The Story of Our Country Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ...of the Sacramento and dug for gold, the Captain's thousands of acres were overrun and his laborers were among the gold seekers. He would have died in poverty if the state of California had not given him help. And James Marshall, the discoverer of this gold region, could not compete with other miners; and, sad to say, years after he had found those shining particles in the ditch behind the mill, he died in poverty and obscurity, alone in his cabin. OUR COUNTRY'S FIRST GREAT WRITERS After the Revolutionary War, when men were forming our new government and settling a new country, they had little leisure for writing. It is true, the War for Independence called forth many political speeches and pamphlets, and these belong to our early literature. But in this period men did not write for the sake of writing; in other words, they were not following a literary life as a profession. It was not until the beginning of the nineteenth century that the United States could really claim a literature of its own. And Washington Irving may be called the father of our country's literature. He was born in 1783, the year which marked the end of our long struggle for Independence; and he was born in the city of New York where the Father of our Country was inaugurated President. The English troops were leaving the city and we were taking possession of it when Mrs. Irving was thinking of a name for her child. "Washington's work is ended," she said, "and the child shall be named after him." Six years later, when Washington was inaugurated in New York, a Scotch servant of the family took her young charge out to see the first President. They met Washington. "Please, your honor," said the servant, all aglow, "here's a bairn was...