按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
lion。 We must not be too nice in the choice of our agents。 Non eget Mauri jaculis；no African bayonets wanted；was well enough while we did not yet know the might of that desperate giant we had to deal with； but Tros； Tyriusve； white or black；is the safer motto now； for a good soldier； like a good horse； cannot be of a bad color。 The iron…skins； as well as the iron…clads； have already done us noble service； and many a mother will clasp the returning boy； many a wife will welcome back the war… worn husband； whose smile would never again have gladdened his home； but that； cold in the shallow trench of the battle…field； lies the half…buried form of the unchained bondsman whose dusky bosom sheathes the bullet which would else have claimed that darling as his country's sacrifice
We shall have success if we truly will success； not otherwise。 It may be long in coming；Heaven only knows through what trials and humblings we may have to pass before the full strength of the nation is duly arrayed and led to victory。 We must be patient； as our fathers were patient； even in our worst calamities； we must remember that defeat itself may be a gain where it costs our enemy more in relation to his strength than it costs ourselves。 But if； in the inscrutable providence of the Almighty； this generation is disappointed in its lofty aspirations for the race； if we have not virtue enough to ennoble our whole people； and make it a nation of sovereigns； we shall at least hold in undying honor those who vindicated the insulted majesty of the Republic； and struck at her assailants so long as a drum…beat summoned them to the field of duty。
Citizens of Boston； sons and daughters of New England； men and women of the North； brothers and sisters in the bond of the American Union； you have among you the scarred and wasted soldiers who have shed their blood for your temporal salvation。 They bore your nation's emblems bravely through the fire and smoke of the battle…field； nay； their own bodies are starred with bullet…wounds and striped with sabre…cuts； as if to mark them as belonging to their country until their dust becomes a portion of the soil which they defended。 In every Northern graveyard slumber the victims of this destroying struggle。 Many whom you remember playing as children amidst the clover…blossoms of our Northern fields； sleep under nameless mounds with strange Southern wild…flowers blooming over them。 By those wounds of living heroes； by those graves of fallen martyrs； by the hopes of your children； and the claims of your children's children yet unborn； in the name of outraged honor； in the interest of violated sovereignty； for the life of an imperilled nation； for the sake of men everywhere and of our common humanity； for the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom on earth； your country calls upon you to stand by her through good report and through evil report； in triumph and in defeat； until she emerges from the great war of Western civilization； Queen of the broad continent； Arbitress in the councils of earth's emancipated peoples； until the flag that fell from the wall of Fort Sumter floats again inviolate； supreme； over all her ancient inheritance； every fortress； every capital； every ship； and this warring land is once more a； United Nation！
CINDERS FROM THE ASHES。
The personal revelations contained in my report of certain breakfast… table conversations were so charitably listened to and so good… naturedly interpreted； that I may be in danger of becoming over… communicative。 Still； I should never have ventured to tell the trivial experiences here thrown together； were it not that my brief story is illuminated here and there by a glimpse of some shining figure that trod the same path with me for a time； or crossed it； leaving a momentary or lasting brightness in its track。 I remember that； in furnishing a chamber some years ago； I was struck with its dull aspect as I looked round on the black…walnut chairs and bedstead and bureau。 〃Make me a large and handsomely wrought gilded handle to the key of that dark chest of drawers；〃 I said to the furnisher。 It was done； and that one luminous point redeemed the sombre apartment as the evening star glorifies the dusky firmament。 So； my loving reader；and to none other can such table…talk as this be addressed；… …I hope there will be lustre enough in one or other of the names with which I shall gild my page to redeem the dulness of all that is merely personal in my recollections。
After leaving the school of Dame Prentiss； best remembered by infantine loves； those pretty preludes of more serious passions； by the great forfeit…basket； filled with its miscellaneous waifs and deodauds； and by the long willow stick by the aid of which the good old body； now stricken in years and unwieldy in person could stimulate the sluggish faculties or check the mischievous sallies of the child most distant from his ample chair；a school where I think my most noted schoolmate was the present Bishop of Delaware； became the pupil of Master William Biglow。 This generation is not familiar with his title to renown； although he fills three columns and a half in Mr。 Duyckinck's 〃Cyclopaedia of American Literature。〃 He was a humorist hardly robust enough for more than a brief local immortality。 I am afraid we were an undistinguished set； for I do not remember anybody near a bishop in dignity graduating from our benches。
At about ten years of age I began going to what we always called the 〃Port School；〃 because it was kept at Cambridgeport； a mile from the College。 This suburb was at that time thinly inhabited； and； being much of it marshy and imperfectly reclaimed； had a dreary look as compared with the thriving College settlement。 The tenants of the many beautiful mansions that have sprung up along Main Street； Harvard Street； and Broadway can hardly recall the time when； except the 〃Dana House〃 and the 〃Opposition House〃 and the 〃Clark House；〃 these roads were almost all the way bordered by pastures until we reached the 〃stores〃 of Main Street； or were abreast of that forlorn 〃First Row〃 of Harvard Street。 We called the boys of that locality 〃Port…chucks。〃 They called us 〃Cambridge…chucks；〃 but we got along very well together in the main。
Among my schoolmates at the Port School was a young girl of singular loveliness。 I once before referred to her as 〃the golden blonde；〃 but did not trust myself to describe her charms。 The day of her appearance in the school was almost as much a revelation to us boys as the appearance of Miranda was to Caliban。 Her abounding natural curls were so full of sunshine； her skin was so delicately white； her smile and her voice were so all…subduing； that half our heads were turned。 Her fascinations were everywhere confessed a few years afterwards； and when I last met her； though she said she was a grandmother； I questioned her statement； for her winning looks and ways would still have made her admired in any company。
Not far from the golden blonde were two small boys； one of them very small； perhaps the youngest boy in school； both ruddy； sturdy； quiet； reserved； sticking loyally by each other； the oldest； however； beginning to enter into soci