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LESSON LXX.

STORY AND SPEECH OF LOGAN.

1. In the spring of the year 1774, a robbery was committed by some Indians on certain land adventurers on the Ohio river. The whites in that quarter, according to their custom, undertook to punish this outrage in a summary way. Captain Michael Cresap, and a certain Daniel Greathouse, leading on these parties, surprised, at different times, traveling and hunting parties of the Indians, having their women and children with them, and murdered many. Among these were, unfortunately, the family of Logan, a chief, celebrated in peace and war, and long distinguished as the friend of the whites.

2. This unworthy return provoked his vengeance. He ac cordingly signalized himself in the war which ensued. In the autumn of the same year, a decisive battle was fought at the mouth of the Great Kenawha, between the collected forces of the Shawanese, Mingoes, and Delawares, and a detachment of the Virginia militia. The Indians were defeated, and sued for peace. Logan, however, disdained to be seen among the sup pliants. But lest the sincerity of a treaty should be distrusted, from which so distinguished a chief absented himself, he sent by a messenger the following speech, to be delivered to Lord Dunmore.

3. "I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not meat; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed him not. During the course of the last long and bloody war, Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, and said, 'Logan is the friend of white men.'

4. "I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan,

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not even sparing my women and children. drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it; I have killed many; I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace; but do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Lo

gan? Not one."

LESSON LXXI.

THE ORPHAN SISTERS.

ANONYMOUS,

1. Two sisters, one a little child,
The other but half grown,
Together watched the setting sun,

Which through the casement shone.

2. They waited in their lonely home,
Where late their mother died,
Their father's coming, who had gone
To wed another bride

3. And thus they stood, their twining arms

About each other wound,

In token of affection's ties,

By which their hearts were bound.

4. The bridal company arrived,

And they went forth to meet
Their father and their father's wife,
With slow and lingering feet.

5. A beauteous and a gentle bride,

They gazed upon her face;
The elder first accosted her

With sweet and native grace:

5. "A welcome, for my father's sake,
I fain would give to thee;
O, for his sake, be kind to us,
This little one and me."

7. The younger clasped the lady's neck,
And smilingly she said:

"I'm glad you have come back again,
They told me you were dead."

8. These simple greetings touched a chord
In that fair lady's heart,
And inwardly she made a vow
To act the mother's part.

9. Her promise she has well fulfilled
Unto those sisters twain;

The mother lost has been in her
Restored to them again.

LESSON LXXII.

DESCRIPTION OF BYRON.

POLLOK.

1. He touched his harp, and nations heard, entranced. As some vast river of unfailing source,

Rapid, exhaustless, deep, his numbers flowed,
And oped new fountains in the human heart.
Where fancy halted, weary in her flight,
In other men, his, fresh as morning rose,

And soared untrodded heights, and seemed at home, Where angels bashful looked. Others, though great, Beneath their argument seemed struggling whiles; He from above descending, stooped to touch

The loftiest thought; and proudly stooped, as though It scarce deserved his verse.

With nature's self

He seemed an old acquaintance, free to jest
At will with all her glorious majesty.
He laid his hand upon "the ocean's mane."
And played familiar with his hoary locks.
Stood on the Alps, stood on the Appenines;
And with the thunder talked, as friend to friend;
And wove his garland of the lightning's wing,
In sportive twist-the lightning's fiery wing,
Which, as the foosteps of the dreadful God,
Marching upon the storm in vengeance seemed—
Then turned, and with the grasshopper, who sung
His evening song beneath his feet, conversed.
Suns, moons, and stars, and clouds his sisters were;
Rocks, mountains, meteors, seas, and winds, and storms

His brothers-younger brothers, whom he scarce
As equals deemed.

3. As some fierce comet of tremendous size,
To which the stars did reverence as it passed;
So he through learning and through fancy took
His flight sublime; and on the loftiest top

Of fame's dread mountain sat; not soiled, and worn,

As if he from the earth had labored up;

But as some bird of heavenly plumage fair,
He looked, which down from higher regions came,
And perched it there to see what lay beneath.

4. Great man! the nations gazed and wondered much,
And praised and many called his evil good.
Wits wrote in favor of his wickedness:
And kings to do him honor took delight.
Thus full of titles, flattery, honor, fame;
Beyond desire, beyond ambition full,-

He died he died of what? Of wretchedness.
Drank every cup of joy, heard every trump

Of fame; drank early, deeply drank; drank draughts
That common millions might have quenched-then died
Of thirst, because there was no more to drink.

LESSON LXXIII.

JOHN ADAMS AND THE DECLARATION.

WEBSTER.

1. SIR, the declaration will inspire the people with increased courage. Instead of a long and bloody war for restoration of privileges, for redress of grievances, for chartered immu nities, held under a British king, set before them the glori ous object of entire independence, and it will breathe into them anew the breath of life.

2. Read this declaration at the head of the army; every sword will be drawn from its scabbard, and the solemn vow uttered, to maintain it or to perish on the bed of honor. Publish it from the pulpit; religion will approve it, and the love of religious liberty will cling around it, resolved to stand with it, or fall with it. Send it to the public halls; proclaim it there; let them hear it, who heard the first roar of the enemy's cannon; let them see it, who saw their brothers and their sons fall on the field of Bunker Hill, and in the streets of Lexington and Concord,— and the very walls will cry out in its support.

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