Summary

In 10: Treasures in a Cigar Box, Mrs. Grayson tells Stella that she must give her incomplete paper a failing grade. Stella promises that she will finish the paper that night and bring it in the next day. Mrs. Grayson encourages Stella, telling her she is much better at reading and writing than she believes. She tells Stella to come in the next day with a paper about herself.

That night, Stella waits until everyone is asleep and heads outside to write. From under the porch, she pulls a notebook and a cigar box. The box is filled with newspaper clippings she has been collecting for a year. The clippings are both national news, such as one about Amelia Earhart, and funny local stories. After looking at the clippings for inspiration, Stella opens her notebook and...