AMERICAN HISTORY 
 FOR mXlE FOLKS 
 
 ALBERT R BLAISDELL AND 
 FRANCIS K. BALL 
 
Class LJ.21. 
 
 Book Lr':_ 
 
 Gopyiigto^i'' <iDL2 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY 
 FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
^-'^'fe^w-^^- 
 
 AS A PI.ElXiE THE INDIANS GA\ E PENN A BELT CALLED 
 ^^'AMPLTM. Frontispif.ce. Sec page 3L 
 
American History 
 For Little Folks 
 
 By 
 
 ALBERT F. BLAISDELL 
 
 AND 
 
 FRANCIS K. BALL 
 
 Authors of "The American History Story-Book,' 
 
 "The Child's Book of American History," 
 
 "Heroic Deeds of American Sailors," etc., etc. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
 
 FRANK T. MERRILL 
 
 Boston 
 
 Little, Brown, and Company 
 
 1917 
 

 Copyright, igi7, 
 By Little, Brown, and Company. 
 
 All rights reserved 
 Published, October, 1917 
 
 THE COLONIAL PRESS 
 C. H. SIMONDS CO., PQSTON, U. S. A. 
 
 OCT 13 19I7 
 
 ©C;,A477005 
 
PREFACE 
 
 This little volume is intended to be a supple- 
 mentary reading-book on American history for 
 use in the third grade of our public schools, 
 and for other boys and girls from ten to twelve 
 years of age. 
 
 A few of the more dramatic and picturesque 
 events in the history of our country are here 
 presented in a simple and easy style. They 
 have much of human interest, and are full of 
 action. Professor Hinsdale, in his ^' How to 
 Study and Teach History,'' well says that a 
 bit of romance, poetry, anecdote, or story will 
 often throw more light on a historical situation 
 or let you deeper into a man's heart and life 
 than a page of careful analysis or a laborious 
 description. 
 
 These stories rest on a historical basis. It 
 is hoped that they will not be read and thrown 
 
 V 
 
PREFACE 
 
 aside like the ordinary collection of stories. 
 The book is written to serve as an introduction 
 to the more advanced books of this series, 
 namely, *^ The Amierican History Story-Book," 
 '' The Child's Book of American History," and 
 ** Heroic Deeds of American Sailors." It is 
 suggested that teachers and parents take pains 
 to supplement the text with such additional 
 material as may be obtained from the other 
 volumes of the series. 
 
 The verses in the fourth story are from Mrs. 
 Hemans's poem called ** The Landing of the 
 Pilgrim Fathers in New England." 
 
 ALBERT F. BLAISDELL, 
 
 FRANCIS K. BALL. 
 August, 1917. 
 
 vi 
 

 CONTExNTS 
 
 
 
 CHAPTEE 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 
 Preface ........ :, 
 
 V 
 
 I. 
 
 Columbus, the Sailor . 
 
 w ; 
 
 1 
 
 II. 
 
 The Sea of Darkness 
 
 
 6 
 
 III. 
 
 The Hero of Virginia . 
 
 
 12 
 
 IV. 
 
 Seeking a New Home 
 
 
 . 18 
 
 V. 
 
 Captain Miles Standish 
 
 
 24 
 
 VI. 
 
 Dark Days in New England 
 
 
 30 
 
 VII. 
 
 The Dutch in New York 
 
 
 38 
 
 VIII. 
 
 William Penn, the Quaker 
 
 
 45 
 
 IX. 
 
 Fighting the Indians 
 
 
 53 
 
 X. 
 
 A Famous Tea Party 
 
 
 59 
 
 XI. 
 
 A Circle of Stones in the Pavement 
 
 QQ 
 
 XII. 
 
 Polly Daggett Saves the Flagpole 
 
 74 
 
 XIIL 
 
 Peggy White Calls on Lord Cornwallij 
 
 3 80 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Benjamin Franklin 
 
 . 86 
 
 XV. 
 
 "Poor Richard's Almanac" 
 
 
 . 93 
 
 XVI. 
 
 239 Arch Street 
 
 
 . 98 
 
 XVII. 
 
 Emily Geiger's Daring Ride 
 
 
 . 103 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Life in the Wilderness . 
 
 
 . 109 
 
 XIX. 
 
 " Remember the Alamo " 
 
 
 115 
 
 XX. 
 
 Lincoln's Address at Gettysburg . 
 
 . 122 
 
 XXI. 
 
 " The Man Without a Country " . 
 
 . 128 
 
 
 Pronunciation op Proper Naa 
 
 lES 
 
 . 137 
 
 va 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 As a pledge the Indians gave Penn a belt called 
 
 wampum .... Frontispiece 
 
 PAQB 
 
 " I claim this land in the name of Ferdinand and 
 
 Isabella of Spain" ..... 9 
 
 " You are a little man. Go home and work with 
 
 the women" ...... 27 
 
 The old governor tore up the letter ... 43 
 
 ^^ Please, sir, I wish to speak to General Corn- 
 
 wallis," Peggy said to the guard . . 82 
 
 With a single clip of her scissors she cut out a per- 
 fect five-pointed star . . . .100 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR 
 LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 I 
 
 COLUMBUS, THE SAILOR 
 
 A LITTLE Italian boy, named Chris- 
 topher Columbus, lived many- 
 years ago in the city of Genoa, 
 by the sea. He used to watch the ships 
 when they sailed away to distant lands. 
 And he watched for them to return with 
 their loads of spices, silks, and gems. 
 Most of his playmates had fathers or 
 brothers who were sailors, who told won- 
 derful stories of the strange things they 
 had seen. No wonder that the bright-eyed 
 Columbus longed to go to sea. 
 
 " I am going to be a sailor when I'm 
 a man," he said to his father. ^^ I know 
 
 1 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 now the names of all the ropes and sails 
 of a ship." 
 
 '* I am sure yon will never care to work 
 with me in cleaning and combing wool," 
 was the reply. '' I am willing for you to 
 go to sea. But you must go to school first, 
 and learn about the winds, and tides, and 
 stars." 
 
 Years passed away. The boy grew to 
 be a man, and became a sailor. On a voy- 
 age to England there was a sea fight, but 
 Columbus escaped to Lisbon, in Portugal. 
 From here he made long voyages in the 
 Atlantic Ocean. He sailed north into the 
 seas beyond England, and far to the south, 
 ^long the coast of Africa. T\Tien he was 
 at home, he spent his time in study, or 
 talked with old sailors about their voyages, 
 and earned a living by making maps and 
 charts. 
 
 Now this was more than four hundred 
 years ago, and in those days very little of 
 the earth was known. Sailors did not ven- 
 
 2 
 
COLUMBUS, THE SAILOR 
 
 ture far from the land. They kept mostly 
 in the sea between Europe and Africa. 
 The Atlantic Ocean was called the Sea of 
 Darkness. People said that if a man 
 sailed far out on it, he would never get 
 back again, but would be lost in clouds 
 of darkness and seas of fire. They also 
 said that it had monsters big enough to 
 swallow a ship. 
 
 But there were a few wise men who did 
 not believe these stories. They felt sure 
 that the earth was round. 
 
 '' If you sail straight west," some said, 
 '' you will come back to the place from 
 w^hich you started." 
 
 ^' No, indeed," others declared. '' The 
 earth is flat, like the floor of a room. If 
 you go far enough, you will come to the 
 edge, and fall off." 
 
 Columbus was one who did not believe 
 that the earth was flat. 
 
 ^^ I'm sure it is round like a ball," he 
 said. ^^ If it is, I can sail round it, just 
 
 3 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 as a fly can crawl round an orange, and I 
 can reach India by sailing straight to the 
 west. If I can only get ships and sailors, 
 I will try it." 
 
 But he was a poor man. What could 
 he do without money to buy ships and 
 hire sailors? He must find rich and pow- 
 erful people to help him. 
 
 Now when Columbus talked in this way 
 about sailing across the Sea of Darkness, 
 people said it was wild and foolish talk. 
 The idea that men could live on the other 
 side of the earth! " Why, they would have 
 to walk with their feet up," they said, 
 '^ and their heads hanging down." And 
 others said, ^* If you sail down hill to the 
 other side, how can you sail up hill and 
 get back home? " 
 
 We are told that even the children used 
 to laugh and shout at Columbus. The boys 
 would tap their foreheads with their 
 fingers as he walked along the street, and 
 whisper, ^* He is crazy." 
 
 4 
 
COLUMBUS, THE SAILOR 
 
 After a time a few men began to tMnk 
 that what Columbus said might be true. 
 But the rich merchants and people of rank 
 who could afford to help him only made 
 fun of him. Month after month and year 
 after year he went from place to place, 
 asking for aid. He often became weary 
 and sad, but he never lost faith and hope. 
 What happened to him must be told in 
 another story. 
 
 5 
 
n 
 
 THE SEA OF DARKNESS 
 
 GHEISTOPHER COLUMBUS thought 
 that he could reach India by sail- 
 ing to the west. He went to the 
 king of Portugal, and told him what he 
 hoped to do. He showed the king his 
 maps, and asked him for ships. 
 
 The king treated him badly. He would 
 not help him, and was mean enough to 
 send one of his own ships, secretly, to see 
 if he could find anything. A storm arose. 
 The crew were afraid of the high waves, 
 and soon sailed back home. 
 
 When Columbus heard what the king 
 had done, he left Portugal, and went to 
 Spain. King Ferdinand listened to his 
 plans, and said, "It is a strange and dan- 
 
 6 
 
THE SEA OF DARKNESS 
 
 gerous voyage. You must give me time 
 to think about it." 
 
 The king talked with the wise men of 
 his court, but they only laughed at Colum- 
 bus, saying, '' Do not spend money on this 
 man's wild ideas." 
 
 There was a long and weary wait. 
 
 '' Perhaps France will help me," Colum- 
 bus said at last. '' I will go there." 
 
 But a friend had gone and told Ferdi- 
 nand's queen, Isabella. She sent for Co- 
 lumbus, and promised him help. 
 
 '' Your plans are worth trying, Colum- 
 bus. If need be, I will sell my jewels to 
 raise the money." 
 
 Three small ships were now made ready 
 for the long voyage across the Sea of 
 Darkness. They set sail from Palos, 
 August 3, 1492. 
 
 Day after day and week after week they 
 sailed out on the trackless ocean. Before 
 them, and behind them, there was nothing 
 but a waste of sky and water. The men 
 
 7 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 began to be uneasy. They called to mind 
 the old stories about the Sea of Darkness. 
 
 '* ,We shall never find land," they grum- 
 bled. '' The east winds are carrying us 
 right away from home. How can we ever 
 sail back? We shall all be lost." 
 
 Some of the sailors became so angry 
 that they planned to throw Columbus over- 
 board, and sail back to Spain. They would 
 say that he fell into the sea while looking 
 at the stars. 
 
 Columbus was as firm as a rock. 
 
 ^' Go back to your work, men," he said. 
 ** If at the end of three days no land is 
 found, we will sail back home." 
 
 Columbus had seen signs of land. Sea- 
 weed had floated past. A bird now and 
 then flew over his ship. Once a bush with 
 red berries was seen in the water. 
 
 One night, when Columbus stood on the 
 high deck and looked to the west, he saw 
 a light, which seemed to rise and fall on 
 the water. 
 
 8 
 
I cT.Anr Tins land in the name of Ferdinand and 
 
 ISABELLA OF SPAIN." Page 9. 
 
THE SEA OF DARKNESS 
 
 '^ Look there, man; do you see a light? " 
 he asked a sailor. 
 
 '' Surely, master. It is like a torch wav- 
 ing to and fro. Land must be near." 
 
 Columbus and his men waited impa- 
 tiently for day. At sunrise there lay be- 
 fore them a lovely tropical island. This 
 was on Friday morning, October 12. 
 
 Joy filled the heart of Columbus. He 
 believed that he had reached one of the 
 islands off the coast of India. He did not 
 know that he had found a new world. 
 
 Dressed in a scarlet robe, with sword in 
 hand, he went ashore. He threw himself 
 on his knees, and kissed the earth, and 
 gave thanks to God for bringing them 
 safely over the trackless ocean. 
 
 He then set up a cross, and unfurled 
 the Spanish flag, saying, ** I claim this 
 land in the name of Ferdinand and Isa- 
 bella of Spain." 
 
 The little island was one of the Bahamas, 
 north of Cuba, and not far from the coast 
 
 9 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 of Florida. Columbus gave it tlie name 
 of San Salvador. 
 
 The island seemed like a fairy land. 
 
 ^* It is so beautiful a country/' Colum- 
 bus said, ^' that I should like never to 
 leave it." 
 
 The sea was as smooth as glass. Birds 
 with gay plumage flitted in and out of the 
 woods. Beautiful flowers, strange fruits, 
 and wonderful trees were everywhere. 
 And the people looked odd, with their 
 high cheek bones, copper-colored skin, and 
 straight black hair. 
 
 ^^ It is all strange," said Columbus to 
 himself. '^ These people are savage, and 
 yet I am sure this is India." And so he 
 called them Indians. By this name they 
 are called to this day. 
 
 Columbus spent some weeks among the 
 islands. At last he set sail for Spain, to 
 carry the news of his wonderful voyage. 
 It was a proud day for him and for Spain 
 when he reached home. Ferdinand and 
 
 10 
 
THE SEA OF DARKNESS 
 
 Isabella sent for him to come and tell them 
 his story. And the proudest and richest 
 men of the kingdom were glad to honor 
 him.. 
 
 11 
 
in 
 
 THE HERO OF VIRGINIA 
 
 t I ^HEEE was once an English boy 
 I named John Smith. He ran away 
 to sea and was shipwrecked. 
 Somebody stole what little money he had. 
 He went back to England and enlisted in 
 the army. 
 
 Suddenly he left the army. He built a 
 hut for himself in the thick woods. Here 
 he lived with his horse, which was his 
 only companion. He learned to use sword 
 and gun, and to ride horseback. 
 
 At one time he was on a ship near the 
 coast of Italy. A storm came up. The 
 sailors said that he was a bad fellow and 
 the cause of the storm. And so they threw 
 him into the sea. 
 
 He was a good swimmer, and reached 
 12 
 
THE HERO OF VIRGINIA 
 
 an island in safety. He was soon rescued 
 and taken on board a French man-of-war. 
 In a sharp battle he fought so well that 
 he received a share of the prize money. 
 
 At another time he fought against the 
 Turks. But he was captured, and sold as 
 a slave. His master put an iron collar 
 round his neck, and was cruel to him. 
 
 One day the Turk hit him a blow on 
 the head. This was more than the young 
 Englishman could bear. He struck the 
 Turk, jumped on a horse, and rode for his 
 life. 
 
 After many hardships he got away from 
 Turkey, and found his way back to Eng- 
 land. He came home just in time to hear 
 about a band of people who were to sail 
 across the ocean to settle in Virginia. 
 
 John Smith was now only twenty-seven 
 years old, and life in a tiny English vil- 
 lage was dull. Nothing could suit him 
 better than to go to the New World to 
 seek new adventures, and so he joined 
 
 13 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 the company who were just starting for 
 America. 
 
 For many weeks they were tossed about 
 on the stormy sea. They finally reached 
 land, near the mouth of a broad river, and 
 sailed slowly up the stream. This was in 
 the month of May, 1607. 
 
 It was a lovely time of year. The air 
 was soft and warm. Birds sang in the 
 woods. Flowers bloomed on the banks of 
 the river. Here the colonists found a place 
 to clear the land and build their log cabins. 
 They called the river the James, and the 
 settlement Jamestown, in honor of their 
 king. 
 
 These settlers had a bad time of it. At 
 home most of them had never been used 
 to hard work. What did they know or 
 care about cutting down trees or plant- 
 ing corn? They spent their time hunting 
 for gold. They came for gold, they said, 
 and gold they must have. 
 
 There were other troubles too. It was 
 14 
 
THE HERO OF VIRGINIA 
 
 late in the season to plant corn, even if 
 the men were willing to work. And the 
 food which they brought from England 
 would not last long. Then the Indians did 
 not like the white-faced strangers, and 
 made trouble for them. Worst of all, many 
 of the settlers fell sick. 
 
 This was the time for a man like John 
 Smith. There was need of a leader, or the 
 feeble settlement would perish. 
 
 Now many of the settlers did not like 
 John Smith. On the long voyage to Amer- 
 ica he had made some of the lazy ones 
 go to work. And he used to tell big 
 stories, and brag of what he had done 
 in foreign lands. Still, they all knew about 
 his courage and good sense. 
 
 But Captain John was the right man 
 in the right place. He took hold with a 
 good will. He worked early and late, and 
 kept everybody busy. Some chopped down 
 trees. Others dug up the ground and 
 planted corn for a late harvest. 
 
 15 % 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 << 
 
 If you are too lazy to work," said the 
 new leader, '^ you may starve. The rest 
 shall not feed you." 
 
 When the settlers were in need of food, 
 he took a few men in an open boat and 
 sailed up the James Eiver to trade with 
 the Indians. He gave beads, little mirrors, 
 and trinkets for com and beans. Often the 
 red men were ugly and would not trade 
 ripe corn for trinkets. But John Smith 
 was a fearless man and a shrewd trader. 
 Even if the Indians would not at first 
 trade, he in some way gained their good 
 will, and sailed back to Jamestown with a 
 boatload of food. 
 
 Most of the settlers soon grew tired 
 of the hardships. Without the good sense, 
 boldness, and restless energy of John 
 Smith, the people of the feeble, half-starved 
 colony in Virginia would have lost their 
 courage and gone back to England. 
 Through their brave leader the English 
 people gained their first foothold in the 
 
 16 
 
THE HERO OF VIRGINIA 
 
 New World. In Virginia was laid the first 
 foundation stone of our great nation. 
 John Smith is often called the Hero of 
 Virginia and the Father of Virginia. 
 
 17 
 
IV 
 
 SEEKING A NEW HOME 
 
 FOR many weeks the little ship May- 
 flower had been making her way 
 across the Atlantic. Storm after 
 storm tossed the vessel about. The passen- 
 gers often thought that they must all 
 perish. 
 
 '^ Land! Land! " shouted a sailor, early 
 one morning. 
 
 The frail and leaky vessel, driven out of 
 her course, had reached the barren shore 
 of Cape Cod, and found shelter in the 
 harbor. It was a bleak November day. 
 Not a living thing was to be seen but the 
 gulls, which flew with shrill cries to and 
 fro over the water. 
 
 18 
 
SEEKING A NEW HOME 
 
 "The breaking waves dashed high 
 On a stern and rock-bound coast, 
 And the woods against a stormy sky 
 Their giant branches tossed; 
 
 "And the heavy night hung dark 
 The hills and waters o'er, 
 When a band of exiles moored their bark 
 On the wiild New England shore." 
 
 These people wished to make a home in 
 the New World, where they could be free 
 to worship G-od in their own way. They 
 called themselves Pilgrims, which means 
 strangers, or wanderers. 
 
 '' Let us thank God," said Elder Brew- 
 ster, " for bringing us safely over the vast 
 and furious ocean, and putting our feet on 
 the firm earth." So they knelt on the deck 
 of the Mayflower, and gave thanks. 
 
 The Mayflower lay at anchor for about 
 a month. A spring of fresh water was 
 found close to the beach. The first Mon- 
 day morning the women went ashore and 
 washed the clothes. During the voyage 
 there had been no water for this. 
 
 19 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 The men were busy too. They made 
 trips along the shore to find a place for 
 a home. 
 
 The land was poor. Here and there 
 were little momids on the dreary sand 
 hills. They dug into them, and found 
 baskets of corn, which the Indians had 
 buried. They obtained ten bushels of this, 
 " some yellow, some red, and others mixed 
 with blue," and kept it for seed. Like 
 honest men, they paid the Indians when 
 they found the owners. 
 
 Far away to the northwest on a clear 
 day could be seen the blue headlands of 
 a harbor. 
 
 '' A few years ago I was there with Cap- 
 tain John Smith," said the pilot. ^^ It is 
 a safe harbor. There is plenty of good 
 water, and the soil is rich." 
 
 So one day in December some of the 
 strongest men put off in their sailboat 
 for a trip along the shore of the great bay. 
 
 On the third day, which was Saturday, 
 20 
 
SEEKING A NEW HOME 
 
 a gale drove tlieir boat ashore on an island. 
 Early on Monday morning they rowed over 
 to the mainland. There they found a 
 lovely spot " with cornfields and little run- 
 ning brooks." Not far from the shore was 
 a large spring of pure cold water. 
 
 Captain John Smith had made a map 
 of this region, and called the spot Plym- 
 outh. The Pilgrims liked the name, for 
 they had sailed from Plymouth in England. 
 
 ^' Here is our home at last,'' said Cap- 
 tain Miles Standish; " let us hurry back 
 with the good news." 
 
 On December 21, 1620, the Pilgrims ar- 
 rived at Plymouth. The place had once 
 been an Indian village. But most of the 
 red men had gone, leaving their cornfields 
 for the strangers to plant. 
 
 The Mayflower had to anchor out in the 
 bay. The woman and children stayed on 
 board. The men went ashore to cut down 
 trees and build houses. 
 
 On Christmas Day the first log cabin was 
 21 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 raised. " No man rested on that day," 
 said Governor Bradford in Ms Journal; 
 '^ we had a sore storm of wind and rain/' 
 
 The people were not used to the raw 
 climate, and suffered from exposure and 
 lack of food. Sometimes they had to live 
 entirely on clams. The good Elder never 
 failed to ask a blessing on their scanty 
 meals and thank God, ^' who had yet given 
 them of the treasures hid in the sand." 
 
 At last the sad winter was at an end. 
 The spring came early that year. We read 
 in Governor Bradford's Journal, " The 
 grass was green and the birds were sing- 
 ing merrily on the third day of March. 
 There was a lively thunderstorm in the 
 afternoon." 
 
 A few days later two of the girls found 
 on the edge of a snowbank some sweet 
 rose-tinted flowers. 
 
 '' God be praised," said the good Elder. 
 '' Behold our Mayflower here." Ever 
 since that day, three hundred years ago, 
 
 22 
 
SEEKING A NEW HOME 
 
 the boys and girls have picked Mayflowers 
 in the Plymouth woods. 
 
 The middle of April came. The cap- 
 tain of the ship was in a hurry to return 
 to England. The day of sailing came. 
 With sad faces and tear-dimmed eyes, the 
 Pilgrims climbed the hill and waved fare- 
 well. 
 
 The ship had been their home for many 
 months, and was dear to them all. But 
 they did not wish to go back with her. 
 
 In silence they watched the sail grow 
 smaller and smaller. 
 
 At last, when they could see it no longer, 
 the good Elder Brewster said, '' Let us 
 pray." And they knelt and thanked God, 
 and took courage. 
 
 23 
 
CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH 
 
 CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH had 
 been an English soldier. He be- 
 came a good friend to the Pil- 
 grims. He liked them for their simple and 
 honest ways of living. When they sailed 
 for the New World, he went with them. 
 It was well that he did so, for he was 
 the most useful man in the whole colony. 
 A good soldier was needed to fight the 
 Indians. When the Pilgrims were sick, he 
 nursed them, and was as gentle as a 
 woman. 
 
 Captain Standish was a little man! He 
 was not much taller than most boys of 
 fourteen. Some of the Indians used to 
 laugh at him behind his back, and call him 
 
 24 
 
CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH 
 
 Captain Shrimp. Others called him Boil- 
 ing .Water, because he was easily made 
 angry. But they learned to fear him, and 
 let the Pilgrims alone. 
 
 While the Mayflower was at anchor at 
 Cape Cod, Captain Standish and his men 
 made several trips along the shore of the 
 bay. They had to sleep in the snow, and 
 much of the time they were wet to the 
 skin. 
 
 One morning they were awakened by a 
 wild cry. They had never heard anything 
 like it before. It was an Indian war 
 whoop. 
 
 Even brave Captain Standish was a bit 
 startled. But he quickly rallied his men, 
 who fired their guns at the savages. 
 
 The Indians ran off in great haste. 
 They had never heard guns fired before. 
 They were afraid of the white-faced stran- 
 gers who could make thunder and light- 
 ning when they pleased. 
 
 On one of their trips the Pilgrims found 
 25 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 a Kttle tree bent to the ground, with some 
 acorns scattered about. 
 
 " Look out there, men," cried Captain 
 Standish; '' it may be a deer trap which 
 the Indians have set." 
 
 ^^ Let me take a look at it and see what 
 I can find," said William Bradford, who 
 did not watch where he was stepping. 
 
 All of a sudden the trap sprung. The 
 dignified man was caught by the foot, and 
 found himself jerked up in the air. We 
 may be sure that this made even the sober 
 Pilgrims laugh. 
 
 The first harvest at Plymouth was good. 
 When the crops were gathered in, the 
 Pilgrims had a thne of thanksgiving. To 
 this feast the ladian chief Massasoit and 
 ninety of his braves were invited. They 
 came dressed in deerskins, feathers, and 
 foxtails. Their faces were daubed with 
 red, yellow, and white paint. Pound his 
 neck Massasoit wore a bag of tobacco and 
 a string of beads. 
 
 26 
 
YOU ARE A LITTLE MAN. GO HOME AND WORK WITH THE 
 WOMEN." Page 27. 
 
CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH 
 
 The feast was kept up for a week. Cap- 
 tain Standisli did his part every day. At 
 sunrise he fired the cannon on the top of 
 the hill, and paraded his little company 
 of twelve soldiers. 
 
 A few years later the Indians made an 
 attack on the people in a little village not 
 far from Plymouth. Captain Standish 
 with a few men rushed to the help of the 
 settlers. The redskins were bold and ugly. 
 A big Indian, much larger and stronger 
 than Standish, came up to him with a knife 
 in his hand. 
 
 '^ So you are the great paleface chief 
 who has come to fight us," said the Indian. 
 ^^ You are a little man. Go home and work 
 with the women. You cannot fight." 
 
 Captain Standish was boiling over with 
 anger. For a wonder he kept control of 
 himself. 
 
 The next day he and his men met the 
 Indians in a log cabin. The big Indian 
 was again insulting. Suddenly the door 
 
 27 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 was shut. Captain Standish sprang like 
 a tiger on tlie big redskin who had made 
 fun of him. A general fight took place, 
 but the Pilgrims won. 
 
 This bold deed of the fiery little captain 
 put an end to the trouble with the savages. 
 
 During that first hard winter on the 
 Plymouth shore Captain Standish lost his 
 lovely young wife. His life became more 
 and more lonely. At last he made up his 
 mind to marry again, and wished to win 
 Priscilla Mullins, who was an orphan. 
 
 Now the Captain was a bold Indian 
 fighter, but was timid in making love. He 
 did not have the courage to go to Priscilla, 
 but urged his young friend John Alden 
 to woo^ her for him. 
 
 John Alden, who also loved the girl, and 
 wished to be true to his friend, at first 
 refused. But at last he went to her home 
 with the Captain's message. 
 
 He found Priscilla sitting at her spin- 
 ning wheel, singing. He gave her a bunch 
 
 28 
 
CAPTAIN MILES STANDISH 
 
 of Mayflowers, which he had gathered on 
 his way through the woods, and told her 
 why he had come. And he praised the 
 Captain for his bravery and goodness. 
 
 Priscilla knew John Alden's heart, but 
 listened to his pleading for his friend. 
 Then turning to him with a sweet smile, 
 she said, " 'Wh.j don't you speak for your- 
 self, John? " 
 
 We have not time now to tell you the 
 rest of the story. Some day you may read 
 it in Longfellow's poem called The Court- 
 ship of Miles Standish. 
 
 Across the bay from Plymouth, on a 
 high point named Captain's Hill, stands 
 a granite monument, over one hundred feet 
 high. On the top of it, looking toward the 
 broad ocean, there is a statue of the fiery 
 but tender-hearted Captain Miles Standish. 
 
 29 
 
VI 
 
 DARK DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND 
 
 IT was in the year 1675, a little more 
 than fifty years after the Pilgrims 
 landed at Plymouth. Philip, the son 
 of the good Massasoit, was now chief of the 
 Indians who lived in this region. He called 
 himself King Philip. He was a shrewd, 
 crafty, and cruel savage. He hated the 
 English. He saw that there were more 
 and more white-faced settlers coming every 
 year. 
 
 ^' If the red man does not drive out the 
 paleface," he said, '' the paleface will drive 
 out the red man.'' 
 
 Many of the settlers, like honest men, 
 had bought their land of the Indians, and 
 paid for it in knives, guns, and blankets. 
 
 30 
 
DARK DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND 
 
 Others were dishonest. They cheated the 
 red men in trading cheap beads and 
 trinkets for skins and furs. 
 
 King Philip planned to harm the Eng- 
 lish. In the year of our story he sent gifts 
 to other chiefs, saying, " Come and help 
 me to drive out the white-faced strangers." 
 
 Now came the '' black and fatal days " 
 that the old Pilgrim preachers spoke of. 
 There broke out a war of fire and fury 
 that laid w^aste the land. 
 
 The first blow was struck at the village 
 of Swansea, near King Philip's home. It 
 was a little place of forty log cabins. One 
 Sunday forenoon, while the people were 
 at church, a party of savages stole into the 
 village and set fire to several cabins. 
 
 A young man galloped to other villages 
 for help. 
 
 " Indians! Indians! " he shouted; *' the 
 Indians have set fire to Swansea. Come 
 and help us." 
 
 Men hurried to the rescue. When they 
 31 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 reached the village, they saw a sight that 
 made them pale and heartsick. The bodies 
 of men, women, and children, cruelly killed, 
 lay near their burned log cabins. 
 
 A few days later the same savages at- 
 tacked another village. Some of the peo- 
 ple were burned at the stake. 
 
 The war spread like wildfire from Plym- 
 outh to the valley of the Connecticut 
 River. Up the valley of the river, from 
 Springfield to Northfield, was a chain of 
 tiny villages. These distant places were 
 always in danger from the Indians. 
 
 One night in August three hundred sav- 
 ages made a sudden attack on Brookfield. 
 Nearly all the people fled from their cabins 
 to the large blockhouse. 
 
 The redskins shot arrows tipped with 
 burning rags on the roof of the blockhouse. 
 But the women and children crawled into 
 the attic and threw water out on the burn- 
 ing shingles. The Indians then tried to 
 get near enough to the house to set it on 
 
 32 
 
DARK DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND 
 
 fire. From the overhanging windows and 
 loopholes the men kept them back with 
 their guns. 
 
 After dark an Indian crept up and set 
 fire to a corner of the blockhouse. A brave 
 young fellow ran outside and put out the 
 fire. 
 
 For three days and three nights the fight 
 with the howling savages was kept up. 
 
 One day the Indians made a rude sort 
 of cart and loaded it with hay. They 
 lighted the hay, pushed the cart toward the 
 blockhouse, and set it on fire. The tired 
 people seemed near death. Suddenly the 
 sky grew dark. A heavy shower came and 
 put out the fire. 
 
 On the third day a man was sent out 
 to spread the news of the fight. Thirty 
 miles from Brookfield he met an old Indian 
 fighter named Simon Willard at the head 
 of forty-seven men on horseback. Just 
 after sunset the sturdy old man and his 
 company galloped into the village. They 
 
 33 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 quickly drove the howling savages to a 
 swamp, fifteen miles away. 
 
 A romantic story is told of the Indian 
 attack on the little village of Hadley. The 
 people were in church when they heard the 
 awful war whoop of the Indians. The men 
 seized their guns and ran out. The village 
 seemed filled with savages. 
 
 For a moment the men were dazed. 
 Their courage almost gave way. AU at 
 once a tall old man with white hair and 
 a long white beard stood among them. He 
 wore a sword and carried a gun. 
 
 " Follow me," he said cahnly; '^ I will 
 be your captain." 
 
 In a short time the Indians were put to 
 flight, and the village of Hadley was safe. 
 
 *' Who was this who saved our village? " 
 the people asked. 
 
 Nobody could say. The stranger was 
 nowhere to be found. The people of Had- 
 ley never saw him again. 
 
 " It was an angel sent from heaven to 
 34 
 
DARK DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND 
 
 save us," some said, as they told the story 
 to their grandchildren in after years. 
 
 It is thought that the old soldier was 
 Colonel William Goffe. He had fled from 
 England to America, and w^as kept hid by 
 friends. 
 
 Another dreadful fight with the Indians 
 soon took place at Bloody Brook, near 
 Deerfield. Seven hundred Indians hid in 
 ambush and attacked a company of ninety 
 men when they were crossing this small 
 stream. Only eight escaped to tell the 
 story. 
 
 During the next winter a fierce attack 
 was made at sunrise on the village of Lan- 
 caster. Forty men, women, and children 
 found shelter in the minister's large log 
 house. Only one escaped. A dozen or 
 more were killed, and the rest were carried 
 off as captives. 
 
 Soon after this a band of two thousand 
 
 Indians gathered in a big log fort in Rhode 
 
 35 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 Island. They felt safe, for they were in a 
 swamp, and hard to reach. 
 
 But Captain Church, a fearless Indian 
 fighter, tramped through snow and water 
 with about a thousand sturdy men. There 
 was a bitter fight on a stormy Sunday 
 afternoon. Nearly half of the Indians were 
 killed. Their wigwams were set on fire, 
 and their supply of corn was burnt. 
 
 This defeat saved the people in the 
 villages. 
 
 Shortly afterward Captain Church cap- 
 tured the wife and children of the cruel 
 King Philip. 
 
 '' Now I am ready to die," said the great 
 chief. 
 
 He was hunted from place to place. At 
 last an Indian told Captain Church where 
 he was hid. Church and his men sur- 
 rounded the spot. 
 
 *^ Now we have him," said Captain 
 
 Church. ^* It is impossible for him to 
 
 escape." 
 
 36 
 
DARK DAYS IN NEW ENGLAND 
 
 The death of King Philip put an end to 
 this cruel war. 
 
 Indeed those were ^* black and fatal 
 days, the saddest that ever befell New 
 England." One thousand brave men had 
 been killed or made captives. Women and 
 children had been killed with the toma- 
 hawk or tortured to death. Twelve hun- 
 dred log cabins had been burned. Of 
 ninety villages twelve had been destroyed. 
 
 37 
 
vn 
 
 THE DUTCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 HENRY HUDSON was a famous 
 English sea captain. The people 
 called him ^' the bold English- 
 man." He had made several voyages to 
 find a way to China and India through 
 the Arctic Ocean. He went nearer to the 
 north pole than any other sailor of his 
 time. Great icebergs nearly crushed his 
 little ship, and forced him to sail back to 
 England. 
 
 At this time the Dutch people who lived 
 in Holland were carrying on a brisk trade 
 with Asia. They were looking for a pas- 
 sage through the continent of America, 
 hoping to reach that distant land more 
 quickly than by sailing round the Cape of 
 
 Good Hope. 
 
 38 
 
THE DUTCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 The Dutch merchants had heard of Hud- 
 son's daring trips to the far north. So 
 they hired him to sail once more to dis- 
 cover a passage to the Pacific Ocean. 
 They furnished him with a little ship called 
 the Half Moon. This was in 1609, eleven 
 3^ears before the Pilgrims landed at Plym- 
 outh. 
 
 But it was the same old story. The 
 sailors grew tired of fogs, ice, and the 
 bitter cold. They were ugly and unruly. 
 
 '^ Turn back, Captain," they cried. 
 " Turn back before our vessel is dashed 
 to pieces against the icebergs, and we are 
 frozen to death in these icy waters." 
 
 Now^ Captain John Smith had sent a 
 map to his old friend Captain Hudson, 
 and told him that there was a strait lead- 
 ing into the Western Ocean north of the 
 English colony in Virginia. Thus it came 
 about that Hudson turned his ship to 
 the south, and sailed up and dowm the 
 coast to find the gateway to the Pacific. 
 
 39 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 One lovely day in September lie sailed 
 into a great bay. Here lie dropped anchor 
 not far from the mouth of a broad river, 
 which he named the Great River. 
 
 Indians soon flocked about to see the 
 *^ great white bird," as they called the 
 Half Moon, on account of her white sails. 
 These red men had never seen a ship be- 
 fore, and did not know what to make of 
 the strange visitors. They were kind to 
 the white-faced strangers. They brought 
 grapes, furs, and corn, and traded them for 
 beads, knives, and red coats. 
 
 Hudson sent out some of his men to take 
 a look at the land. They came back and 
 said, ^^ It is as pleasant with grass and 
 flowers and very sweet smells as ever we 
 have seen." 
 
 After a few days the Half Moon sailed 
 up the beautiful river, which has since 
 been named the Hudson. The Indians 
 came from far and near and gazed in won- 
 der at the little Dutch ship. Men, women, 
 
 40 
 
THE DUTCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 and children in their canoes paddled round 
 the vessel. Eagerly they traded corn and 
 tobacco for pieces of red cloth, shining 
 brass buttons, and hatchets. 
 
 One old Indian chief made a feast in his 
 bark wigwam, and invited Captain Hudson 
 and his men. They sat on a mat and ate 
 from a huge wooden bowl. The chief in- 
 vited Hudson to stay all night. The In- 
 dians broke their arrows and threw them 
 into the fire. This was to show that they 
 did not mean to do any harm. 
 
 Hudson then sailed up the river until he 
 reached the spot where now stands the city 
 of Albany. 
 
 " This is as beautiful a land as one can 
 tread upon," he said; '' but the river grows 
 narrower, the water is fresh. Surely this 
 is not the way to the Pacific." 
 
 Slowly and sadly he put the Half Moon 
 about, sailed down the river, and then 
 across the ocean to Holland. He claimed 
 the country on the banks of the great 
 
 41 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 river for Holland. He told the Dutch 
 people that the land was the most beautiful 
 in the world. 
 
 It was plain from his story that he had 
 found a land where the natives had plenty 
 of furs, and the Dutch sent out men to 
 trade with the Indians. 
 
 After a time they built a log fort and 
 log cabins on the lov/er end of what is 
 now Manhattan Island. This little village 
 of log houses they called Xew Amsterdam, 
 after the chief city of Holland. For 
 twenty-four dollars worth of beads, rib- 
 bons, knives, and other trinkets, they had 
 bought the whole island on which New 
 York now stands. 
 
 The Dutch kept the country for only 
 about fifty years. They did not get along 
 well with the governors who were sent out 
 from Holland. There were four of these 
 in all, and rather a bad lot. 
 
 The fourth and last governor was Peter 
 Stuy^^esant. He was an honest, stubborn, 
 
 42 
 
!!•: OLD (.()\ I'lKiXoK roui': ri* 'iiii'; \.\:niAi. r<,;^c A^. 
 
THE DUTCH IN NEW YORK 
 
 fearless, but hot-tempered man. Some of 
 the people called him Headstrong Peter, 
 and others named him Old Silver-leg, be- 
 cause having lost a leg in battle, he used 
 a wooden one with bands of silver round it. 
 
 Now the king of England did not take 
 kindly to the Dutch and their success in 
 building up trade in New Amsterdam. So 
 he made a present of the whole region to 
 his brother, the Duke of York. He claimed 
 that the land belonged to England, because 
 John Cabot had taken possession of it 
 many years before, and he sent an English 
 fleet over. 
 
 '* Pull down that Dutch flag and sur- 
 render the fort," wrote the commander of 
 the fleet, " or I'll fire on you." 
 
 The old governor tore up the letter, and 
 with his wooden leg stamped about in great 
 anger. 
 
 *^ 111 die before the fort shall be given 
 up to the English," he said to the women 
 and children who begged him to surrender. 
 
 43 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 But it was of no use. The people were 
 tired of the stubborn old governor. They 
 would not fight. They would rather take 
 a chance with the English. 
 
 So the Dutch flag came down, and the 
 flag of England was run up in its place. 
 From that time the name of the whole 
 region was changed from New Amsterdam 
 to New York, in honor of the king's 
 brother, the Duke of York. 
 
 44 
 
nr 
 
 vni 
 
 WILLIAM PENN, THE QUAKER 
 
 HE tower of the City Hall in Phila- 
 I delphia rises more tlian five hun- 
 dred feet above the street. On the 
 top of this tower is a large statue of 
 William Penn. His hands are outstretched 
 as if to give a blessing. This great and 
 good man was the founder of the colony 
 of Pennsylvania, about sixty years after 
 the Pilgrims began their home at Plym- 
 outh. 
 
 William Penn's father was a rich and 
 famous English admiral. He had fought 
 many battles for England, and was a great 
 favorite with the king and royal family. 
 William, a bright, handsome, and well-be- 
 haved lad, was the admiral's only son. He 
 received instruction from the best teachers. 
 
 45 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 IWhen lie went to Oxford University, he 
 was dearly loved by all who knew him, 
 because of his kind heart and winning 
 ways. 
 
 While he was at college, he heard a 
 famous Quaker speak. He was much in- 
 terested. He came to believe that the 
 Quakers were right, and made up his mind 
 to join them. 
 
 The Quakers, or Friends, as they called 
 themselves, were a good but peculiar peo- 
 ple. They lived quietly, and dressed 
 plainly. They were honest, hard-working, 
 and prosperous. They were peaceable, ob- 
 served the laws, and minded their own 
 business. 
 
 They believed that war was wicked. 
 They said that men should love each other, 
 and live in peace. 
 
 They would not take off their hats to 
 anybody, not even to the king. 
 
 In their church they had no pastor, 
 music, or sermon. They sat on wooden 
 
 46 
 
WILLIAM PENN, THE QUAKER 
 
 benches in silence, or rose and spoke when 
 they felt like doing so. 
 
 The old admiral was angry; at his son 
 for becoming a Quaker. 
 
 ^^ Why will you not take off your hat 
 before King Charles? " he asked him one 
 day. ^' If you will promise to do this, I 
 will forgive you." 
 
 Young Penn thought it over, but would 
 not promise. 
 
 The father now got very angry. He 
 turned his son out of doors. But Penn's 
 mother begged for the boy, and he was 
 allowed to go home again. 
 
 At last the admiral became sick. He 
 sent for an old friend, the brother of King 
 Charles. '' Look after my boy," he said. 
 '* I am sure he will get into a great deal 
 of trouble." 
 
 William Penn now became a Quaker 
 preacher. On one occasion he was put in 
 prison for eight months in the gloomy old 
 Tower of London. At another time he 
 
 47 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 was sent to prison because lie would not 
 take off Ms hat in the courtroom. 
 
 King Charles the Second was a merry, 
 light-hearted, and good-natured man. One 
 day Penn went to see him, and as usual 
 kept his broad-brimmed hat on. 
 
 The king took his own hat off. 
 
 ^' Friend Charles, why does thee take off 
 thy hat? " asked Penn. 
 
 '^ Because," replied the king, ^' where I 
 am it is the custom for only one to remain 
 with the head covered." 
 
 After Penn had been cast into prison 
 several times, and had suffered insult and 
 hardship, he wished to try '' the holy ex- 
 periment," as he called it. This was to 
 plant a colony in America, '^ a free colony 
 for all mankind.'^ 
 
 King Charles had owed Admiral Penn 
 a large sum of money. This he now owed 
 to the son. But he spent so much money 
 on himself and his friends that he had little 
 to pay his debts. 
 
 48 
 
WILLIAM PENN, THE QUAKER 
 
 *' Instead of money, friend Charles," 
 said Penn, '^ give me land on the Delaware 
 River in America. This will pay; the debt 
 you owe my father." 
 
 It was much easier for the king to give 
 away land which he had never seen than 
 to pay an old debt with real money. 
 
 ^' Yes," said King Charles. *' I will 
 give you the land on the west side of the 
 Delaware River. It shall be called Penn- 
 sylvania, ' Penn's woods.' This is not in 
 your honor, but in memory of your noble 
 father. For rent, you shall pay me every 
 year two beaver skins and one fifth of all 
 the gold and silver you may find." 
 
 Thus it came about that King Charles 
 gave Penn a tract of land in America 
 nearly as large as the whole of England. 
 
 In the year 1682 Penn came over to 
 America in the good ship Welcome. The 
 ^' Quaker king," as he was called, was 
 warmly received by the Quakers who liad 
 come over the year before. 
 
 49 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 Penn sailed up the Delaware River until 
 he came to the place which he had chosen 
 for his capital. To this spot he gave the 
 Bible name of Philadelphia, after a city 
 in Asia spoken of in the New Testament. 
 The name means the City of Brotherly Love. 
 
 Penn said that the Indians must be 
 treated kindly and honestly. He would be 
 just to them and live at peace with them. 
 The land should be paid for. 
 
 He soon sent word to the Indians to 
 come and meet him. The place was under 
 a big elm tree on the banks of the Dela- 
 ware River. This tree was afterwards 
 called the Treaty Elm. 
 
 On the chosen day, the Indians, with 
 squaws and papooses, came to the meeting 
 under the big tree. The Quakers had no 
 guns or swords. There were no soldiers 
 to be seen. After food was served, the 
 council began. Dressed in his drab clothes, 
 with broad-brimmed hat, and a blue sash, 
 Penn began to talk to the Indians. 
 
 50 
 
WILLIAM PENN, THE QUAKER 
 
 " The great God above us," lie said, '' is 
 father of both the white and the red man. 
 We are all brothers. Let us live in peace." 
 
 The Indians were greatly pleased with 
 the kind words and gentle manner of the 
 good man. They talked with each other, 
 and then answered, " We will make a 
 treaty with the white man. We will live 
 in peace with Penn and his children as 
 long as the sun and the moon shall shine." 
 
 The pipe of peace was passed round, 
 and each took a whiff. 
 
 Tlie Indians kept their word. For many 
 long years the treaty was never broken. 
 As long as the Quakers controlled Penn- 
 sylvania, it was said that not a drop of 
 Quaker blood was ever shed by an Indian. 
 
 As a pledge the Indians gave Penn a 
 belt called wampum. This belt was made 
 up of eighteen strings of black and white 
 shell beads. It is still kept as a precious 
 relic, and may be seen in Philadelphia. 
 
 The Indians were always fond of 
 51 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 William Penn. He slept at times in their 
 wigwams. He ate their roasted corn and 
 hominy. He enjoyed frolics with the In- 
 dian children. He took part in the out- 
 door games of the braves. The good man 
 also talked to the savages about their faith 
 in God, whom they called the Great Spirit. 
 
 For many years after Penn died, when 
 an Indian wished to speak well of a white 
 man, he would say, ^^ He is like William 
 Penn." 
 
 When Penn's colony was founded, the 
 glad news spread far and wide that there 
 was a country where a poor man could 
 buy a farm. He could make a home and 
 worship God as he pleased, and there was 
 no dread of the Indians. 
 
 Settlers from Europe flocked to the new 
 country. The Quaker settlement grew 
 faster than the other colonies. For many 
 years Philadelphia was the largest city 
 in America. 
 
 52 
 
IX 
 
 FIGHTING THE INDIANS 
 
 THE early settlers of our country 
 lived in constant danger of the 
 Indians. Savages would hide in 
 the woods for weeks to get a chance to 
 burn a lonely log cabin, to shoot and scalp 
 the men at work in the fields, and carry 
 off the women and children. 
 
 In those days the women and children 
 were trained to defend themselves with 
 guns and axes. A boy of twelve became 
 a soldier in the log fort. A loophole was 
 given to him, from which he was to shoot 
 when the Indians made an attack. 
 
 One day in New England a Mrs. Butler 
 and her two little children were left alone 
 in a log cabin. She looked up from her 
 work and saw an Indian peering in at the 
 window. 
 
 53 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 She quickly put the children under a big 
 brass kettle. Then seizing a shovelful of 
 coals from the fireplace, she dashed them 
 into the redskin's face. 
 
 Maddened with pain, the Indian took to 
 his heels. 
 
 One Sunday morning a band of Indians 
 attacked a little village of thirty log houses 
 on the Merrimac River. They killed Mr. 
 Rolfe, the minister. He had two little 
 daughters. A negro servant girl jumped 
 from her bed and led the two frightened 
 children into the cellar. She put them 
 under washtubs, and then hid herself be- 
 hind a meat barrel. 
 
 Down came the Indians. Several times 
 they walked past the tubs where the chil- 
 dren were hid. They drank milk from the 
 pans, and threw the pans on the cellar 
 floor. They took the meat from the barrel. 
 But they did not see anybody. 
 
 On the same day the savages attacked 
 the house of a Mr. Swan. They tried to 
 
 54 
 
FIGHTING THE INDIANS 
 
 batter down the front door. He was a 
 tiniid man, and told his wife to let them in. 
 
 '' Never," cried the pioneer woman; '' let 
 me see what I can do." 
 
 A big Indian put his back against the 
 stout oak door, and the others crow^ded 
 against him. The door w^as slowly pushed 
 open a little way. 
 
 Mrs. Swan was quick to act. She seized 
 an iron spit from the fireplace, nearly three 
 feet long. "With all her might she drove it 
 through the body of the savage. 
 
 The Indians did not like this kind of 
 fighting, and ran away. 
 
 In the yard of a little fort on the Ohio 
 frontier a young woman was boiling soap. 
 
 The big oak gate of the stockade had 
 been left partly open. A savage with a 
 tomahawk in his hand tried to squeeze 
 through. Quick as a flash the woman 
 dashed a bucket of boiling soap on him. 
 
 With a howl the Indian ran into the 
 deep woods and was seen no more. 
 
 55 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 One night in Kentucky the Indians at- 
 tacked the cabin of a man named Merrill. 
 Mr. Merrill stood in the door and fired at 
 the savages imtil he himself was shot sev- 
 eral times. 
 
 Mrs. Merrill closed the oak door, but the 
 Indians chopped a hole in it and tried to 
 crawl through. She stood at one side and 
 killed two or three with her ax when their 
 heads appeared. This made the savages 
 furious. Two of them climbed to the roof 
 of the cabin, to drop down through the 
 big chimney. 
 
 Mrs. Merrill seized a feather bed, cut it 
 open, and threw the feathers on the live 
 coals in the fireplace. 
 
 Blinded by the flames and smoke, the 
 Indians tumbled down, and were quickly 
 killed by the brave woman. 
 
 In their attacks on settlers the Indians 
 tried all kinds of tricks. The pioneers 
 used to hunt wild turkeys for food. The 
 Indians would imitate the turkey call, and 
 
 56 
 
FIGHTING THE INDIANS 
 
 thus get a chance to shoot the hunter when 
 he came near. 
 
 A few settlers from Virginia lived on 
 one of the branches of the Ohio River. 
 
 *^ To the blockhouse! The Indians are 
 coming," was the cr^ early one morning. 
 
 Half a dozen canoes filled with Indians 
 were seen near the bank of the river. 
 
 The savages began a lively attack on the 
 stockade. The men fought bravely, while 
 the women made bullets and loaded the 
 guns. 
 
 Tom Blake, a lad in the fort, saw a sav- 
 age creeping through the grass. He fired, 
 and the Indian fell. 
 
 '^ I have killed an Indian," he cried. 
 
 " Don't be too sure, my boy," said a 
 gray-headed old hunter, who knew the 
 tricks of the red man; ^^ keep your eye on 
 that redskin until I load my rifle." 
 
 '^Why, what are you going to do?" 
 asked Tom. '' Don't waste good powder 
 and bullet on a dead Indian." 
 
 57 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 '' Wait a moment," said the old hunter, 
 ^' and keep your eye on your dead Indian." 
 
 The savage lay in the grass; only the 
 tip of his shoulder was to be seen. The 
 old hunter took careful aim and fired. 
 
 Leaping to his feet with a howl of pain, 
 the wily Indian ran off into the tall grass. 
 
 " There goes your dead Indian, my boy. 
 You will learn more about Indians as you 
 grow older." 
 
 Such were the days and nights on the 
 frontier. Hundreds of the brave deeds 
 done there have long ago been forgotten. 
 
 58 
 
A FAMOUS TEA PARTY 
 
 A LITTLE Boston girl, named Betty 
 Endicott, was skipping along 
 home from churcli, holding her 
 father's hand. It was a cold, snotvy Sun- 
 day morning late in November. Men were 
 standing in the streets, talking over the 
 news. 
 
 '' Oh, father," cried Betty, '' see that 
 crowd on Beacon HiU." 
 
 ^^ The tea ships are coming. The tea 
 ships are coming," shouted some men and 
 boys. 
 
 ^^Yes, Betty," said her father, as they 
 hurried along, " the tea ships are sailing 
 up the harbor. The east wind is cold and 
 sharp. Button your cloak about you. 
 Hurry home and tell the news to mamma." 
 One night a few weeks later Betty lay 
 59 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 in bed watching her mother sewing in the 
 next room. Her father had been away all 
 evening. 
 
 '' What can keep papa out so late? " 
 asked Mrs. Endicott. " But, Betty dear, 
 you must go to sleep. Papa will be here 
 soon.'' 
 
 Just then the gate opened, the latch of 
 the door was lifted, and in walked what 
 seemed to be a big Indian. 
 
 Mrs. Endicott screamed and nearly 
 fainted. 
 
 Betty jumped out of bed and ran to her 
 mother. 
 
 ^' Don't be afraid, Mercy; it is only Joe," 
 said a well-known voice. 
 
 ^< For pity's sake, Joe, what have you 
 been doing? " asked Mrs. Endicott. 
 
 ** Not much, Mercy; I have only been 
 to a tea party. The boys have been brew- 
 ing a bit of salt-water tea." 
 
 When Mr. Endicott pulled off his tall 
 boots, some tea fell on the floor. 
 
 60 
 
A FAMOUS TEA PARTY 
 
 " Why, mother," cried Betty, " there is 
 tea in papa's boots/' 
 
 '' Don't touch the stuff," said Mr. Endi- 
 cott, and he swept it into the fireplace. 
 
 At the time of our story Massachusetts 
 was a colony of England. The people 
 were taxed by the English king, and did 
 not like it. The taxes were then taken 
 off everything except tea. 
 
 '' We don't care for the tax of a few 
 cents on a pound of tea," our people said; 
 '^ but if we cannot help to make the laws, 
 the king has no right to tax us at all." 
 
 '' Buy the taxed tea, or go without," 
 replied King George. 
 
 The angry people did go without it. 
 
 ^' We will not have an ounce of this tea. 
 It shall not be landed in our country." 
 
 Early on the Monday morning after the 
 tea ships came, the people gathered in the 
 Old South Meetinghouse. The church and 
 street were crowded. The meeting went 
 on all day. 
 
 61 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 ^' Send the tea back," shouted one man. 
 
 ^^ Get rid of it. Throw it overboard," 
 somebody cried from the gallery. 
 
 ^' The tea must be landed," the governor 
 declared. 
 
 u Try it if you dare," replied the people. 
 " Ten thousand men will march into Bos- 
 ton and drive the redcoats out." 
 
 The morning of December sixteenth was 
 cold and rainy. The people were again in 
 the Old South Meetinghouse. The gov- 
 ernor again refused to allow the tea ships 
 to sail home. 
 
 It was now five o'clock. A few candles 
 had been brought in, and dimly lighted the 
 church. 
 
 As it grew dark, the crowd grew more 
 and more excited. 
 
 ^' A mob, a mob! " somebody shouted. 
 
 ^' Did anybody ever think how tea would 
 mix with salt water? " shouted John Rowe. 
 
 The rafters of the old church fairly 
 shook with the cheers. 
 
 62 
 
A FAMOUS TEA PARTY 
 
 Quietly and firmly then rose Samuel 
 Adams, tlie patriot leader, and said, '^ This 
 meeting can do nothing more to save the 
 country." 
 
 This was the signal that had been agreed 
 on. 
 
 A war whoop was heard in the street. 
 A number of men dressed like Mohawk 
 Indians, with axes in their hands, were 
 seen running toward the wharf. 
 
 An old song describes what took place: 
 
 " Rally, Mohawks ! bring out your axes, 
 And tell King George we'll pay no taxes 
 On his foreign tea. 
 
 His threats are vain, and vain to think. 
 To force our girls and wives to drink 
 His vile Boliea. 
 
 Then rally, boys, and hasten on, 
 To meet our chiefs at the Green Dragon.'^ 
 
 Another popular song of the day tells 
 how the tea was thrown overboard; 
 
 " Quick as thought the ships were boarded. 
 Hatches burst, and chests displayed; 
 Axes, hammers, help afforded; 
 What a glorious crash they made! 
 63 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 " Then overboard she goes, my boys. 
 In darkling waters roar; 
 We love our cup of tea full well, 
 But we love our freedom more.'^ 
 
 The '' Mohawk Indians " did their work 
 well. The blows of their axes were plainly 
 heard by the crowds of people at the head 
 of the wharf. When the tea had been de- 
 stroyed, the decks were swept clean, and 
 everything was put in order. 
 
 The party now broke np. 
 
 An English officer saw the whole affair 
 from a house near the wharf. When the 
 patriots were returning, he raised a win- 
 dow and shouted, '^ Well, boys, you've had 
 a fine evening for your Indian capers. But 
 mind, you've got to pay the fiddler yet." 
 
 '' All right, squire," shouted John Pitts; 
 *^ just come out here, if you please, and 
 we'll settle the bill in two minutes." 
 
 The window was slammed down. The 
 *' Indians " hastened on their way home. 
 
 Such was the famous Boston Tea Party, 
 64 
 
A FAMOUS TEA PARTY 
 
 wMch took place nearly one hundred and 
 fifty years ago. Swift riders carried the 
 news everywhere. The people were filled 
 with joy. Bells were rung and bonfires 
 were lighted far and wide in the country 
 towns. The patriots of Boston had defied 
 the demands of an unjust king. 
 
 65 
 
XI 
 
 A CIRCLE OF STONES IN THE PAVEMENT 
 
 THE Old State House in Boston is on 
 Exchange Square, near the head 
 of State Street. This is one of 
 the most famous historic spots in the city. 
 At the corner of Exchange Street, in the 
 pavement of the square, may be seen a 
 circle of granite blocks, ten feet in diame- 
 ter. This circle marks the spot where in 
 colonial days several Americans were shot 
 and killed by British soldiers. 
 
 The trouble occurred on the evening of 
 March 5, 1770, a little more than five years 
 before the battle of Lexington. 
 
 George the Third of England was a self- 
 ish young man of twenty-two when he 
 came to the throne. He was eager to show 
 his power. 
 
 66 
 
A CIRCLE OF STONES IN THE PAVEMENT 
 
 " The colonies in America belong to 
 me/' he said. " They must pay their share 
 of the war debt, and the cost of keeping 
 my soldiers there/' 
 
 " These colonies are getting rich too 
 fast/' was the answer of his advisers. 
 '' We need their money. They must trade 
 with us." 
 
 So at the close of the French and Indian 
 War the American colonies were forced 
 to XDay a tax on sugar, coffee, and many 
 other things shipped from England to this 
 country. 
 
 In the year 1765 the Stamp Act was 
 passed. By this law our people were 
 forced to use stamped paper for deeds, 
 notes, bills, and similar things. 
 
 No wonder that bells w^ere tolled, flags 
 put at half mast, and shops closed on 
 the day the Stamp Act became a law. 
 
 " You must pay the taxes," said King 
 George. '' If you don't, I wdll send over 
 my soldiers and make you do it." 
 
 67 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 The quarrel grew more and more bitter. 
 
 The king was as good as his word, and 
 sent to Boston two regiments of British 
 soldiers. 
 
 The boys in the streets soon began to 
 insult the soldiers, and the soldiers insulted 
 the peaceable citizens. 
 
 The king's tax collectors had a hard time 
 of it. A crowd of boys pelted one of them 
 with snowballs, and chased him into his 
 house. 
 
 The man was in no danger, but he lost 
 his temper. He opened a window and fired 
 his musket. iA. boy named Snider was 
 killed, and another boy was badly wounded. 
 
 '' This little hero and first martyr to the 
 noble cause " was given a public funeral. 
 Eive hundred school children and a large 
 number of men and women were in the 
 procession. 
 
 ** My eyes never saw such a funeral," 
 said John Adams, who rode into town to 
 attend the services. 
 
 68 
 
A CIRCLE OF STONES IN THE PAVEMENT 
 
 The tax collector was taken to prison. 
 
 A few days later a quarrel took place in 
 the Common, between some w^orkmen and 
 the soldiers. The British had the worst 
 of it. They swore they would have re- 
 venge. A redcoat boasted that men would 
 dine on Monday who would not eat on 
 Tuesday. 
 
 Some of the soldiers were friendly to 
 the citizens, and warned them to keep in- 
 doors at night. 
 
 It was now the fifth of March, a clear, 
 cold, winter evening with a bright moon. 
 Crowds of men and boys stood on the 
 street corners. Groups of soldiers were 
 on the lookout. 
 
 Some rowdies began to strike the red- 
 coats with sticks, and pelt them with ice 
 and snowballs. The soldiers hit back with 
 clubs and guns. 
 
 ^^ Drive the lobsterbacks out. They have 
 no business here," shouted the angry 
 crowd. 
 
 69 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 All at once the bell in the brick meet- 
 inghouse close by began to ring. Citizens 
 rushed into the streets with their fire 
 buckets. 
 
 ''Fire! Fire! Where's the fire? ,Where 
 is it? " they cried. 
 
 a There is no fire," was the reply. '^ It's 
 a fight with the soldiers. Don't bring your 
 fire buckets; bring clubs." 
 
 To the young men this seemed a kind 
 of rough play. To the older and law-abid- 
 ing citizens it looked like trouble. 
 
 The British officer in command was Cap- 
 tain Preston, a prudent and kind-hearted 
 man. When matters grew worse, he hur- 
 ried up the street with a file of soldiers. 
 
 A hundred or more angry men and half- 
 grown boys met them. 
 
 '' Fire, you lobsterbacks," they yelled 
 to the soldiers. " Fire if you dare." 
 
 '' Go home, boys," shouted Captain 
 Preston, '' lest there be some murder 
 done." 
 
 70 
 
A CIRCLE OF STONES IN THE PAVEMENT 
 
 " Fire, fire, you cowards, '' again shouted 
 the crowd. '' You don't dare to fire." 
 
 All of a sudden the soldiers fired. They 
 were probably ordered to do so by Cap- 
 tain Preston. Nobody can say who gave 
 the order. Five persons were killed, and 
 several wounded. 
 
 It was a wild night in Boston. Drums 
 beat the long roll. The shouts of angry 
 citizens were heard all over the town. The 
 streets grew quiet after midnight, when 
 news was brought that Captain Preston 
 and his men had been put under arrest. 
 
 There was great excitement the next 
 dav. The streets near the Old South Meet- 
 inghouse were crowded. The patriots held 
 a meeting. A committee of seven men^ 
 headed by Samuel Adams, was sent to wait 
 on the royal governor, at the Old State 
 House. They demanded that the British 
 soldiers be removed from town. 
 
 '^ I will send one regiment away, but not 
 both," replied the Governor. 
 
 71 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 With slow steps the committee walked 
 back to the Old South Meetinghouse. 
 
 ^' Both regiments or none/' shouted 
 three thousand patriots, when the question 
 was put to vote. 
 
 'Again the seven men went to the Old 
 State House. This time the committee 
 was not to be trifled with. 
 
 Samuel Adams, the sturdy patriot, with 
 powdered wig and his usual suit of reddish 
 brown, stretched out his long right arm, 
 and pointing his finger at the royal gov- 
 ernor, said sharply, '' If you have power to 
 send away one regiment, you have power 
 to remove both. Three thousand free men 
 demand it. They must be obeyed. Fail 
 then, sir, at jouv peril." 
 
 ^^ I saw his knees tremble," said the old 
 hero in after years, '' I saw his face grow 
 pale, and I enjoyed the sight." 
 
 Before sunset the order was given to 
 send both regiments to Castle William, in 
 Boston Harbor. 
 
 72 
 
A CIRCLE OF STONES IN THE PAVEMENT 
 
 Such is the story of the Boston Massacre, 
 as it is called. 
 
 '' On that night," said John Adams, 
 *' the foundation of American independence 
 was laid." 
 
 Wise men saw that the time was com- 
 ing when they must take up arms against 
 the mother country, which they loved so 
 well. 
 
 73 
 
xn 
 
 POLLY DAGGETT SAVES THE FLAGPOLE 
 
 OFF the southeast coast of Massa- 
 chusetts there is an island called 
 Martha's Vineyard. On the island 
 is the little village of Vineyard Haven, a 
 snug and safe harbor well known to every 
 sailor on that coast. 
 
 During our war for freedom from Eng- 
 land the people on the island were sturdy 
 patriots. Shortly after the battle of Lex- 
 ington the leading men of the village sent 
 to Maine and bought a big pine tree for 
 a flagpole. 
 
 They raised the pole on a little hill just 
 outside of the village. 
 
 There was a lively time in the little sea- 
 port town when the flag was first unfurled. 
 A few old soldiers marched to the hill. 
 
 74 
 
POLLY DAGGETT SAVES THE FLAGPOLE 
 
 The young men with their fife and drum 
 played the stirring and patriotic tune of 
 the day, *^ The White Cockade and the 
 Peacock's Feather." Children were in the 
 procession, too, dressed in their Sunday 
 clothes, with their hands full of flowers. 
 
 The flagpole had been there only a few 
 weeks when the British frigate Vixen came 
 sailing into the harbor. She had lost a 
 mast in a storm, and came into Vineyard 
 Haven in search of a new one. The first 
 officer, Lieutenant Dix, landed with a boat 
 full of men. 
 
 " We are bound for Charleston," said 
 the lieutenant, " and we need that flagpole 
 for a mast. We can pay you well for it. 
 If you will not sell it, we shall have to 
 take it by force." 
 
 What could the people do? 
 
 Only a few old men and sailors were 
 left in the village. Most of the young men 
 were at Boston, in Washington's army. 
 Besides, the officer would pay a goodly 
 
 75 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 price in gold. So it was voted to sell the 
 flagpole. 
 
 '' Very well," said Lieutenant Dix, 
 *^ here is your money. My ship carpenters 
 will come ashore in the morning." 
 
 When Grandfather Daggett came home 
 to dinner that day and told the family 
 what had happened, the women were 
 greatly excited about it. Polly Daggett, 
 the granddaughter, a sturdy young patriot 
 of sixteen, was very angry. 
 
 ** That British officer shall never have 
 our flagpole if I can help it," she cried, and 
 her black eyes flashed. 
 
 Now Polly Daggett was a smart girl. 
 She ran across the beach to have a talk 
 with her two chums, Bessie Mckerson and 
 Nancy Freeman. That afternoon the three 
 girls had a secret meeting in an old whale- 
 boat by the wharf. 
 
 ^' There is a big auger in grandpa's boat- 
 house," said Polly, '* but what shall we do 
 for powder? " 
 
 76 
 
POLLY DAGGETT SAVES THE FLAGPOLE 
 
 '' Father has his big powderhorn full 
 of powder in the closet near the fireplace," 
 replied Bessie Mckerson; '' I can easily 
 get it." 
 
 " Now, Nancy," said Polly, '' see if you 
 cannot find some wadding and some candle 
 wicks for a fuse." 
 
 " All right, Polly; mother made candles 
 last week, and there are a few wicks left. 
 I will bring them." 
 
 Shortly after dark the three girls might 
 have been seen taking a short cut through 
 the fields and across the sand dunes to 
 the hilltop. 
 
 Polly was a strong girl and knew how to 
 use the auger. She bored three holes into 
 the soft pine pole. Then with a pewter 
 spoon she filled each hole with powder, 
 put in the wicks for a fuse, and with a 
 piece of a broomstick rammed down the 
 wadding. At last all was ready. 
 
 Halfway down the hiU lived an old lady, 
 Aunt Deborah Baker. Polly and Aunt 
 
 77 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 Deborah were good friends, and the girls 
 had told her their secret. 
 
 Polly now ran down the hill to Aunt 
 Deborah ^s cottage, and came back with a 
 little iron kettle full of live coals. She 
 quickly lighted the wicks, and cried to 
 her companions, " Now, then, girls, run for 
 Aunt Deborah's as fast as you can." 
 
 She seized her iron kettle, and all three 
 girls took to their heels. A moment later, 
 out of breath and much excited, they were 
 seated before the great fireplace in Aunt 
 Deborah's kitchen. 
 
 They had not long to wait. 
 
 '' Bang! Bang! Bang! " went the three 
 blasts. 
 
 The people afterwards said that every 
 house in the village seemed to shake. At 
 all events, the explosion splintered the flag- 
 pole and ruined it. 
 
 The British came the next day for the 
 new mast. The captain of the warship 
 was angry to find the flagpole in splinters. 
 
 78 
 
POLLY DAGGETT SAVES THE FLAGPOLE 
 
 Lieutenant Dix came ashore. 
 
 The town fathers told him that some of 
 the bad boys in the village must have de- 
 stroyed the pole. Of course they tried to 
 find out who had played such a trick, but 
 they could not learn anything about it. 
 Aunt Deborah said nothing, but quietly 
 smiled. 
 
 The British frigate sailed for New York. 
 
 The three girls kept their secret for 
 several years. Not until the war w^as over 
 did they tell the story of how they pre- 
 vented the British officers from using their 
 beloved flagpole for a mast. 
 
 In 1898 the Daughters of the American 
 Revolution put up a liberty pole on the 
 same spot where the old pole stood so 
 many years before. A bronze tablet tells 
 the story of Polly Daggett's bold deed, 
 and how she did her best to serve her 
 country in the trying days of the Revolu- 
 tion. 
 
 79 
 
xin 
 
 PEGGY WHITE CALLS ON LORD CORNWALLIS 
 
 DUEINGr our war for freedom the 
 British captured a thousand of 
 our men at the battle of Camden, 
 in South Carolina. Among the prisoners 
 was a young captain named Joshua White. 
 The news made Captain White's family 
 very unhappy. There were five children, 
 and the mother was sick in bed. 
 
 Peggy, the oldest child, was fifteen. She 
 was a fearless little patriot. She dearly 
 loved her father. She liked to hear of his 
 brave fighting under the gallant General 
 Sumter. 
 
 Now all Avas changed. Some friend 
 brought word that her father was starving 
 
 80 
 
PEGGY WHITE CALLS ON LORD CORNWALLIS 
 
 in the prison at Camden. The young girl 
 was greatly excited. 
 
 '' Father is not going to starve, if I can 
 help it,'' she declared, in her girlish wrath. 
 '^ I am going to ride over to Camden and 
 see about it." 
 
 '' No, no, Peggy," replied her mother; 
 *^ it is thirty-five miles, and the roads are 
 full of British soldiers. I cannot let you 
 go." 
 
 '' But, mother," said Peggy, " father 
 must not go hungry. I will go straight to 
 Lord Cornwallis. I know he will let me 
 carry food to father." 
 
 '' No, dear child, you would never get a 
 chance to speak to so great a man as Lord 
 Cornwallis. He would never bother to see 
 a young girl like you. Let us wait awhile. 
 Your father may escape. I am sure he 
 would never want you to risk your life in 
 this way." 
 
 '' Well, mother, I'll tell you what I am 
 going to do. I will ride on Kitty, my sad- 
 
 81 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 die horse, and take old Pompey with me. 
 He can ride on one of the work horses, 
 and carry a basket of food." 
 
 At last her mother consented. 
 
 Before sunrise the next day Peggy and 
 Pompey, an old negro servant, started off 
 on their ride to the camp of Lord Corn- 
 wallis. By taking short cuts through the 
 woods, and hiding when straggling soldiers 
 passed by, they traveled safely all day. 
 
 Late in the afternoon they came in sight 
 of the British general's headquarters. 
 
 '' Please, sir, I wish to speak to General 
 CornwalUs," Peggy said to the guard. 
 
 '^ No," said the sentinel; '' you cannot 
 see him. This is no place for you. His 
 lordship is too busy to talk with you. So 
 run along home. And as for you, you old 
 darkey, be off right quickly, or you'll be 
 put in the guardhouse." 
 
 Peggy was not a bit afraid of the tall 
 sentinel. 
 
 " But, sir," she said, '^1 have come on 
 82 
 
^ *JS 
 
 .*►, 
 
 PLEASE, SIR, I WISH TO SPExVK'tO GENERAL CORNWALLIS,' 
 PEGGY SAID TO THE GUARD. Page 82. 
 
PEGGY WHITE CALLS ON LORD CORNWALLIS 
 
 horseback a long way to see the general. 
 I must see Mm for a moment. Please let 
 me pass.'' 
 
 The guard lost his temper, and spoke 
 harshly to her. 
 
 Lord Cornwallis was sitting in his room 
 making plans for the war. The loud talk- 
 ing of the sentinel at the porch disturbed 
 him. 
 
 '' Go and find out what that talk is 
 about/' he said to one of his officers; ^^ I 
 wdsh to be quiet." 
 
 " Your lordship," said the officer, on his 
 return, ^Mt is a young girl with an old 
 negro servant, and she says she must 
 speak to you." 
 
 " Let the young miss come in." 
 
 No doubt Peggy's courage failed her, 
 and she blushed and began to stammer 
 when she took her first look at the famous 
 man. How fine he must have seemed in 
 his scarlet uniform with its lace and gold 
 buttons ! 
 
 83 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 But the general treated Ms guest with 
 great kindness. 
 
 ^' Don't be afraid, little miss; there is 
 nobody to do you any harm. I have a 
 little girl of my own in England. What 
 can I do for you? " 
 
 ^' Oh, sir, my poor father is in prison, 
 at Camden, and is awfully hungry. I have 
 brought some goodies for him in this 
 basket. Please may I carry it to him? " 
 
 In a few minutes Peggy had told Lord 
 Cornwallis the whole story of her long ride, 
 of her father at Camden, of her sick 
 mother, and of the four little children at 
 home. 
 
 The British general listened to her sim- 
 ple but pathetic words. His heart was 
 touched. 
 
 He patted her on the head, and taking 
 her by the hand, said, '' Dear little girl, 
 you may carry the food to your father this 
 evening, and to-morrow he may go home 
 with you." 
 
 84 
 
PEGGY WHITE CALLS ON LORD CORNWALLIS 
 
 We do not know how Peggy was able 
 to thank Lord Cornwallis for his kindness. 
 
 Of course there was a joyful time at 
 the plantation when Peggy, father, and old 
 Pompey came home. 
 
 Captain ^Hiite was so proud of his 
 brave little daughter that he had a pair of 
 gold earrings made for her by the village 
 locksmith. 
 
 Peggy lived many years. In her old 
 age nothing pleased her more than to show 
 her homemade earrings to her grandchil- 
 dren, and tell them of her long ride and 
 of her call on Lord Cornwallis. 
 
 85 
 
XIV 
 
 BEXJAMIX FRAXKLIN 
 
 THE famous Benjamin Franklin was 
 bom in Boston, in 1706. His 
 father and mother were jDOor, but 
 brought up a family of thirteen children and 
 seven grandchildren. His father earned a 
 living by making soap and candles. 
 
 In those early days even little children 
 helped to support the family. So when 
 young Ben was ten years old, he was taken 
 from school to work in his father's shop. 
 He cut the wicks for candles, and filled 
 the molds with hot tallow. Sometimes he 
 tended the shop, or ran errands. 
 
 Like many other boys, he wanted to be 
 a sailor. He lived near the water, and was 
 fond of swinuning and of managing boats. 
 
 86 
 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 
 
 " You would never do for a sailor, my 
 son," said liis father; " liow should you 
 like to be a printer? " 
 
 The boy was pleased, and in due time 
 began to learn the printer's trade in the 
 oiSce of his brother James. 
 
 For a time young Ben was happy. His 
 spare moments he devoted to reading. 
 What few pennies he had, he spent for use- 
 ful books. 
 
 ^^ If you will give me half of what it 
 costs to board me, I will board myself,'' 
 he said to his brother. 
 
 James was only too glad to do this. 
 
 Thus the young printer saved money and 
 bought books. 
 
 He ate his dinner at the shop. This meal 
 was often nothing more than a biscuit or 
 a slice of bread, a handful of raisins or a 
 tart, and a glass of water. The rest of 
 the noon hour, until the workmen came 
 back, he had for study. 
 
 Brother James printed a little news- 
 87 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 paper called the New England Courant. 
 This was the fourth newspaper ever 
 printed in this country. 
 
 The young brother began to write some 
 pieces for it. For fear that his brother 
 would find out who wrote them, he used 
 to slip them at night under the door of 
 the office. Sometimes he wrote little bal- 
 lads on topics of the day, and sold them 
 about the streets of Boston. 
 
 Now Ben and his brother did not get 
 along very well together. Ben was some- 
 times saucy. But James had a bad temper, 
 and often abused him when he did not 
 deserve it. 
 
 When only seventeen years old, the 
 yoimg printer made up his mind to run 
 away. He sold some of his books to raise 
 a little money, packed up a few clothes, 
 and sailed for New York. 
 
 Three days afterwards he landed, but 
 could find no work. He then set out for 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 88 
 
BENJAMIN FRANKLTX 
 
 He made the trip partly by boat and 
 partly on foot. After a good many mis- 
 haps and hardships he reached the city, 
 on a Sunday morning in October, with no 
 money but one silver dollar and a shilling 
 in coppers. He wore knee breeches of 
 buckskin, and a huge coat, the pockets of 
 which were '' stuffed out with shirts and 
 spare stockings." 
 
 He was so hungry that he hurried to the 
 nearest bakeshop and bought '' three great 
 puffy rolls of bread." Carrying a roll 
 under each arm, and eating the third, he 
 took his way down the street. 
 
 A young Quaker girl, named Deborah 
 Read, happened to see him as he passed 
 by her father's house. She laughed aloud 
 at his queer figure. 
 
 Franklin continued to eat the roll, and 
 walked to the river for a drink of water. 
 On his way back he followed some Quakers 
 into one of their meetings. He was so 
 tired that he fell asleep. He slept till the 
 
 89 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 meeting broke up, when somebody was 
 kind enough to wake him. 
 
 In a few days Franklin was busy at his 
 trade. Unlike many other young fellows 
 of his time, he was never idle. He spent 
 his spare moments in study and reading. 
 He made friends everywhere. In 1729, 
 when he was twenty-three years old, he 
 began to publish a newspaper of his own, 
 called the Pennsylvania Gazette, It soon 
 became one of the best papers in the 
 country. 
 
 In 1730 Franklin married Deborah Head, 
 the young woman who had laughed at him 
 on the morning that he arrived in Phila- 
 delphia. 
 
 In the story of his own life Franklin 
 writes of his thrifty young wife : 
 
 '* We have an English proverb that says, 
 ' He that would thrive, must ask his wife.' 
 It was lucky for me that I had one as 
 much disposed to industry and frugality 
 as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in 
 
 90 
 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 
 
 my business, folding and stitching pam- 
 phlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen 
 rags for the paper makers, etc., etc. We 
 kept no idle servants, our table was plain 
 and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. 
 For instance, my breakfast was a long time 
 bread and milk (no tea), and I ate it out 
 of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a 
 pewter spoon. But mark how luxury will 
 enter families, and make a progress, in 
 spite of principle: being called one morn- 
 ing to breakfast, I found it in a china 
 bowl, with a spoon of silver! They had 
 been bought for me without my knowledge 
 by my wife, and had cost her the enormous 
 sum of three-and-twenty shillings, for 
 which she had no other excuse or apology 
 to make, but that she thought her husband 
 deserved a silver spoon and china bowl 
 as well as any of his neighbors." 
 
 Benjamin Franklin lived to a good old 
 age, and served his country in many ways, 
 both at home and abroad. From poverty, 
 
 91 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 ignorance, and obscurity, he arose to 
 wealth, learning, and renown. As printer, 
 journalist, statesman, diplomat, scientist, 
 and philosopher, he was one of the most 
 famous men of his time. But whatever he 
 did, he tried to do for the welfare and 
 happiness of his fellow men. 
 
 92 
 
XV 
 
 "POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC" 
 
 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN was first 
 made famous by his '^ Poor Rich- 
 ard's Almanac." In those early 
 days the annual ahnanac was to be found 
 in almost every household. It generally 
 hung near the fireplace, within easy reach 
 of any member of the family who was able 
 to read. 
 
 The almanac told about the weather, the 
 crops, and the domestic animals. It gave 
 household recipes, important dates and 
 events, and similar things. 
 
 Money was scarce, but the people felt 
 that they must have an almanac. Thrifty 
 housekeepers used to exchange home-knit 
 articles, such as mittens and stockings, for 
 the much-needed book. Sometimes, they 
 
 93 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 say, even the copper teakettle was given 
 for it. 
 
 Franklin published the first number of 
 '^ Poor Eichard's Almanac " in 1732, the 
 year that Washington was born. It was 
 a great success. Besides useful informa- 
 tion, it contained proverbs, maxims, and 
 other common-sense advice. 
 
 Poor Richard's sayings soon became 
 household words throughout the land. 
 They are so common in our own everyday 
 speech that most of us have forgotten who 
 made them. 
 
 In the story of his own life Franklin 
 teUs us how he tried to make his almanac 
 benefit and educate the people: 
 
 ^* Observing that the almanac was gen- 
 erally read, scarcely any neighborhood in 
 the province being without it, I considered 
 it as a proper vehicle for conveying in- 
 struction among the common people, v/ho 
 bought scarcely any other books; I there- 
 fore filled all the little spaces that occurred 
 
 94 
 
"POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC* 
 
 between the remarkable days in the calen- 
 dar with proverbial sentences, chiefly such 
 as inculcated industry and frugality, as a 
 means of procuring wealth, and thereby 
 securing virtue; it being more difficult for 
 a man in want, to act always honestly, as, 
 to use here one of those proverbs, * It is 
 hard for an empty sack to stand upright.' '' 
 
 Frankhn was too honest to claim that 
 he made up all the maxims in Poor Rich- 
 ard. ^' Not a tenth part of the wisdom," 
 he once said, '^ was my own, but rather the 
 gleanings I had made of the sense of all 
 ages and nations." With his own quaint 
 humor, sparkling wit, w^orldly wisdom, and 
 sound common sense, he wrote these say- 
 ings in such a way that they could be 
 understood by everybody. Poor Richard's 
 sayings have been translated into many 
 languages. It is said that perhaps more 
 people have read them than any other 
 book in the world except the Bible. 
 
 We will close our story with some of 
 95 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 these famous proverbs. Let us think them 
 over and commit them to memory. If we 
 do so, and abide by their teaching, they 
 will help us to live happier and more use- 
 ful lives. 
 
 POOR EICHAED'S SAYINGS 
 
 A small leak will sink a great ship. 
 
 The second vice is lying, the first is run- 
 ning in debt. 
 
 One to-day is worth two to-morrows. 
 
 iWant of care does more damage than want 
 of knowledge. 
 
 He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing. 
 
 Constant dropping wears away stones. 
 
 Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, 
 
 And you shall have corn to sell and to keep. 
 
 God helps them that help themselves. 
 
 Sloth makes all things difficult, but indus- 
 try all easy. 
 
 Lost time is never found again. 
 
 Eather go to bed supperless than rise in 
 debt. 
 
 96 
 
"POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC* 
 
 He that by the plough would thrive, 
 
 Himself must either hold or drive. 
 
 A word to the wise is enough, and many 
 
 words won't fill a bushel. 
 Early to bed, and early to rise, 
 Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. 
 The sleeping fox catches no poultry. 
 Laziness travels so slowly, that poverty 
 
 soon overtakes him. 
 If you would have your business done, go; 
 
 if not, send. 
 For age and want, save while you may; 
 No morning sun lasts a whole day. 
 
 97 
 
XYl 
 
 239 ARCH STREET 
 
 SOME day you may visit the city of 
 Philadelphia. When you go there, 
 you will wish to see the little brick 
 house at 239 Arch Street. This house was 
 built before Washington was born. It is 
 said that the bricks were brought from 
 England in one of William Penn's ships, 
 more than two hundred years ago. 
 
 You will be interested to see the wide 
 doors, the small panes of glass in the win- 
 dows, and the quaint pictures on the tiles 
 at the fireplace. 
 
 But this house has a story more inter- 
 esting than its odd looks. That is why 
 hundreds of visitors every year from all 
 
 98 
 
239 ARCH STREET 
 
 over our loved land go to tliis spot when 
 they pass through the good old Quaker 
 city. 
 
 Our story begins on a warm, sunn}^ 
 morning in June, in the year 1777. In the 
 little brick house at 239 Arch Street lived 
 a young Quaker woman named Betsy Ross. 
 
 On this bright June morning every nook 
 and corner about the place was as neat 
 and clean as the tidy yomig housekeeper 
 could make it. General Washington had 
 sent word to her that he was coming to 
 call, to see about the making of a flag. 
 On July 4, 1776, the American colonies 
 had declared their freedom, in the great 
 Declaration of Independence. It was now 
 time that this new nation had a flag of its 
 own. 
 
 The clock in a neighboring church had 
 just struck twelve, when the dignified 
 commander in chief of the army and the 
 famous banker, Robert Morris, were in- 
 vited into Betsy Ross's tiny back parlor. 
 
 99 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 Soon the stiff, formal greetings between 
 the great men and their timid hostess were 
 over. Washington then took from his 
 pocket a sketch of a flag. 
 
 ^^ We are told, madam," he said, " that 
 you do the finest needlework in the city. 
 Here is a rough drawing of a flag. It has 
 thirteen stripes, seven red and six white, 
 with a circle of thirteen white stars in a 
 blue field. Do you think you can make 
 the flag we need? " 
 
 ^' I am not sure. General Washington, 
 but I will do my best to please you." 
 
 " I must ask you, madam," continued 
 Washington, '^ to make the stars as I have 
 drawn them." 
 
 ** But, General Washington, the stars in 
 the sky seem to have five points, and 
 yours have six. Permit me, sir, to show 
 you what I mean." 
 
 With a single clip of her scissors she cut 
 out a perfect five-pointed star. 
 
 ^' My good woman, I have no doubt you 
 100 
 
WITH A SINGLE C LIT oJ' IIKU SC ISSOKS SHE Cl'T Ol^T A 
 PERFECT FIVE POINTED STAR. Page 100. 
 
339 ARCH STREET 
 
 are right," said General Washington. 
 " You may make for us a sample flag as 
 I have directed, but let the stars have five 
 points." 
 
 With stately bows and formal words of 
 farewell the gentlemen now took their 
 leave. 
 
 Never did Betsy Ross do finer needle- 
 work, and her beautiful flag Avas accepted 
 for the nation. 
 
 Wlien Vermont and Kentucky came into 
 the Union, the stars and the stripes were 
 increased to fifteen. After a time other 
 new states were admitted, and new stars 
 and new stripes were going to be added to 
 the flag. 
 
 But the people did not like to have so 
 many changes made in the flag. 
 
 '^ This will never do," they said. '' There 
 are too many stars and stripes. It will 
 mar our flag." 
 
 So it was decided that after July 4, 1818, 
 there should be only thirteen stripes, for 
 
 101 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 the thirteen original states; but that when 
 a new state was admitted into the Union, 
 a new star should be added. 
 
 One by one new stars have taken their 
 place, until to-day there are forty-eight in 
 the field of blue. 
 
 102 
 
xvn 
 
 EMILY GEIGER'S DARING RIDE 
 
 DURING the first three years of the 
 War of the Revolution, South 
 Carolina was overrun by British 
 soldiers. The people had to endure many 
 perils and hardships. The British officers 
 took possession of the great plantations, 
 while their owners lived in the swamps and 
 elsewhere as best they could. 
 
 In the year 1781 the redcoats were 
 slowly being driven from their strongholds 
 in the South. One of the most important 
 of these places was the fort called Mnety- 
 six. Greneral Greene planned to capture 
 this, but was forced to retreat, with the 
 British in hot pursuit. 
 
 Soon afterwards the patriot scouts found 
 out that the British forces had divided. 
 General Greene now got ready to make 
 103 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 a quick attack. But lie must send word 
 to General Sumter, a hundred miles away, 
 to come and join liim. Som.ebody would 
 have to pass through the British lines to 
 reach Sumter's camp. The messenger 
 might be captured. There were deep 
 woods to go through, and swamps and 
 rivers to cross. The redcoats and Tories 
 were on guard at every turn of the road. 
 At best the trip would take two days and 
 a night of hard travel. 
 
 At this time there lived in this region 
 a brave young girl of eighteen named 
 Emily Geiger. Her father was a stanch 
 patriot, but was too old and feeble to 
 serve in the army. 
 
 As soon as Emily heard that a mes- 
 senger was needed, she did not say a word 
 about it to her people, but rode over to 
 General Greene's headquarters. 
 
 '' If you will trust me. General Greene, 
 I will carry your message to General Sum- 
 ter. I am not afraid of the redcoats or 
 
 104 
 
EMILY GEIGER'S DARING RIDE 
 
 the Tories. Tliey will not harm me. I 
 will go when you say the word." 
 
 ^' No/' said the general. '^ The trip is 
 too full of danger for a young girl like you. 
 You will surely come to some harm." 
 
 " Let me try," was her eager reply. 
 " My horse is the swiftest and strongest 
 in South Carolina." 
 
 Her faith in herself won his consent, and 
 he handed her his letter to General Sumter. 
 
 '^ Now, Emily, you are likely to be cap- 
 tured, and so you must commit my letter 
 to memory. If you are made prisoner, you 
 must destroy it, but be able to repeat it 
 word for w^ord to General Sumter." 
 
 Early on the next morning the girl 
 started on her long and perilous ride. She 
 rode swiftly all day. At midnight she 
 came to the edge of a dried-up swamp. 
 
 ^' Halt," came quick and sharp the chal- 
 lenge from a soldier as he raised his gun. 
 
 Two other soldiers were sitting on a log 
 with their muskets ready to fire. 
 
 105 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 '' You have no right to stop me,'^ she 
 cried; ^^ I must ride on." 
 
 *^ No, no. Perhaps you come from Gen- 
 eral Greene's army." 
 
 The scouts led her into a house close by 
 and locked her in a room. They then 
 went to find a Tory woman to search their 
 prisoner. 
 
 Emily was left alone for a few minutes. 
 She took the letter from her pocket, tore it 
 into bits, and swallowed the pieces. 
 
 Soon the redcoats came back with an old 
 woman, who began to search the girl. She 
 ripped open the linings of her clothing, 
 but found nothing. 
 
 The young girl's coolness and quiet good 
 nature misled them, and they allowed her 
 to ride on her way. 
 
 Late on the same day she was again held 
 up, this time by Tories. They took her to 
 an old farmhouse. 
 
 At midnight, when even the guards were 
 
 sound asleep, she climbed out of a window 
 
 106 
 
EMILY GEIGER'S DARING RIDE 
 
 and dropped to the ground. She found a 
 bridle and her own horse in the pasture. 
 Without a saddle she mounted and gal- 
 loped off in the darkness. 
 
 About daylight she made her way to 
 the house of a patriot friend. After a 
 good breakfast, a fresh horse was given 
 her. She was then told of a shorter and 
 safer road to Sumter's camp. 
 
 Later that day she met some patriot 
 scouts. 
 
 " Guide me at once to General Sumter," 
 she said; '' I have a message for him from 
 General Greene." 
 
 '' What can I do for you? " asked the 
 great Southern general, when the girl ap- 
 peared before him. 
 
 Emily was so weary that she could 
 hardly speak. At last she told her story, 
 and repeated what was written in the 
 letter. 
 
 In less than an hour Sumter's little army 
 was on the march. 
 
 107 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 As the story goes, General Greene gave 
 the fair girl a pair of gold earrings and 
 a brooch, which are still kept in the 
 family. 
 
 More than thirty years afterwards Gen- 
 eral Lafayette, the famous French soldier 
 who helped us in the Revolution, visited 
 this country. He met our heroine and 
 danced with her, at a grand ball at Colum- 
 bia, the capital of South Carolina. He also 
 gave her a beautiful silk shawl as a souve- 
 nir of her patriotism. 
 
 108 
 
XYin 
 
 LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS 
 
 WHEN our war for freedom began, 
 Kentucky was being settled by- 
 brave men and women who went 
 there to make homes for themselves. To 
 reach this distant land they could go down 
 the Ohio River, or follow the Wilderness 
 Road, a famous trail made by Daniel 
 Boone. 
 
 Families often banded together to take 
 up their march over the mountains and 
 into the deep forests. The larger boys 
 drove the cattle. The little children were 
 packed in cradles made of hickory limbs, 
 and slung across the backs of horses. The 
 women rode on horseback. Sometimes 
 they walked, with a baby in their arms. 
 
 109 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 The men, with their rifles at hand, drove 
 the pack train, or watched for the Indians. 
 
 At night a shelter of brush was made for 
 the women and children. The men rolled 
 themselves up in blankets and slept on the 
 open ground. 
 
 When the settlers reached Kentucky, 
 they had much to do. The ax and the 
 rifle were in constant use. Log cabins 
 must be built. The big trees must be cut 
 down, and the ground must be made ready 
 to plant corn. 
 
 Until the com was ripe, the men hunted, 
 and the families lived on the game, which 
 was plentiful. In the winter the wild meat 
 was often poor eating. Sometimes a fat 
 bear was discovered in a hollow tree, and 
 the people had a feast. If the corn failed, 
 the meat from the breast of wild turkeys 
 was eaten in the place of bread. 
 
 There is a little river in Kentucky called 
 
 Dreaming Creek. They say it was so 
 
 named because Daniel Boone once fell 
 
 110 
 
LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS 
 
 asleep on its bank, and dreamed that he 
 was stung by yellow hornets. Here in a 
 log cabin, amid the deep woods, lived a 
 family by the name of Kirby. In the 
 family w^ere father and mother and three 
 little children. 
 
 ISTow all the dangers of frontier life did 
 not come from the Indians. The woods 
 were full of wdld beasts. When pinched 
 by hunger, wolves, bears, and panthers 
 often lay in wait near the houses of 
 the settlers, to attack children and even 
 grown-up people. 
 
 One morning in early spring Mr. Kirby 
 took down his rifle and made ready to 
 go hunting. 
 
 '' Now^, Martha, don't let the children 
 go outside the cabin to-day. Bears are 
 ugly this time of the year, and there are 
 plenty of them round. Keep a sharp 
 lookout." 
 
 The day was warm and sunny. It 
 seemed as if the birds had never sung so 
 
 111 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 sweetly. Early wild flowers were in bloom 
 on the edge of the forest. 
 
 Before Mrs. Kirby knew it, all three 
 children had slipped from the cabin and 
 were out of sight in the w^oods. 
 
 '' Dear me, if those children haven't 
 scampered off somewhere. I'll go and look 
 for them this very minute." 
 
 Just as she said this, there came a cry 
 from the little boy. 
 
 ^' Oh, mother! Mother! Come quick, 
 there's a bear after Hattie." 
 
 Mrs. Kirby ran to the door, nearly 
 fainting with fear. All three children were 
 screaming and running toward the cabin. 
 Close behind them came a big bear. 
 
 Like all frontier women of that time, 
 Mrs. Kirby knew how to use a gun. She 
 seized a big pistol from its place over the 
 stone fireplace, and hurried out. She was 
 just in time. The bear was lame, but had 
 almost caught the youngest child. 
 
 With a snarl the beast turned and 
 112 
 
LIFE IN THE WILDERNESS 
 
 started toward Mrs. Kirby. She calmly 
 faced the animal, took good aim, and fired. 
 The lead slugs hit the bear in the head 
 and stunned him. The mother caught up 
 her child and ran for the cabin. In another 
 moment all were safe inside, and the stout 
 oak door was shut. 
 
 Mr. Kirby was not far away in the 
 woods when he heard the shot. 
 
 '^ "What can be the matter at home?" 
 he cried. 
 
 He hurried back, and was glad enough 
 to find that all were safe and well. 
 
 '' First of all," he said, '^ I must finish 
 Mr. Bruin." 
 
 A bullet from the big rifle put an end 
 to the bear. When they looked over the 
 body, they found that some hunter had 
 shot the animal on the foreleg. That was 
 why he could not run faster. 
 
 ^^ I think the bear w^as so lame," said 
 Mr. Kirby, '' that he had hard w^ork to 
 get enough to eat; perhaps that is the rea- 
 
 113 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 son why he chased the children in broad 
 daylight. If he had not been lame, he 
 would probably have killed one or all of 
 them." 
 
 114 
 
XIX 
 
 "REMEMBER THE ALAMO" 
 
 "Be sure you are right, then go ahead." 
 
 David Crockett. 
 
 TEXAS was once a part of Mexico. 
 The country was tliinly settled. 
 The Mexicans welcomed people 
 from the United States, and gave them 
 large tracts of land. After a while about 
 twenty thousand of our people were living 
 there. The Mexicans became jealous, and 
 said that no others should be admitted. 
 
 The people of Texas did not like to be 
 ruled by Mexico. In the year 1833 they 
 asked to have their freedom. The Mexi- 
 cans refused, and sent soldiers to guard 
 the country. But in March, 1836, the peo- 
 ple declared themselves free, and drove 
 the soldiers out. 
 A cruel soldier by tKe name of Santa 
 115 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 Anna was now the jDresident of Mexico. 
 He got together a large army and marched 
 into Texas. 
 
 Hundreds of backwoodsmen and Indian 
 fighters from the South and West rushed 
 to help the Texans in their fight for lib- 
 erty. 
 
 It w^as not long before Santa Anna at- 
 tacked the town of San Antonio. 
 
 Inside the town was a Spanish mission, 
 called the Alamo. Like other Spanish 
 missions in the region, the Alamo was a 
 kind of rude fortress. Within its great 
 walls were a stone church, a convent, and 
 other small buildings. The walls of the 
 church were five feet thick and twenty- 
 two feet high. The building w^as about a 
 hundred years old. It w^as without a roof, 
 and almost in ruins. Small cannon were 
 mounted on the walls. 
 
 When the Mexican army arrived, the 
 
 little garrison of San Antonio had time to 
 
 retreat to the Alamo. 
 
 116 
 
"REMEMBER THE ALAMO" 
 
 Santa Anna sent word to the rebels to 
 surrender. 
 
 Colonel Travis was in command. He 
 was a young lawyer from North Carolina, 
 a tall, red-headed fighter, just twenty-eight 
 years old. 
 
 *' I shall never surrender or retreat," 
 was his reply to Santa Anna. 
 
 Second in command was Colonel Bowie, 
 inventor of the famous bowie knife. At 
 this time he was sick in bed, but, as it 
 proved, not too ill to fight. 
 
 In the nick of time in tramped the heroic 
 David Crockett with '' Betsy," his famous 
 long rifle. With him came twelve riflemen 
 from the wilds of Tennessee. They were 
 all armed with long rifles and bowie knives, 
 and dressed in buckskin suits and coon- 
 skin ca|)s. 
 
 One dark night thirty-two riflemen on 
 
 horseback from a garrison close by cut 
 
 their way to the Alamo. 
 
 Three Tiundred men from a garrison two 
 117 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 hundred miles awaj^ started for the Alamo, 
 but were forced to turn back. Their 
 leader, a schoolboy friend of Colonel 
 Travis, made his way alone through the 
 Mexican lines at midnight and reached the 
 stone church. 
 
 Santa Anna at first made little headway. 
 The men in the Alamo kept up a brisk fire 
 with their rifles and cannon. But they 
 were fighting against fearful odds, one 
 hundred and sixty-six against five thou- 
 sand well-trained Mexican soldiers. 
 
 Travis wrote his last letter. '^ I shall 
 hold the place," he said, '' until I get re- 
 lief for my people, or I shall perish in the 
 attempt." 
 
 On one of the last days of the siege he 
 
 called his men together and made a short 
 
 speech: ^^ There is no hope of help. Death 
 
 stares us in the face. There is nothing to 
 
 do but to sell our lives as dearly as we can. 
 
 Whoever is willing to die like a man, let 
 
 him cross this line." 
 
 118 
 
"REMEMBER THE ALAMO" 
 
 Calmly and silently every man stepped 
 across the line and stood beside the leader. 
 Colonel Bowie had himself lifted across in 
 his bed. 
 
 " We will stay and die with you," cried 
 the men, as they went to their places on 
 the outer wall. 
 
 The siege lasted eleven days. The rifle- 
 men in the Alamo put up a desperate fight. 
 The Mexicans had heavy cannon with 
 which they kept up a furious bombard- 
 ment. 
 
 The riflemen crept up after dark and 
 picked off the men at the cannon. As the 
 story is told, David Crockett with his 
 famous gun killed five men at one cannon. 
 
 Little by little the walls of the old stone 
 church were riddled with cannon balls. 
 No doubt the Texans could have cut their 
 way out at night, but nobody dared even 
 to hint at such a thing. 
 
 Sunday morning, the sixth of May, 1836, 
 was the time chosen by Santa Anna to 
 
 119 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 storm the church. The Mexican bugles 
 sounded at sunrise. 
 
 With ladders, axes, and crowbars, 
 twenty -five himdred Mexicans charged 
 against the outer walls of the mission. 
 They were met with a deadly fire of shot 
 and shell. Not until their third trial were 
 they able to climb over the walls. 
 
 The Texans now retreated to the convent 
 and the shattered walls of the church. 
 
 Here a terrible hand-to-hand fight took 
 place. The Mexicans used their muskets 
 and lances. The Americans fired their 
 long rifles and pistols, and made havoc 
 with their bowie knives. 
 
 One by one these heroic men fell fight- 
 ing to the last. 
 
 We are told that David Crockett was 
 the last to die. Using his gun as a club, 
 he stood at bay with his back to the wall 
 of the church. No Mexican dared to come 
 near him. At last he fell, weak from the 
 loss of blood from a dozen wounds. 
 
 120 
 
"REMEMBER THE ALAMO 
 
 Santa Anna did not Kve long to enjoy 
 Ms victory. Within a few weeks the gal- 
 lant General Sam Houston, at the head of 
 about seven hundred and fifty riflemen, 
 shouting their battle cry, ** Remember the 
 Alamo," routed the Mexican troops and 
 captured their leader. 
 
 Texas now became a free state. On 
 the porch of the Capitol, in Austin, was 
 built a monument out of stone from the 
 ruined church of the Alamo. Engraved 
 on the east side of the shaft were the 
 f ollow^ing words : 
 
 i' Thermopylae had her messengers of 
 death, but the Alamo had none." 
 
 121 
 
XX 
 
 LINCOLN'S ADDRESS AT GETTYSBURG 
 
 THE greatest event in the history 
 of our country was the War of 
 the Revolution. This was the 
 struggle in which the colonies won their 
 freedom from England. 
 
 The next greatest event was our Civil 
 War, between the North and the South. 
 
 The cause of the Civil War was slavery. 
 In the South the plantations were culti- 
 vated by Negro slaves. This had been 
 done for more than two hundred years. 
 
 The Southern people believed that the 
 Constitution of the United States gave the 
 right to have slavery in every part of our 
 land. The people of the North did not 
 agree with them. Thus a dispute arose 
 about the meaning of the Constitution. 
 In the year 1860 Abraham Lincoln was 
 122 
 
LINCOLN'S ADDRESS AT GETTYSBURG 
 
 elected President. Soon after his election 
 some of the Southern states separated from 
 the other states, and set up a government 
 of their own. 
 
 Many people in the North felt that they 
 had the right to do so. 
 
 Horace Greeley, editor of the New York 
 Tribune^ wrote, " If the cotton states shall 
 decide that they can do better out of the 
 Union than in it, we insist on letting them 
 go in peace." 
 
 Abraham Lincoln hated war, but he be- 
 lieved that it was his duty to preserve the 
 Union. When he made his first address 
 as President, he appealed to the South to 
 remain in the Union. 
 
 *^ We are not enemies," he said, ^^ but 
 friends. We must not be enemies. 
 Though passion may have strained, it must 
 not break our bonds of affection. The 
 mystic cords of memory, stretching from 
 every battle-field and patriot grave to every 
 living heart and hearthstone all over this 
 
 123 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 broad land, will yet swell the chorus of 
 the Union when again touched, as surely 
 they will be, by the better angels of our 
 nature.'' 
 
 But the appeal was in vain. On the 
 morning of the twelfth of April, 1861, the 
 Southerners fired on Fort Sumter, in the 
 harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. 
 Thus began a bitter and bloody war which 
 was to last for four years. 
 
 The greatest battle of the war was 
 fought at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on 
 Northern soil. This was in the summer 
 of 1863. The battle lasted three days, and 
 cost the lives of many thousands of men. 
 
 The first two days ended in favor of the 
 Southerners. But on the third day the tide 
 of battle turned. On this day took place 
 the most dramatic scene of the entire war. 
 The gallant General Pickett, of the South- 
 ern army, led the famous charge up Ceme- 
 tery Eidge, to dislodge the Northern 
 troops, but was defeated with heavy losses. 
 
 124 
 
LINCOLN'S ADDRESS AT GETTYSBURG 
 
 The battle of Gettysburg was the turn- 
 ing point of the war. 
 
 In November of this year, before a large 
 gathering of people, a part of the battle- 
 field at Gettysburg was dedicated as a 
 National Cemetery. The speaker of the 
 day was Edward Everett. His oration was 
 received with great applause. 
 
 President Lincoln then arose to say a 
 few words. He touched the hearts of his 
 hearers so deeply that they sat in silence 
 after he had finished. He thought that 
 his speech was a failure, but afterwards 
 learned what a deep impression it had 
 made. 
 
 Lincoln's address at Gettysburg is one of 
 the masterpieces of the English language. 
 You should learn it by heart. 
 
 THE ADDRESS AT GETTYSBURG 
 
 Four score and seven years ago our 
 fathers brought forth on this continent, a 
 
 125 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedi- 
 cated to the proposition that all men are 
 created equal. 
 
 Now we are engaged in a great civil 
 war; testing whether that nation, or any 
 nation so conceived and so dedicated, can 
 long endure. We are met on a great bat- 
 tle-field of that war. We have come to 
 dedicate a portion of that field, as a final 
 resting place for those w^ho here gave their 
 lives that that nation might live. It is 
 altogether fitting and proper that we 
 should do this. 
 
 But, in a larger sense, we can not dedi- 
 cate — we can not consecrate — we can not 
 hallow — this ground. The brave men, 
 living and dead, who struggled here have 
 consecrated it, far above our poor power 
 to add or detract. The world will little 
 note, nor long remember what we say 
 here, but it can never forget what they did 
 here. It is for us the living, rather, to be 
 dedicated here to the unfinished work 
 
 126 
 
LINCOLN'S ADDRESS AT GETTYSBURG 
 
 which they who fought here have thus far 
 so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to 
 be here dedicated to the great task remain- 
 ing before us — that from these honored 
 dead we take increased devotion to that 
 cause for which they gave the last full 
 measure of devotion — that we here highly 
 resolve that these dead shall not have died 
 in vain — that this nation, under God, 
 shall have a new birth of freedom — and 
 that government of the people, by the peo- 
 ple, for the people, shall not perish from 
 the earth. 
 
 127 
 
XXI 
 
 "THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY** 
 
 " To look up and not down, 
 To look forward and not back. 
 To look out and not in, and 
 To lend a hand." 
 
 Edward Everett Hale. 
 
 HEMMED in by the narrow and 
 busy streets of Boston lies the 
 quiet Public Garden, the most 
 beautiful spot in this old city. Here peo- 
 ple pass and repass daily to and from their 
 work, or come to enjoy the flowers and 
 the shade of the trees. 
 
 Just inside one of the gateways is the 
 large bronze figure of a venerable man with 
 flowing hair and gentle face. He carries 
 his hat and walking stick. Perhaps he is 
 going to his church, not far away. 
 
 128 
 
"THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY" 
 
 This is the clergyman Edward Everett 
 Hale. Nobody in New England was better 
 known or loved than this earnest man, 
 who did so much for his city and his coun- 
 try. His statue was put in this public 
 place to keep us in mind of his goodness. 
 
 Now^ Edw^ard Everett Hale was no less 
 patriotic than he was good and kind. Dur- 
 ing the Civil War he wrote a story to 
 awaken love for our native land. The 
 name of the story is " The Man Without 
 a Country." The story is not true, but it 
 teaches us how unhappy we should be if 
 we cared more for ourselves than for our 
 native land. 
 
 Some day you will enjoy reading the 
 story in Doctor Hale's own words. It will 
 make you more loyal to your country and 
 your flag. 
 
 The hero of the story is Philip Nolan, 
 who is said to be a young officer in the 
 army. 
 
 In the year 1805 Nolan joined in a plot 
 129 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 to overthrow the government of the United 
 States. He was tried before a court of 
 military officers, and found guilty. 
 
 When he was asked if he had anything 
 to say for himself, he cursed his country, 
 and wished he might never hear her name 
 again. 
 
 Of course the gray-headed officers were 
 terribly shocked, especially old Colonel 
 Morgan, who conducted the trial. 
 
 Colonel Morgan now called the officers 
 into his private room. In fifteen minutes 
 he returned with a face as white as a sheet. 
 
 "Prisoner," he said in a very solemn 
 voice, " hear the sentence of the court. 
 The court decides that your wish is to be 
 fulfilled, and that you are never to hear 
 the name of the United States again." 
 
 ISTolan laughed. But nobody else laughed. 
 Old Colonel Morgan was too solemn, and 
 for a minute the whole room was hushed 
 dead as night. 
 
 It was decided that Nolan should spend 
 130 
 
" THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY " 
 
 his life at sea, on some one of the war- 
 ships of the country. He was to be treated 
 as an officer of his rank in the regular 
 army. He was never to hear the name of 
 his native land spoken. He was never to 
 see or read a book or newspaper that 
 printed a word of her history. He was 
 never to speak or listen to a word from 
 anybody who might give him a bit of news 
 from home. 
 
 If the ship on which he was sailing lay 
 for months in some foreign port, he was 
 almost never allowed to go on shore. He 
 could read the foreign papers that came 
 on board, b,ut every stray bit of new^s or 
 even an advertisement that spoke of the 
 United States must first be cut out. 
 
 Every detail of his punishment was car- 
 ried out with the rigid discipline of the 
 navy. He was invited in turn to dine 
 with the officers ; but no mess cared to have 
 him often, for it prevented all talk about 
 the news from home. 
 
 131 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 The sailors called him Plain-Buttons. 
 He received this name because the buttons 
 on his uniform did not bear the initials 
 of the United States. 
 
 Nolan lived a very busy life. He read 
 five hours every day. He was a student 
 of natural history. The sailors were eager 
 to bring him specimens of queer living 
 things. His notebooks were filled with 
 beautiful drawings of birds and animals. 
 
 He always kept up his exercise, and was 
 never known to be ill. If any other man 
 was sick, he was the kindest nurse in the 
 world; and he knev/ more than half the 
 surgeons did. If anybody died on ship- 
 board, he was always ready to read 
 prayers. It is said that he read beauti- 
 fully. 
 
 At last, an old man of over eighty years, 
 Philip Nolan came to his deathbed. For 
 fifty-six years he had been sailing all over 
 the world, and had never heard a word 
 about his native land. 
 
 132 
 
"THE MAK WITHOUT A COUNTRY" 
 
 Through all these years the poor fellow 
 bore his punishment without complaint. 
 He became loved and respected by all. He 
 was eager to befriend and teach the young 
 sailors, and some of them seemed to wor- 
 ship him. 
 
 Lieutenant Danforth was with him on 
 his last voyage. 
 
 When Nolan lay dying, he thought of 
 his home, and begged Danforth to tell him 
 of his country. 
 
 ^' Danforth," he said, ^* I know I am 
 dying. I cannot get home. Surely you 
 will tell me something now? — Stop. Stop. 
 Do not speak till I say what I am sure 
 you know, that there is not in this ship, 
 that there is not in America, a more loyal 
 man than I. There cannot be a man who 
 loves the old flag as I do, or prays for it 
 as I do, or hopes for it as I do. But tell 
 me — tell me something — tell me every- 
 thing, Danforth, before I die." 
 
 ''Mr. Nolan," said Danforth, "I will 
 133 
 
AMERICAN HISTORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
 
 tell you everything yon ask about. Only, 
 where shall I begin? " 
 
 ^^ God bless you," he said, pressing his 
 hand. '^ Tell me their names," and he 
 pointed to the stars on the flag. " The last 
 I know is Ohio." Danforth told him the 
 names, and drew them on his map. 
 
 Then Nolan settled down more quietly, 
 and very happily, to hear him tell in an 
 hour the history of fifty years. You see 
 it was Robinson CruSoe asking all the ques- 
 tions of fifty-six years. 
 
 After a while Nolan became tired, and 
 wished to sleep. 
 
 In an hour, when the doctor went in 
 gently, he found that the old man had 
 breathed his life away with a smile. 
 
 In Nolan's Bible was found a slip of 
 paper on which the poor fellow had written 
 his last wish: 
 
 " Bury me in the sea; it has been my 
 home, and I love it. But will not some 
 one set up a stone for laj memory at 
 
 134 
 
"THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY" 
 
 Fort Adams or at Orleans, that my dis- 
 grace may not be more than I ought to 
 bear? Say on it, 
 
 PHILIP NOLAN" 
 
 LIEUTE2SrANT IN" THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES 
 
 HE LOVED HIS COUNTRY AS NO OTHER MAN HAS LOVED 
 
 her; BUT NO MAN DESERVED LESS AT HER HANDS/ ^' 
 
 135 
 
PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 
 
 Abraham, a'bra-ham 
 Alamo, d'ld-mo (a as in arm) 
 Albany, all'ha-ny 
 Alden, all'den 
 Amsterdam, am'ster-dam 
 Antonio, an-to'ni-o 
 Asia, a'sha 
 Atlantic, at-lan'tic 
 Austin, os'tin 
 
 B 
 
 Bahamas, ha-ha' maz 
 Benjamin, ben'ja-min 
 Bohea, bo-he' 
 Boone, boon 
 Bowie, bo'e 
 Brewster, broo'sier 
 
 Cabot, kab'ut 
 Carolina, kar-o-li'na 
 Charleston, charlz'tun 
 Christopher, kris'to-fer 
 Columbia, ko-lum'hi-a 
 Columbus, ko-lum'bus 
 Connecticut, ko-net'i-kut 
 Cornwallis, korn-walVia 
 Crocket, krok'et 
 Crusoe, kru'so 
 
 Daggett, dag'et 
 Daniel, dan' y el 
 Deborah, deb'o-ra 
 
 E 
 
 Endicott, en'di-kot 
 England, ing' gland 
 Europe, u'rwp 
 Everett, ev'er-et 
 
 Ferdinand, fur'di-nand 
 Florida, fior'i-da 
 France, frans 
 
 Gazette, ga-zeV 
 
 Geiger, gi'ger (g as in get) 
 
 Genoa, jen'o-a 
 
 Gettysburg, get'is-burg (g as in 
 
 get) 
 Gofife, goff 
 Greene, green 
 
 H 
 
 Holland, hol'and 
 
 Houston, hu§'tun (u as in use) 
 
 137 
 
PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 
 
 India, in'di~a 
 Isabella, iz-a-heVa 
 Italian, l-taVyan {% as in it) 
 Italy, it'a-ly 
 
 Joshua, josh'u-a 
 
 K 
 
 Kentucky, ken-tuk'y 
 
 L 
 
 Lafayette, lah-fa-yet' 
 Lancaster, lang'kas-ter 
 Lincoln, ling'kun 
 Lisbon, liz'hun 
 
 M 
 Manhattan, man-hat'an 
 Massachusetts, mas-a-chu' sets 
 Massasoit, mas'a-soit 
 Merrimac, mer'i-mak 
 Mohawk, mo'hok 
 
 Orleans, or'le-anz 
 
 Pennsylvania, pen-sil-va'ni-a 
 Philadelphia, fil-a-del'fi-a 
 Plymouth, plim'uth 
 Portugal, por'tu-gal (6 as in 
 
 port) 
 Priscilla, pri-sil'a (i as in it) 
 
 R 
 
 Rhode, rode 
 Rolfe, rolf 
 Rowe, ro 
 
 s 
 
 Salvador, sal-va-dor' (o as in 
 
 [oort) 
 Samuel, sam'u-el 
 Stuyvesant, stfvesant 
 Swansea, swon'se 
 
 Tennessee, ten-e-se' 
 Thermopylae, thur-mop'i-lee 
 
 Vermont, ver-mont' 
 Vineyard, vin'yard 
 Virginia, ver-jin'i-a 
 
 138 
 
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 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS