Stories of Heroic Deeds for Boys and Girls Read online

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  Fort Ticonderoga, from Eastern Shore.]

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  _HISTORICAL SERIES--BOOK II_

  STORIES OF HEROIC DEEDS

  FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

  BY

  JAMES JOHONNOT

 

  NEW YORK * CINCINNATI * CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

  * * * * *

  COPYRIGHT, 1887, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. E-P 2

  PREFACE.

  In preparing this little book, three things have been kept constantlyin mind--the plan of the whole series, the thought and sentimentexpressed in each lesson, and the language used to express the thought.

  The main feature of the plan is to furnish pupils interestinghistorical stories for the purpose of giving them a taste for the studyof history, to enable them to distinguish between fact and fiction, andto stimulate them to high endeavor by noble example.

  In selecting, preparing, and arranging the stories, care has been takenthat the thought is such as to be readily understood, and that on thewhole it tends to awaken the higher emotions. The moral lesson involvedshould be absorbed rather than learned, and the teacher should bewareof destroying the value of any lesson by dealing out moral pap.

  The language is that of common life, such as the pupil hears every dayfrom parent, friend, and teacher--such as the morning newspaper brings,and such as is necessary for him to master in its printed and writtenforms in the shortest possible time. When a word is unknown, theteacher should develop its meaning before permitting the lesson to goon. The interest in the story will be a sufficient stimulus to securethe best of attention, and the highest excellence in delivery.

  In the use of language, it is far better that pupils should be obligedto stretch upward rather than be remanded to the nursery. Baby-talkshould no more be revived than long-clothes, and the time spent inwriting stories in words of one syllable might be used to a much betterpurpose.

  The history of the Do-as-you-likes speaks for itself. It is a fancystory rather than a myth, but it is one that children will like, longbefore they will understand its whole significance; and we much doubtwhether the Rev. Charles Kingsley ever produced a more valuable andoriginal book than "Water-Babies," from which this story is taken.

  CONTENTS.

  PAGE

  MYTHS.

  I. Latona and the Rustics 7 II. The Music of Pan 9 III. Baucis and Philemon 10 IV. The Dragon's Teeth 13 V. The Do-as-you-likes 17

  INDIAN STORIES.

  VI. Columbus and the Eclipse 25 VII. The Pequots 27 VIII. Schenectady 29 IX. The Story of Mrs. Dustin 31 X. Rogers's Slide 34 XI. General Clinton's March 36 XII. Frances Slocum 39 XIII. Obed's Pumpkins 43

  STORIES OF THE REVOLUTION.

  XIV. The Gasp? 50 XV. Ethan Allen 53 XVI. Joseph Reed 54 XVII. General Prescott 56 XVIII. Prescott and the Yankee Boy 58 XIX. Battle of the Kegs 62 XX. The Daring of Paul Jones 66 XXI. Fort Moultrie 71 XXII. Count Pulaski and his Banner 73 XXIII. Lydia Darrah 77 XXIV. The Liberty-Bell 80 XXV. The Tory's Horse 83 XXVI. General Schuyler 87 XXVII. Ode 92

  SCOTTISH STORIES.

  XXVIII. Edinburgh Castle 93 XXIX. Scottish Strategy 96 XXX. Castle Dangerous 100 XXXI. The Black Agnes 103

  MISCELLANEOUS STORIES.

  XXXII. A Little Maid 108 XXXIII. Alexander Selkirk 112 XXXIV. The Old-fashioned School 118 XXXV. Story of Franklin's Kite 123 XXXVI. The Case of John Hook 126 XXXVII. The First Steamboat in the West 128 XXXVIII. The Power of Kindness 134 XXXIX. Old Ironsides 137 XL. Chicago 142