A Better to hide from the Indian scouts the graves of our people, 65 Lest they should count them and see how many already have perished!" Sadly his face he averted, and strode up and down, and was thoughtful. Fixed to the opposite wall was a shelf of books, and among them Prominent three, distinguished alike for bulk and for Bariffe's Artillery Guide, and the Commentaries of 70 Out of the Latin translated by Arthur Goldinge of London, And, as if guarded by these, between them was standing the Bible. Musing a moment before them, Miles Standish paused, as if doubtful Which of the three he should choose for his consolation and comfort, permitted, this place was sown with wheat to prevent the Indians from learning how weak the colony was growing by counting the graves. 70 Commentaries of Cæsar: what was the subject of these Commentaries? 71 Arthur Goldinge: the translator of many classical works. Whether the wars of the Hebrews, the famous cam paigns of the Romans, 75 Or the Artillery practice, designed for belligerent Christians. Finally down from its shelf he dragged the ponderous Roman, Seated himself at the window, and opened the book, and in silence Turned o'er the well-worn leaves, where thumb-marks thick on the margin, Like the trample of feet, proclaimed the battle was hottest. 80 Nothing was heard in the room but the hurrying pen of the stripling, Busily writing epistles important, to go by the Mayflower, Ready to sail on the morrow, or next day at latest, God willing! Homeward bound with the tidings of all that terrible winter, 75 In what period of their history occurred "the wars of the Hebrews"? 79, 80 Explain the meaning of these lines. 83 The Mayflower sailed on her return voyage April 15, 1621. How old was the colony then? 84 Terrible winter: terrible from the bereavements and priva D Letters written by Alden, and full of the name of 85 Full of the name and the fame of the Puritan maiden II LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP Nothing was heard in the room but the hurrying Or an occasional sigh from the laboring heart of the Reading the marvellous words and achievements of After a while he exclaimed, as he smote with his 90 Heavily on the page: "A wonderful man was this Cæsar! You are a writer, and I am a fighter, but here is a fellow tions they suffered in trying to make a home in an unsettled 85 Priscilla: see the sketch of the poem in the preface. Who could both write and fight, and in both was equally skilful!" Straightway answered and spake John Alden, the comely, the youthful: "Yes, he was equally skilled, as you say, with his pen and his weapons. 95 Somewhere have I read, but where I forget, he could dictate Seven letters at once, at the same time writing his memoirs." "Truly," continued the Captain, not heeding or hearing the other, 100 "Truly a wonderful man was Caius Julius Cæsar! Better be first, he said, in a little Iberian village, Than be second in Rome, and I think he was right when he said it. Twice was he married before he was twenty, and many times after; Battles five hundred he fought, and a thousand cities he conquered; 100 It is told of Cæsar that as he was once marching through a wretched little village of barbarians and there arose some mocking comment among his companions about there being no canvassing for office there, he remarked that for his part he would rather be first there than second even in Rome. Standish evidently agrees with him. What do you think of the sentiment? He, too, fought in Flanders, as he himself has recorded; Brutus! 105 Now, do you know what he did on a certain occasion in Flanders, When the rear-guard of his army retreated, the front And the immortal Twelfth Legion was crowded so Put himself straight at the head of his troops, and Calling on each by his name, to order forward the ensigns; 104 Can you give the name of a famous man connected with the Virginia colony who also fought in Flanders? Flanders: a county of the Low Countries or the Netherlands (now Holland and Belgium) where war was waged with Spain. The seven counties which continued the war until they gained their independence made up the modern Holland. 106 Flanders: in the time of Cæsar, Flanders and the rest of what is now Belgium were not divided from France, and the Romans called the whole country Gaul. This part of it was occupied by the Belgi whom Cæsar considers "the bravest of all the Gauls.” 108 Legion: a division of the Roman army consisting of about five thousand men. The Twelfth Legion was Cæsar's favorite. 111 What would be the effect of this order when executed? |