ters, I 'm a
warrior, not an orator. I only want to say--to say--to tell you that
if it had n't been for me you would n't have had any Fourth of July the
year round, nor any parades, nor rockets, nor squibs, nor star-spangled
banners, nor pumpkin-pies, nor ginger-pop. We should all have been
British, or Irish, and worn red coats, and ate blood-puddings, and
drank ale, and hurrahed for King George forevermore. This is the
truth, fellow-citizens, for I cannot tell a lie,--you know I cannot
tell a lie. But I don't want to brag over you, and if you will still
be good Yankee Christians, brave and industrious, I will still be the
father of your country, world without end, Amen! Band, please strike
up 'Hail Columbia!'"

By the middle of the summer the poor General's face became as badly
soiled as ever it was after a long march, over dusty summer roads. Yet
I declined to have him washed, fearing that, after all, his colors
might not be "true blue."

One Monday morning my mother sent by me a note to Miss Grey, inviting
her to accompany me home that day, and spend a week with us. With my
head full of thoughts of this invitation, I hurried away to school
earlier than usual, and for the first time left General George behind
me, lying on his bed in my chamber. I missed him sadly during the day,
but came home in triumph at night, bringing Miss Grey with me. I took
her at once about the premises, to show her my pets. I exhibited with
much pride my tame hawk Toby, but she was afraid of him; though I
assured her that he was a hawk of most exemplary character, and
civilized to such a degree that he respected the rights of all the
mother-hens and ducks, and never asked for spring-chickens, but
contented himself with frogs, like a Frenchman. Then I took her to the
woodshed, to see my cat, with almost a barrelful of young kittens.
What a lovely sight it was! Then I led her to where my speckled hen
kept house in a coop, with half a dozen cunning little chicks. The
hen-mother was frightened as we came near, and called to her little
ones to come in out of danger; but they would n't mind, and she was
very angry, and ruffled up her feathers, and scolded furiously at their
disobedience. "I think biddies are very unamiable creatures," said
Miss Grey. I said nothing, but I thought to myself, "Ah, Miss Grey, if
you were a mother, with ever so many children, playing around the door
so peacefully, and you shut up in jail, for no crime