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THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: SEPTEMBER 5. 1PM.
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The Bee offers a great chance to children who
can see good stories and write them.
bright boy or girl can write an interesting little story if given the material with which
start. We are eoine: to teach vou how and where to observe real storv plots in every-
,day life, and to the children who each week succeed in finding the best material and writ
ing the best short stories on it, we will give liberal cash prizes.
Every boy and girl below the second year in the
Igh School is invited to take part
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This will be interesting and fascinating work for you and highly instructive. It will teach you to observe life, to use your imagina
tion, and to express yourself in good language. And everyone has the opportunity to win a prize in cash.
Read carefully the instructions and the sample story which will show you how to go about it. Ask your father and mother, rela
tives and friends to help you select your plot and get started but the story itself must be ALL yours your own work.
The best story each week wins THREE SHINING SILVER DOLLARS
The second best story each week wins TWO SHINING SILVER DOLLARS
The third best story each week wins ONE SHINING SILVER DOLLAR
The next four win interesting books.
The seven first stories will be printed one each day, following the Want Ads.
Every day dozens of little romances, tragedies, comedies and 'farces, in the life of a great city, are reflected in the little want ads of
The Omaha Bee. The heart-throbs of a city, the fortunes and misfortunes, the ambitions and the needs, that make real drama when
seen in stories, can be heard echoing in the Want Ads if you observe them closely.
Sample Story
FOR RENT Nicely furnished front room,
furnace heat. In West Farnam district,
jrounf man preferred.
1113$ oar Bee. xx
"I just won't stand this little -rooted up flat any longer,"
said Agnes to herself, after her friends had departed.
"It doesn't bother John any, so long as he has a place to eat
and sleep and smoke in the evenings. But he ought not to expect
me to put up with it all day long."
Agnes was thoroughly impatient. "When they had married
in the spring the little flat had seemed cozy and snug, and both
thought they should enjoy it immensely. And besides it fitted
John's salary which was not large.
But its smallness soon began to wear on Agnes' nerves. She
wanted more room to entertain her girl friends, and she wanted
room for her piano which was now in the store-house because there
was no place to put it in the little flat. She just knew that her old
friends were making fun of the little home.
She and John had talked it over before, but that night Agnes
revolted. So Sunday they studied the "For Rent" ads in the Bee,
and before the end of the week John had signed the lease for a
fine little two-story house in the "West Farnam street district.
It was delightful, and Agnes enjoyed getting settled in it. The
extra furniture it required almost exhausted John's little bank
account, but both were happy, so what was the difference?
But later camo their first coal bill. It was enormous in their
eyes. Jolin had to draw some of his salary in advance. And the
gas bills how did they burn so much more gas than they used to?
They thought it over and decided that they must not buy so much
food. Theaters were out of the question. Agnes had planned for
some new furs as winter approached, but dear me, they could not
be thought of.
John struggled to 6ave, but it was a hard task. Christmas
was coming and both faced the necessity of giving up all pur
chases. One night they were forced to confess that the new house
had been an extravagance. Agnes wept bitterly and took all the
blame, but John was brave and generous.
"Never mind, little girl," he said, "I will try and get some
night work to do to earn a little extra money."
"Oh, why can't I earn something," exclaimed Agnes.
Then a thought occurred to her.
"Let me rent our front room," she said. "We don't need it
and I would just love to have a roomer. We could get some nice
young man who wouldn't be any trouble, and it would bring in
some extra money every month."
"How could wo get the right kind of man?" asked the prac
tical John.
"Why, I'll tell you," replied Agnes. "We could advertise just
what we have. There must be lots of men read the Sunday Bee,
and when they see such a nice room to rent we would have no
trouble."
So the next Sunday there appeared in the Bee the little ad
shown at the top of this story, and before the week was out, the
room had been rented to the nicest man you ever saw.
He paid twenty dollars a month for the room, and Agnes and
John had money to spend for Christmas after all.
Just a "Servant Wanted" might suggest to a keen imagina
tion a pretty story of a young wife who couldn't cook, or an inter
fering mother-in-law. "Position Wanted," may be the sequel to a
poor woman's struggle to keep a home for her young ones, or to a
man's downfall through drink. "Lost a Dog," may echo the
happy 6tory of a youngster's love for a pet that had saved his
life. "Wanted, furnished room," might have back of it a funny
story of a young bachelor's quarrel with his landlady's daughter.
"For Sale, a building lot," might be the despairing surrender of
a struggling young couple's hopes for a home of their own.
There are sad things and funny things, tragic things and
curious things among the Want Ads, if you but stop to see them.
Have you imagination? That is all that is needed to build up
clever little stories from the Bee Want Ads.
Every child should be taught to look about it and see things,
and to develop the ability to write the things it sees is indeed
a wonderful thing. So the Bee is going to offer every Sunday some
fine, prizes to be paid each week in cash to the school children
wh6 find the best story plots in The Sunday Bee Want Ads, and
write them the best. It is something which every child can do and
will enjoy doing. Try your hand at this fascinating work, as it is
loads of fun anyway, is fine training, and you can never tell when
you are going to hit on the stories that will win the cash prizes.
STUDY THESE RULES:
Any boy or girl below the second year in High school can
take part in this interesting contest without any fee or cost,
whether you live in Omaha or not, but you must all observe
these conditions or your stories will not be considered:
Your story must be based on a Want Ad appearing in the
Omaha Bee of the week current, and must contain NOT MORE
than 500 words any number of words below that you may
choose to make it.
At the top of the first page you must write plainly your
full name and address, your father's or mother's name, the
grade and school you attend, your teacher's name and your
own age.
Next below paste the Bee Want Ad on which your story
is based. When the Btories are published any name or ad
dresses in the want ads will be omitted.
Next write the title you have given your story.
Write neatly on one side of the sheet only. Stories will
ordinarily be judged entirely on their merits AS stories, but
in cases where two or more are of about equal merit, then
penmanship and neatness, and thn age of the author, will be
considered in awarding the prizes.
Do not roll your manuscript fold it, and address th
envelope to
WANT AD STORY EDITOR, Omaha Bee.
If mailed, see carefully that the postage is fully paid,
or, you can leave it personally at the business office of the Bee.
Do not enclose stamps for return as no stories will be
returned at all. .
Stories must be received at the Bee office not later than
Thursday noon of each week. The prize-winners will be an
nounced, and the prize stories published in the Bee from day
to day.
You may submit only one story each week.
Don't write more than five hundred words.
Make up your mind now to win one of
these cash prizes
Here is lots of fun for you, and good practice, and a chance
to win a reward in cash for your efforts.
Fathers and Mothers Encourage your children to show
their ability at observing stories in real life and writing them.
Teachers This contest will materially assist you in culti
vating your pupil's powers of observation and ability to write good
English. 1
SEVEN PRIZES EVERY WEEK
Until further notice we will give seven prizes of $3, $2 and $1
respectively, and four books each week for the best stories sug
gested by Want Ads appearing in the Bee of that week. Today
opens the first contest, for which stories must be in our office by
next Thursday noon.
Start now looking through the many Want Ads f6r one that
suggests a btory to you. Perhaps, if you read carefully the sample
story printed on this page it will help you to see just what is
needed. Here is fun, good training and profit for all children. Call
on your family and friends to help you select your material, but
remember the story must be all your own.
WANT AD STORY EDITOR, Omaha Bee, Omaha.