled the nest; The mother brought sweet worms for f00d; | But soon she spied a stranger guest, Which seemed its presence to trude. in< They watched each other—friendship grew, The mocking bird, with notes so shrill, ‘Would greet the robin as she flew The hungry mouths with food to il One doy the robin seemed in haste, And rapid came with worm to feed The open mouths—delicious taste, Then flew to meet her prisoner's need; Returned and lighted on the cage, Looked down and met an open bill, Looked up, as wise as any sage, That 1t with sweet bits she could fill. Often repeated was the act; Robin was proud of her new trust, Was glad to'loan to him who lacked, And share in joy her scanty crust. Good lesson hast thou taught us, bird— “For me, and mine” we must not live; 8 To others of our bounty give. —Our Dumb Animals. JED'S TALK TO WIDE- AWAKES. Some grown people act just like bad boys and girls and have such a habit of calling others names that they for- get themselves and call their own children brats .and other bad names. One thing our Wide-Awakes should do is to avoid calling anyone names and not let the bad names they are called annoy them in the least. No one can make a us but ourselves. If the name doesn’t fit us, why should we mind the insane state of mind which voiced it? wicked thought which prompted it as bad as our naughty act which pro- voked it, if that was the ca should not pros UNCLE | T won last week. | book. | prize book you sent me. d name hurt | | me. |like it very much. se of it. We | teresting. ke people to anger | WAKE CIRCLE ~| BOYS AND GIRLS DEPARTMENT though from eome irritation or preju- dice we think they are mot. It is a positive fact that the more disagree- able we make life for those around us, tho more disagreeable they can make it for us. It is a good plan if you are prompted to say anything mean to or of another to think twice anq then not say it. Nothing makes a person Who Says mean things to or of another feel so BORRY as to show no anger and to say of them the good things you can say when occasion offers. It is just as easy to cultivate good habits as it is to cultivate bad ones and how it adds to tie eweetness and success of life. It you can do a favor for anyone without discommoding yourself always be glad to do it. If vou think you owe them a grudge, just try once to pay them with a kindness and see how much better you feel than you would had you paid them back in their own coin. Paying folks back in their own coin i$ a real bad habit and it makes both parties equally bad and equally sense- less. Donm't mind if you always have something better for other folks than they have for you: This is what is called spreading sunshine, and it would do no harm if you should be known as workers for cheerful conditions in all the walks of life, THE WINNERS OF PRIZE BOOKS. 1—Irene McCarthy of Norwich, Three Little Women’s Success. 2—Clarence A. Hathaway of Bozrah- ville, The Pony Riders of the Rockies. 3—Josephine Bovoricka of West ‘Willington, The Girls of Central High at Basketball. 4—Eva Partridge of Norwich, The Bobbsey Twins at the Seashore. 5—May M. Danahy of Norwich, The Pony Riders in Montana. 6—John Spencer of Willimantic, Pony Riders in the Grand Canyon. 7—Sarah Hyman of Norwich, The Bobbsey Twins at School. | s—Grace Goddard of Willimantic, | The Bobbsey Twins in the Countr | Winners of books living in the city | may call at The Bulletin business of- | fice for them at any hour after 10 a. m. ;on Thursday. b LETTERS OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Leslie Holdridge of Ledyard: I re- ceived my prize book today and I thank vou for it. I have wanted a book The like that for a long while. It is very | interesting. John A. Burns of Fitchville: T thank { you very much for the prize book and 1 was very glad to get it. Hattie Perkins of Colchester: I re- ceived the lovely prize book awarded me entitled Tom Fairfield’s Pluck and Luck. Thank you ever so much for it. I have read it and think it nice. Catherine H. Perry of Scotland: 1 received the prize book you sent me, Thank you very much for it. I hope I | will win some more books. For others we should speak the word, Lilli N. Y. n M. Brehaut of East Norwich, That certainly was a fine book 1 could not leave it I had gotten interested in the Ruth Fielding must be a once. details. {brave and good girl, for she certainly seemed to be. Many thanks for the I find it the best and most in- teresting 1 have. Ruth Fielding series is fine. Egbert W, Lowe, Jr., of Howard, R. I wish to thank you for the nice 1 am greatly pleased with it. I find it very inter- esting and feel that it will help me in my school work. Esther Rosenthal of Norwich: I thank you for the prize book you sent 1 have read it half through and L: Their | Mary Bromley of Stoninzton: I re- ceived the prize book you sent me en- | tittled Campfire Girls at Long Lake. Have read it and found it very in- Thank you. 5 Elizabeth M. O'Rourke, of Provi when it is So much casier and plea- | dence, R. L: Thank you for the fol- santer o please and make life more | lowing prize books which I have re- e ceived and found to be very inter- enjoyable. jesting: The Girls of the Forest, and Tverybody is worth pleasing, al-| Witch Minnie's Mystery. = The Mourning Cloak i By ALICE C. NORTON Can you imasgine, boys and girls, how surprised you would e to find zight in this February month of cold and snow—perhaps in Your very owrn house—-a live, ey utterfly? Yes, you would be surprised cnough, and probably the first thing yon would say would.-be: “fiow &id it zet here, and sherc dld it come from?” Yo~ would feel so puzzled over 1 you would al- most expect it to turn mto a fairy and fiy away, for surcly rezl buttecflies are not to be found in Chicago in the mid- dic of winter! Dgt they arc—some- imes—ond I your eyes are shard enough, erd you know where to look, iv migit be that some lucky day one ¢ you would sutvally find one this cinter; for I did, only last year, in this same zuonth! Yes, I am going to tell yoa abovt 't. In tho basement of our Louse is a small coal room. ' One warm day near the end of Fobruaty I went down to got some of our Michignn upples—on, Eow good they were!—and t0 Seo how much coal was in tho bin I got the appies and then stood jooking into the little room, when I thought I saw something move on the window sill. There was no wind, 5o I knew if any- thing' really “had moved it must be aitve: Tor thres years I had been hoping to £ind a ilve, wintering butterfy. 1 knew of ope kind called the Mourning Cloak—{sn’t that a queer name’— which whan cold weather came hid it- self away in the oddest places—in hol- Jow logs; under stone piles, in old barns._ or' cellars, in hollow trees and many otfier places—and suddenly I re- mpmbered this and said.to ‘myself: TSh Az At could ‘omly be & Mourning . T crept toward ‘the window A i the “something” began ‘and sure ennigh, 1t really ing Cloak. butterfly! No doy had gone for warmth into the cellar i the had, had stayed there untilthe heat of mt;' aun on this day kad ‘atracted 0 - window, whero it{ was feebly to get out. Its legs were wound:arolind with cobwebs, a ‘streamer of gobweb: was on ane ‘short piece was on its head.all from the net in the window where jt was. T carried it in my hand apstaire «nd with a wooden toothpick ZeTUV ook ol all the cdbwabs, then held litle butterfly near the fire. In a few :anvtes Lo was flying around as new. After a while 1 put some sugar and water in a spoon and, taking him by the wings, tricd to feed him as I had often fed my pet butterflies at the farm. But o, he would not eat then. So, after eating an apple mysolf, I left the room | for a_while. When I éame back there vas Mr. Mourning Cloak standing on the appie core, his long tongue thrust out, sucking the juice from the core, Affer this I fed him with pieces of pple and with sugar syrup, and you s30uld hieve seen him eating so dainti- y. He stayed with us over a week, when one warm March day it was so still and sunny we opened the win- dow and let him go. I knew he would find a place to stay safe until time to suck the spring sap from some bruised tree, when others of his kind would come, too. If you go to the parks or woods some warm day in March or April you may perhaps see one of these butter- flies, for they are our earliest to ap- pear. Some have been seen—like our native song sparrows—in every month of the year, even in our cold northern states. “Do you know what this butter- fy looks like? No? It is large; dark purplish brown in color, having a broad buff margin to its wings, with a row of pale blue spots just inside the buft, on the upper eide only. Beneath, the wings are brownish, finely crossed with Dlack, and the open wings meas- ure three inches. It is a very pretty butterfly . By the middle of April they have all como from their hiding places and then they begin to choose their mates, and early In May each mother Mourn- ing Cloak lays her tiny oggs in rows sifle by eide around the end of a twig. Sometimes there are a_dozen, some: times o bundred eggs. maging 2 nun- dred busterfiy hebdes Lelonging to one mother! And imagino o mother who does not take care of even one baby! LETTERS WRITTEN BY WIDE- |write and cipher. was 12 he could write a clear, bold In ome of his writing books ne copied many good rules. This is AWAKES, On the Ship. One day last autumn my cousin William came over to the suburbs of Willimantic, where we live. We de- cided to take our dinner and go up the old cart path. We found a big cedar tree with the branches coming out at the root and laying flat on the ground and then going straight up, as if it were five trees in one. ‘We maéde up our minds to stay there all day. There was a space about twenty feet in_circumference _inside tho branches. We took jackknives and eut away the smaller branches. We chose the tallest and straightest tree and then climbed up it, making the way cloar as we went. At the top William made a seat and a place to stand on. We thought this a good place to play ship. The seat was to be the crow’s nest. I was left there to keep watch. William and Ruth went down to fix the bottom of the ship. They made seats in_ every nook and pretended that stubs of broken branches were cranls, levers and dampers. One short limb with a box on the end made a 200d rocking “chair. We were hungry by this time, so we ate our lunch. After dinmer William was appointed captain, Ruth was mate and 1 was watchman as before. I kept shouting that I saw a submarine, Then William and Ruth would hurry and pull the levers to make the ship dodge it. We played until sunset and then went home. We told mamma about it and she agreed to come and see the Speedy, for S0 we had christeneq our ship. GRACE GODDARD, Age 13. Willimantic. My First Trip to Watch Hil. My father, sister, mother and I got up early one morning, eacked our lunch and had the hired man take us to_the Yantic trolley We boarded the car and soon reach- ed Norwich, from where we took the steamer Block Island. When we reached the sands my sis- ter and I took off our slippers and stockings and waded about, dug wells in the sand, while my laus,er went in swimming. ~Once a big wave almost knocked me down. After about an hour we came out of the water and ate our lunch. Then we went and had some ice cream, after which we took the trolley to my grand- where we visited a while, We then took the car to Yantie, where we were met by the hired man, finally arriving home at 9 p. m., after & day of much pleasure. MILDRED GRANDY, Age 10. A Visit to Slater Wemorial. I am going to tell the Wide-Awakes about our visit to Slater Memorial. The sixth grade, Miss Mullin's class, made a visit to Slater Memorial. Part of the children went—eleven were go- ing some other day. There were twel st crowd. They boarded the West r ai quarter past 1 o'clock. I was with the second crowd. We board- ed the car at quarter past 2 o'clock. “The art association had paid our car- fare, which was very kind of them. When we arrived a lady was waiting for us at the Slater Memorial. Her name is Mrs, Dodge. When we entered Slater Memorial Mrs. Dodge asked us to take our coats and hats off, as_jt is very warm in the building. Then Mrs. children in_the Dodge led the way up stairs. There | she asked us to De seated as there were several chairs in front of a table. We placed our belongings on the chairs and sat down. Mrs. Dodge showed us how to make casts. Then she showed us some stat- ues. The first one looked like a_ trunk of a tree with feet and one hand. Mrs. Dodge said this was one of the first statues the Greeks tried to make. She showed us several other statues. Among them was Niobe tryving to Shield her last daughter from the hands of the barbarians; another was Hermes or Mercury carrying his baby brother to the nymphs to be taken care of. There was also the Dying Gaul with his head drooping on his breast. He had & wound on his body and blood was gushing forth side him. It was broken. I saw the bust of Augustus Caesar, who had succeeded Julius Caesar. He was the nephew of Julius Caesar. I also saw the bust of Socrates, who was poisoned by the Greeks. They thought Socrates was trying to persuade the young men to be wicked. 1 saw many other casts and Greek ang Roman coins. T also saw the Indian relics. There were many arrowheads and curious dishes. Then we went up the tower. We had to climb many stairs. After that we went down to the basement and saw many stuffed birds and a large crocodile. Then we went to the Manual Train- ing house. We could smell delicious odors from the girls' cooking school, but we did not have time to visit it. We took the half past 5 car and reached home safely We had a very good time and are grateful to the art association and Mr. Slater. SARAH HYMAN, Age 12, Norwich. The Father of His Country. George Washinston, first president of the United States, was born in Westmoreland County, Va., Feb. 22, 1732, and died at Mount Vernon, Dec. 14, 1799, When he was 11 vears old his fa- ther died, leaving him in the care of a faithful and devoted mother. While at school George was painstaking and careful with his work and excelled in such athletic sports as running, leap- ing and wrestling. He was 5o true to himself and_to others that he often acted as a judge in_deciding disputes between his young friends. In 1759, he married a rich youns widow, Mrs. Martha Curtis, whose property, added to his own large es- tates at Mount Vernon, made him a man of much wealth. His bravery, patriotism and military skill, as shown in the last French war, led to his being chosen by the Continental Congress as commander- in-chief of the American troops during the_revolution. By reason of his modesty he shrank from this service, for which he was admirably fitted. He refused to ve- ceive any pay during the entire rev lution. It may indeed be truly said that he proved himself indispensable to the success of the Americans in that war. He was a man of commanding pres- ence, and dignified manner. His suc- cess' lay not in intellectual brilliancy, but in a well-balanced judgment and in the belief that rizht made might, and in a rare power of winning men'’s confidence. FRANCES FIELDS, Age 13. Norwich. George Washington. In 1732, when Franklin was at work on his newspaper a boy was born on a plantation in Virginia who was one day to stand higher even than the Philadelphia printer. That boy when he grew up was chosen leader of the armies of the revolution. He was to be elected the first president of the United States; and before he died he was known and honored all over the world. That boy's name was George Wash- ington. Washington's father died George Washington was only 11 years old, leaving him with his-brothers and | rain. His sword was be- | hand. one: conscience.” ANNA LAROCHE, Age. 12. Versailles. The Death Cup. "The death cup is the most poison- It is founa in summer and autumn throughout ous of all the fleshy fungi. the greater part of the United States, growing upon the ground in the woods The at medium and lower elevations. stem is white. When young it is solid, but afterwards it becomes somewhat The base is sur- characteristic cup- the remnant of a plant The length varies from The cap is viscid when smooth and it may sometimes bear or hollow and pithy. rounded by a shaped appendage, veil which covers the when_youns. 3 to 5 inches. molst, and is generally satiny, but fragments of the outer covering, veil. The gills and spores are white. Several varieties of the plant exist, entire the one most common having a white e green or even spotted when growins The general shape is much like that of the common mush- It is also like that of the fly more common, but is less poisoncus.’ From the former it is at once distinguished its basal cup-shaped appendage, and a child can usually distinguish the fiy Amanita by its more brilliant col- or vellowish cap, but this may in deep shade. room. Amanita;, which is, perhaps, by oring. It is a very poisonous plant and has caused many deaths. JESSIE L. BREHAUT. East Norwich, N. Y. Seeds. When a seed has been sown re. ceives enough heat, light and moisture, it swells a little, and the germ, wak: ing from its sleep, sends out a little downward, shoot, which, forms the root; srowing another little shoo! forces its way upward, to unfold into No matter in what position the seed is planted, the root always turns down and the stem the stem and leaves. always zoes up. The dark, damp soil is the working place of the root, while the stem car- ries the leaves into the light and air, whence they have their part to do in the growth of the plant. At first, nourished by the seed, and on germ plant feeds and grows. seeds over the earth, and thus pre. venting the destruction of variou kinds of plants, is very Many seeds are carried by to places far distant from which they were produced. those Some secds are conveyed by streams and take root into whick they fall left by the current on prope: soil. oily of the waters of the sea. and it is by this_means that the coral islands of the Pacific are covered with an abun- dant growth of vegetation. Squirr fleld miece and other animals bury seeds in ground, probably for the purpose o afterward feeding on them, and thu lead to the growth of plants and trees in places where seed would not, oth MAY M. Robbie’s Railroad. Robbie lived in the city quite nea the railroad station. Every day h would sit in the window and say is_mother: “Soon another train will come. Last summer hi to the country to visit Ray. he did not see the trains at all. His grandpa loved his little grandson and diq not like to see him unhapp: One dav his granpa hitched to him and drove away and brought some lumber. Robbie and his grandpa set to work to lay some tracks for a car. The ca was made of a platform, and wheel: were made Bx the time he Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called the young plant must be it _the The simple means provided for scattering interesting. the wind in Some seeds have a shelly ¢ an covering that resists the action many the to mother took him his Grandpa Robbie grew very -homesick for Dick™ the wagon, and took Robbie with to the sawmill to fit the tracks so they sald his mother, who had heard him. “Do you know what would happen if there was no rain? The ground would dry up. ‘The-trees and other plants would wither away; there would be no pretty flowers. We should have no fruit, no corn, no wheat. All would die for want of the water that the rain brings us. The cows, the sheep, the lambs and the other ani- mals, would go with the rest, for there would be nothing for them to eat. “When the cattle, the corn, and the wheat die, then we shall die, for our bread and meat will be gone. Iways remember, Frank, who it is that sends the rain. He knows what is best for us, and we should thank =lim every day for all He does for s GERALDINE GAREAU, Age 9. Balti Abraham Lincoln and His Pig. Some men have hearts big enough to be kind to their fellowmen, when they are in trouble, but not to dumb ani mals. Abraham Lincoln’s heart was big «~ough for both. ©One evening—when he had bought a new suit of clothes, he started to drive to the comrt house, a number of miles distant. On the way he saw a pig that was making desperate ef- forts to climb out of a deep mud hole. Tle creature would get part way up the slippery bank, and then slde back again over his head in the mud. Lincoln said to himself, “I suppose that I ought to get out and heip that Ppig; for if he's left there, he’ll smoth- er in the mud.” Then he gave a look at his glossy clothes. He felt that he really couldn't afford to spoil them for the sak# of any pig, so he drove on. But the pig was in his mind, and he could think of nothing else. After he had gone about two miles, he said to himself: “Pve no right to leave that poor creature there to die, and what is more, T won't leave him. Turning his horse, he drove back to the spot. He got out and carried half a dozen fence-rails to the edge of the hole, and placed them so that he could get to it without falling In himself. Then, kneeling down, he bent over, seized the pig firmly by the forelegs and drew him up onto the solid ground, where he was safe. Th pig grunted out his best thanks, and Lincoln, plastered with mud, but with a light heart, drove to the court house. JOSEPHINE BOROVICKA, Age 13. West Wiilington. George Washington. George Washington was born in Vir- ginia on February 22, 1732. When he was eleven vears old his father died, leaving his brothers and sisters for his_kind mother to look after. He went to school and was very fond of copying good savings. He al- s0_abided by them. He was fond of sports and could run, jump, wrestle, and throw a stone higher than any other hoy in school. His mother was the owner of a high tempered colt. One morning when he was out in the pasture with his broth- ers, he said:_“If you will help me put a bridle on him, I will ride him. The bovs managed to corner the colt and with much struggling put the bridle on. With a leap George land- ed_on the back of the colt. The colt began to kick and plunge forward, in an effort to throw his rides off. After a while the horse leaped into the air, and bursting a blood vessel, fell to the ground with his_conqueror on his back. When George went into the house his mother asked how the colt was. George replied that the colt was dead. Inquiring for an explanation. George calmiy told her the story. Although his mother was angry with him, nev- crtheless she said. “I am grieved at the loss of my favorite colt, but I am £lad vou told the truth. When Geozge went to school he and his companions liked to play sol- die? and always had George as their leader. Later when the Revolutionary war oroke out he was made Commander- in-Chief of the army, and some of his early companions were fighting under his leadership. During the severe winter Washing- ton was stationed at Valley Forge, his men were without clothes, bedding, s & f s r e 5 r s could not run off. There was aand ammunition. The United #tates brake in back and a flag in front. sent over to France for help and the After this Robbie had no more | French wer tngry at the British and homesick days, and Grandpa railrond became Ra til night. CATHERINE DUNN, Age 9. Norwich The Fox's Ta Do any why the end of the fox's tail is white If you do not I'll tell you about it A good many vears ago there lived A number of shephas. shepherds was a very old lady. her sheep. But one day went to feed her sheep, one was mis- ving over her loss. woman that carefully harm should come to them. The next morning when the he would watch killeq and caten. The next that came along was a fox the and he promised bear had. the same as The next morning the old woman was up earlier than usual. and taking a bowl of milk out to the fox for his fopnd morning breakfast, when she him devouring one of the sheep. Just as the fox started to run, the 0ld woman threw the bowl of miik a him. Tt hit the end of the fox's tall and from that day the tip of fox tails has been white. THELMA BOYNTON, North Franklin, Age 14. Boone’s Daughter Stolen By the In. dians. One day Boone's young daughte was out with two other girls, canoe on. the river. Suddenly Indians pounced upon them and car: ried them off. One of the girls as he went along, twigs from the bushes, so broke off that her friends might be able to fol low her tracks through the woods. An Indian caught her doing it, an told her that he would kill her if sh, did not stop. piece from time to time. Boone and his men followed them They picked up the like blood hounds. bits of dress, and found which way th. Indians had gone. ‘They came with the Indians just as they were sitting down around a fire to eat thels supper. Creeping toward them behing th trees as cats creep up behind a_mouse, Boone and his men aimed their rifles and fired. Two of the Indians fe dead, the rest ran for their lives, and the girls were carrled in safety back to the fort. MARY BOROVICKA, Age 11. ‘West Willington. “Oh,” said little Frank, as he looked to be|out of the window, “how it rains! “The milkman sald this morning th wind is east, and that an east wind brings rain, so that doesn’t look as when | if it would soon clear up. “I don't see the use of so much I have to stay in the house sisters to the care of a most excellent | while I want to be outdoor playing. and sensible mother. Why? Well, I will have to tell you that some other time! George went school, where he learned to read, cannot fly a kite, nor spin my top to a little country | nor_play ball nor any outdoor game. “S0 you don’t like the rain, Frank, a great attraction to the children of the neighborhood and trains were running from morning un- o fthe Wide-Awakes know Among_the Every night she watched very carefully over when the old woman For quite a while the old laZy A bear came along and the bear promised the old very over them and see that no old woman went to look for the bear she found only the dead sheep that he had in a some Then she slyly tore off small Dits of her dress, and dropped a up agreed to send over help and sup- plies. Among the Frenchmen who came over was a _ voung man named Lafayette. A friendship sprang up be- tween Lafayette and Washington. After the war Washington was made first president of the United States. MICHAEL J. BURNS, Age 14. Fitchville. Abraham Lincoln. In the wilderness of Kentucky when that state was not yet settled there lived in a poor cabin a family named Lincoln with a father and mothes and two little children, Abraham and Sa- rah. Their nearest neighbor lived a hundred miles away. The father, Thomas Lincoln, was a shiftless and lazy man. He could work for other: but for his family he could not. Indeed, had it not been for his mother Abe would have re- mained a_ poor ignorant boy. She taught him how to read and write and often when there was little to eat in the house she would take down the gun and kill a bear or a turkey. When about 9 years of age Abe' father moved to Indiana. Here the built a cabin even more wretched than their old home and here Abe's mother died. Thomas Lincoln soon married an- other woman and her thrifty ways made life more agreeable to Abe and he was sent to a school. In 1836 he became a had a successful career. He was elected to congress in 1846 and in 1860 he was elected president and was inaugurated just before the Civil war broke out. In 1863 he issued the emancipation proclamation freeing the slaves. He was shot by an assassin at the close of the war and died of the wound the next day. His remains were treated with great honor. They were taken to Springfield, his old home, where they were entombed. His carcer was all the more re- markabje for he rose from humble parentage to become one of the great- est of American presidents. EDWARD DOLYLE, Age 13. Norwich. a t il lawyer and T a e ncoln’s Escape From Drowning. One day Abraham Linclon and a friend were going across a creek part- ridge hunting. A small boy crossed the stream and formed a bridge. While crossing this bridge Abraham fell in and after much strugsling his friend got a pole and pulled him out. When his friend had gotten him up- on the bank, he rolled and pounded him until he was himself agai They said if their mothers ever dis- covered their wet clothes they would get whipped. It was June and the sun was warm 80 their clothes soon dried on the rocks about them. They promised each other they would never tell, and they never did. This story was never told until af- ter Lincoln’s death. JOHN SPENCER, Age 11. Willimantic. e o r e 11 1 hride. a week ago the snow is Snowstorm and Si The snowstorm began ‘Wednesday, Feb. 2, and still on the ground. ‘Thursday, Feb. 3, Groundhog Day, we did mot have any school. There were 13 children in our room, 7 in another and 3_in_ another. This week Wednesday the school 1 children had a sleighride, but I did not go. The children sald some of them went to the movies, and others walked up and down the streets, waiting for the sleigh to come homs 1 went two years ago, but I was the 2 sick on the way, " oy South Coventry. Washington. On Feb. 22, 1732,-a boy by the name of George Washington was born. At the age of 19 George was appointed major of the Federate troops in the battles of the Seven Years War. In_1751 he made a ses voyage to the Barbadoes with his brother, Law- rence, who died soon after leaving George heir of his estate at Mt. Ver: non. At the age of 22 he commanded a troop against the French who were at Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh) and made them give up. In the war he had four hullets through his coat, and two horses were shot under him. Two thousend men were raised and he was selected to command them. Tn 1769 he marrfed Mrs. Martha Custis, a wealthy widow. He was like all the Americans at that period, a slave-holder. He possessed 124 aves whom he said in his will shall be emancipated at the death of his wife (which was three years after him). The battle of Lexington on April 1775, called the country to arms and Washington, then a member of the Continental congress, was elected commander-in-chief. He won the battle and in Dec. 28, 1783, the in- dependence of the 1% colonies was achieved. Washington was 6 feet 2 inches tall with brown hair and blue eves. His portraits are those by Stuart, and the statue by Houdin, at Rich- mond. BSTHER ROSENTHAL, Age 13. Norwich. CASTORIA For Infants and Children, Mothers Know That Genuine Castoria A Picnic Party. Last spring our club, the Blue Birds, decided to have a picnic. We each had a certain part to do, toward the preparations, and my part was to de- cide the place, and the means of get- ting there, so I decided to have it of a Saturday at Pine Grove. I ordered a special car to take us there. Our club eagerly looked forward to that glorfous day. _There were 24 of us in the party, eight of us were dressed in red, eight in white, and eight in blue. My com- panions ‘were in white with me. The games we played were very in- teresting. We played baseball, hide and seek, drop the handkerchief and tag. Three of our girls were out in a boat and one girl fell overboard, and was rescued by another girl. When the hour for lunch arrived we spread the table cloth on a large rock, and then put our fead on it. We had olives, sandwiches, cake, cookies, fruit, lemonade. candy and ice cream. Abont 5.30 we started for home. We reached home at 6.45. We all had a l for your work and you will not lack ood, for the woods will be full of wild turkeys and other game. The boy accepted the offer. crossed the mountains and lived rough life for three years. It was in| these woods that he’ learned to be a He nice time but I think some of us were | 0/dieT: tired that night. LORETTA H. PICHE, Age 12. ;Vur club “is considering already | Norwich Where to have our pienic this summer. : EVA PARTRIDGE, Ase 11 LESIERS SOIUNGES JDe o The Blue Bottle Fly. Dear Uncle Jed: I am going to tel you about the Blue Bottle F We often think that the Blue Bottle Fly is very troublesome as he dashes about ‘the room with his noisy bux and worries us by trying to settle up- on us. Yet, tiresome as he is, do very badly without him. In fact, like many other insects, he does us a great deal of good, although we do not ver often find it out. In the first place, let us mine him, ana see what there Is to notice about him. Tet us look at his wings first. We sha'l see that these are very broad and strong, as they have need to be, to carry him so fast through the Now all insects have four wing: though in many of them the win; are 5o small that they can scarcely Seen. In our blue bottle only be able to see two wings The Bear Hunt. George Calvert was a young man of 16. He was the only son of a hunter, and his mother had died when he was three yvears old. This boy, when he less than 16, had amused himself by setting beaver traps, but this day he was to Zo on his first hunt, with his father and another hunter. He got up carly and started, with his father, to the other man's house, and when 'he came out they started to hunt. They hunted all morning with- out success. About 2 o'clock as George was king alone along a path in the woods the boy heard a growl coming from a clump of bushes a few yards away. As he shifted his position a big brown bear leaped out of the bushes. s taken by surprise he be. we_should As he w: gan to run and in a few moments his father heard him crashing through the bushes. Just as he came in sight his| thovgh this is a true insect. How is father shot the bear. As the bear| this: had stuck his claws into the boy it| Well the blue bottle fly belongs to was two weeks before Georgze coulds ects in which the sec- £0 out, and when he did he was very ir of wings are alter- a group of in: ond or hinder p cautious 2 ed _into two balances, they are JOSEPH R. JORTELANCE, Age 13. | called. Greeneville, These move backwards or forwards = when the fly is fiying and _ so useful. Halltown. are they that if even one is damaged One Sunday last fall my father and | the insect cannot fly, but can only | I went out to see Mrs. Fiynn. and tg | flutter about on the ground If we look carefully we shall see the balances just behifd the wings them- selves. The parent blue bottle Iy lays her | ezgs upon putrid meat or on the body of some dead animal, to which she was sather some nuts. We first visited Mrs. Flynn. We had a very nice dinner there and I enjoyed it very much. After dinner Morris took us out in the barn and showed us the horses, cows, hogs. and poultry. He had a| Attracted by the odor. In a very very nmice colt, too, and I should like | Short time these ezgs are hatched, and to own it. Droauce a number of tiny white | . o Then we went to the woods nearby | STuPS. ature and gathered about ten quarts of wal- | Ther are very small. oval creatu : nuts and about two of chestnuts. It| Without any limbs whatever, but p was getting dark and we had to leave. | Stead they have a number of hairs s = I was sorry as I liked the country | around each of the rings of their bods s Rosy = ¢ very much. and by means of these are able 10 | cyna . x We took the 6 o'clock trolley, and | Wriggle back and forth. Tn a few | yuicit oF arrived home about 7 o'clock. ¥s they grow to their full size, then | Goaiiin (e : < T was very tired and giad to get|thev bury in the earth the skin of each | 1 amis o ! home, as nutpicking is very tiresome.|grows hard and turns dark | ;07000 But I enjoved the visit very much|Dbrown. Then they change into a dif- S - and would like to %o again sometime. | ferent shape and are then called a| XENE JAMES RYAN, Age 11, |Pupa. The pupa is quite hard Norwich i Norwich. % * | stift. ana unable to move, s a short time the skin burs Apoxwer - to! S The Statue of Nathan Hale. perfect blue bottle fly crawls out ! = - . = are many statues. A great number of | e O T T0E G0 S0 decaving flesh | y R. to Shon ere ereStad by thome WhoHNVAR| e la¥s her Segs in it (The. grubs 3 i T Gty Hall park we may see a|are hatched also at once. and before : i T 4 statue of Nathan Hale. He is dressed | 107 have devoyred the whole of i too wise 1 as a Dutch school teacher. He stande | PUITId meat. = Wyere it mot for them Age 10, aredt SATIE'ID ey "Lam ready to @ioxl ovil Ofors Jotl ariee ead oause] L.oo His feet and arms are bound with rope. | 28808 anft TOVEws 10 TS pettle | He must have looked this way before| o 52 W CRUR 0 T from i e | e his execution. At the base of the| Y for preserving 1 - THIS W statue are his last words: “I only re- | CLARANCE A. HATHAWAY, Age 11 1N gret that I have but one life to lose| Bozrahville. Mot for my country. o The Sons of the Revolution pre- What Made Lincoln Great. ness: sented this statue to the city of New York because they wished us to re- member that Nathan Hale was execut- ed in this city. BERTHA BIENENSTOCK, Age 10. New York City. Dear Uncle Jed: In this month we have the birthday of two of the great- est men in American history, A ham Lincoln and George Washington. I am going to tell you what made Lincoln great. Abraham Lincoln was ever by actu- Work of the Natives of Alaska. In the southern part of Alaska the Indians live in little villages. During the summer the people work in oil factories or salmon canneries. They do some logging and make rafts which sell for $500 or $800 each. The money is divided among the men who have helped in ‘the work. When tire men receive the money they have a fine time. During the winter the men do some hunting. This doesn't bring in much money. In the Cook Inlet region the natives help in mining. They are very indus- trious. Some are fishers, others are woodcutters and still others are hunt- s They Stop the S BRIGC Mentholated Hoarhound COUGH DRCPS oY ers. Here the bear and moo: Z Abundant il The Time to Cure a Cold skimos are eat trad . T raise. reindesr, o tders. They Is When It Starts MILDRED E. GRANDY, Age 10. George Wasl gton, George Washington left school when he was 16 years of age. At that time a large part of Vir- ginia belonged to Lord Fairfax, who did not kncw how much land he own- ed because he had never surveyed it. Although » m-r= boy, George had learned surveying. One @ay the ..eat Fairfax sent for the young surveyor and said to him: “I want you to survey my land be- yond the mountains. You will find lifo in the wilderness full of hard- ships. Indians and wild beasts will molest you. But I will pay you well and nothing is more effective than Briggs’ Drops. They act dircctly and give immediate relief. Relieve hoarseness ina few minutes. Always ask for BRICGGS.