Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year Part 46

What then is the American, this new man? He is either a European, or the descendant of a European, hence that strange mixture of blood which you will find in no other country. I could point out to you a family whose grandfather was an Englishman, whose wife was 5 Dutch, whose son married a French woman, and whose present four sons have now four wives of different nations.

An American is he who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he 10 obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater.

Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. Americans are the western 15 pilgrims, who are carrying along with them that great ma.s.s of arts, sciences, vigor, and industry which began long since in the East; they will finish the great circle.

The Americans were once scattered all over Europe; in America they are incorporated into one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared, and which will hereafter become distinct by the power of the different climates they inhabit. The American ought therefore to love his country much better than that wherein either he 5 or his forefathers were born. Here the rewards of his industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor; his labor is founded on the basis of nature, self-interest.

Can it want a stronger allurement?

Women and children, who before in vain demanded a 10 morsel of bread, now gladly help their men folk to clear those fields whence exuberant crops are to arise to feed and to clothe them all, without any part being claimed either by a despotic prince, a rich abbot, or a mighty lord.

Religion demands but little of the American: a small 15 voluntary salary to the minister, and grat.i.tude to G.o.d.

Can he refuse these?

The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas and form new opinions. From involuntary idleness, servile dependence, 20 penury, and useless labor, he has pa.s.sed to toils of a very different nature, rewarded by ample subsistence.--This is an American.

--_Letters of an American Farmer._

1. What is Crevecur's definition of an American? How would you define an American to-day?

2. Explain lines 15-18, on page 336. What does the last clause of the sentence mean?

3. What reasons does the author give for a great love of country on the part of Americans? Do these reasons still hold good?

4. Explain: Alma Mater, posterity, allurement, voluntary, servile, penury, subsistence.

THE RISING OF '76

BY THOMAS BUCHANAN READ

Read this selection entirely through before stopping to inquire the meaning of puzzling pa.s.sages. Then re-read it for the references not previously clear to you. A final reading should enable you to get the fullness of the author's meaning. On your first reading you should be able to determine generally when the events took place, where, and what happened.

Out of the North the wild news came, Far flas.h.i.+ng on its wings of flame, Swift as the boreal light that flies At midnight through the startled skies.

And there was tumult in the air, 5 The fife's shrill note, the drum's loud beat And through the wide land everywhere The answering tread of hurrying feet; While the first oath of Freedom's gun Came on the blast of Lexington; 10 And Concord, roused, no longer tame, Forgot her old baptismal name, Made bare her patriot arm of power, And swelled the discord of the hour.

Within its shade of elm and oak 15 The church of Berkeley Manor stood; There Sunday found the rural folk, And some esteemed of gentle blood.

In vain their feet with loitering tread Pa.s.sed mid the graves where rank is naught; All could not read the lesson taught In that republic of the dead.

How sweet the hour of Sabbath talk, The vale with peace and suns.h.i.+ne full, 5 Where all the happy people walk, Decked in their homespun flax and wool!

Where youth's gay hats with blossoms bloom, And every maid, with simple art, Wears on her breast, like her own heart, 10 A bud whose depths are all perfume; While every garment's gentle stir Is breathing rose and lavender.

The pastor came: his snowy locks Hallowed his brow of thought and care; 15 And calmly, as shepherds lead their flocks, He led into the house of prayer.

The pastor rose; the prayer was strong; The psalm was warrior David's song; The text, a few short words of might,-- 20 "The Lord of hosts shall arm the right!"

He spoke of wrongs too long endured, Of sacred rights to be secured; Then from his patriot tongue of flame The startling words for Freedom came. 25 The stirring sentences he spake Compelled the heart to glow or quake, And rising on his theme's broad wing, And grasping in his nervous hand The imaginary battle brand, In face of death he dared to fling Defiance to a tyrant king. 5

Even as he spoke, his frame, renewed In eloquence of att.i.tude, Rose, as it seemed, a shoulder higher; Then swept his kindling glance of fire From startled pew to breathless choir; 10 When suddenly his mantle wide His hands impatient flung aside, And lo! he met their wondering eyes Complete in all a warrior's guise.

A moment there was awful pause,-- 15 When Berkeley cried, "Cease, traitor! Cease!

G.o.d's temple is the house of peace!"

The other shouted, "Nay, not so, When G.o.d is with our righteous cause; His holiest places then are ours, 20 His temples are our forts and towers That frown upon the tyrant foe; In this, the dawn of Freedom's day, There is a time to fight and pray!"

And now before the open door-- 25 The warrior priest had ordered so-- The enlisting trumpet's sudden roar Rang through the chapel, o'er and o'er, Its long reverberating blow, So loud and clear, it seemed the ear Of dusty death must wake and hear; And there the startling drum and fife Fired the living with fiercer life.

While overhead, with wild increase, 5 Forgetting its ancient toll of peace, The great bell swung as ne'er before.

It seemed as it would never cease; And every word its ardor flung From off its jubilant iron tongue 10 Was, "War! War! War!"

"Who dares?"--this was the patriot's cry, As striding from the desk he came,-- "Come out with me, in Freedom's name, For her to live, for her to die?" 15 A hundred hands flung up reply, A hundred voices answered, "I."

1. Explain the following references in the first stanza: "the North"; "wild news"; "boreal light"; "first oath of Freedom's gun"; "Concord . . .

forgot her old baptismal name."

2. Where does this story begin? What is the purpose of the first stanza? Where is the scene laid? What is the date of the action? Who was Berkeley? What occurs?

3. What other dramatic Revolutionary War episodes do you know? Name three other Revolutionary War poems.

4. Thomas Buchanan Read (1822-1872) was a Pennsylvanian by birth. His interests in art and literature took him abroad, and he spent several years in Italy. A number of his poems and paintings are highly esteemed.

OUR OWN COUNTRY

BY JAMES MONTGOMERY

There is a land of every land the pride, Beloved of Heaven o'er all the world beside, There brighter suns dispense serener light And milder moons imparadise the night.

O land of beauty, virtue, valor, truth, 5 Time-tutored age, and love-exalted youth!

There is a spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest, Where man, creation's tyrant, casts aside His sword and scepter, pageantry and pride, 10 While in his softened looks benignly blend The sire, the son, the husband, brother, friend.

Where shall that land, that spot of earth, be found?

Art thou a man, a patriot? Look around!

O thou shalt find, howe'er thy footsteps roam, 15 That land thy country and that spot thy home.

1. Make a list of songs whose theme is love of country. Name the national hymns of the chief countries of the world. What songs have love of home as their theme?

2. Write the meaning of the above poem in a few short sentences.

3. Select five unusual words from the poem, give a brief definition of each, and use each in a sentence.

4. Find out the following facts about the life of Montgomery: dates of birth and death; nationality; business or profession; chief writings.

PATRICK HENRY'S SPEECH