Inventors -- Juvenile literature; Kings and rulers -- Juvenile literature; Soldiers -- Juvenile literature
appreciative audiences upon the "Character of Washington," and as the
results of that long and wearisome journeying, he contributed to the
cause over sixty thousand dollars. But with the first peal that heralded
the beginning of the war a theme yet more inspiring was given him. The
shot fired at Sumpter reached his ear, and on the twenty-seventh of the
same month he was ready with a speech that rang out from Chester Square
with no uncertain sound. But before the bells rang out "peace" he had
ceased to speak--his lips were mute in death. Less than a week before he
died--in January, 1865--he spoke in Faneuil Hall on behalf of Freedom.
In Boston, where his death occurred, there were demonstrations of
profound sorrow; the flag at Bunker Hill, as well as all the flags of
the city, was hung at half-mast. The church where the funeral services
were held was crowded and the streets near the church were thronged with
those anxious to pay respect to the memory of the gifted man; "the
minute guns at the Navy Yard and on the Common boomed slowly. The church
bells solemnly tolled, and the roll of muffled drums and the long,
pealing, melancholy wail of the wind instruments filled the air."
Why the mourning? And why do we call him a great man? His country had
honored him by choosing him to fill positions of trust, he was a
scholar, a brilliant writer and eloquent speaker. Perhaps any one of
these things would have made him what men call great, but this which has
been said of him is worth more than position, scholarship, or eloquence:
"he will longest be remembered as one whose every word and gesture was
untiringly and grandly employed in animating his hearers to the best and
loftiest ends."
There have been other men gifted in speech, with power of swaying the
minds of the multitudes who came to listen to their eloquence, of whom
this could not be said. Men who when called by their countrymen to use
their power for the country's good, have thought more of furthering
their own selfish purposes than of a nation's honor and prosperity, have
thought more of the applause of the admiring throng than of the
uplifting of the human race. Shall we not then give honor to one who so
cheerfully laid aside his own cherished plans, ever ready to serve the
public, doing his work so well in varied capacities, and of whom it
could be said that "the annals of the country must be searched in vain
to find one who had done more to advance every public interest and
patriotic cause?"
CHAPTER VIII.
FARRAGUT, DAVID GLASGOW.
The portrait of Admiral Farragut presents to view one of the finest
faces I have ever seen; it is a face I would choose to hang upon the
walls where you boys could look upon it every day of your lives. Even
the pictures upon our walls are our educators; they help to make us what
we are; then let us hang up the faces of the good, the noble and the
true. Let us choose carefully, that only pure and ennobling influences
may be thus shed into our hearts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account