GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT BIRTHDAYS [Illustration: BREAKFAST WITH THE CHILDREN AT MOUNT VERNON] GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT BIRTHDAYS _ARRANGED FOR STORY-TELLING AND READING ALOUD AND FOR THE CHILDREN’S OWN READING_ BY FRANCES JENKINS OLCOTT WITH ILLUSTRATIONS [Illustration: colophon] BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY The Riverside Press Cambridge COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY FRANCES JENKINS OLCOTT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Riverside Press CAMBRIDGE · MASSACHUSETTS PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. GRATEFULLY DEDICATED TO FRANCES MARY JENKINS OLCOTT _January 25_ _One in whose eyes the smile of kindness made_ _Its haunt, like flowers by sunny brooks in May,_ _Yet at the thought of others’ pain, a shade_ _Of sweeter sadness chased the smile away._ WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT FOREWORD Here are over 200 stories celebrating 23 great birthdays of patriot-founders and upbuilders of the Republics of both North and South America. In the stories are more than 75 historical characters, men, women, and children. The arrangement follows the school-year, beginning in October with Columbus. The book-cover is dressed in George Washington’s colours, scarlet and white. TREATMENT OF HISTORY FOR CHILDREN These tales are not packed full of dry facts and dates, boring to children. Instead, they treat history in a manner appealing to boys and girls. For it is the strong personalities that moved in the big events of the world, it is the forceful lives of the men themselves, their preparation in boyhood for successful careers, their struggles for right, their heroism, devotion, and high adventure, as well as the why and wherefore of things, which make history an intense reality to children and young folk. American history treated after such a fashion, may be used educationally to develop a fine, true type of Americanism. So most of the tales presented here are ones of personality, human and alive. They are full of action. Many of them relate deeds of courage, kindness, self-sacrifice, and perseverance. They are of just the right length to read aloud or tell without fatiguing the children. They deal scarcely at all with battle, murder, or sudden death. They stress the intimate, human side of our Patriots, the side not often found in textbooks. SOME OF OUR HEROES