iting--waiting for the answer, which,
when it did come in the following October, was celebrated with an
abandon of joy that has never been equaled on any succeeding Ninth of
September.

It is indefensible that in the face of incidents of our history such as
these Californians should be ignorant of the lives and experiences of
those who preceded them on this coast. The history of their experiences
is a part of the history of the nation, and the record of the
achievement of the empire-builders of this coast is one that inspires
civic pride and a reverence for their memories. Why should the story
remain practically unknown? Why should every little unimportant detail
of the petty incidents of Queen Anne's War, and King Philip's War, and
Braddock's campaign be crammed into the heads of children who until
lately never heard the name of Portola? The beautiful story of Paul
Revere's ride is known to everyone, but how many know the story of the
invincible determination in the building of Ugarte's ship[8]? William
Penn's honest treatment of the Indians is a household word to people who
never knew of the existence of Galvez or Junipero Serra. The story of
the hardships of the New England pilgrims in the first winter on the
"stern and rock-bound coast" of Massachusetts, is not more pitiful than
that of the fate of the immigrants at Donner Lake. The thoughtful
magnanimity of Captain Philip of the "Texas" in the moment of victory,
in the sea-fight at Santiago, when he checked his men "Don't cheer,
boys; the poor fellows are drowning"--is enshrined in the hearts of
Americans that never thrilled with pride at Commodore Sloat's solemn and
patriotic proclamation upon landing his sailors to hoist the colors at
Monterey, a proclamation as fine and dignified as a ritual, that should
be committed to memory, as a part of his education, by every schoolboy
in California[9]. Longfellow's "Courtship of Miles Standish and
Priscilla" is found in every book of declamations, and Bret Harte's poem
of the tragic love story of Rezanov and Concha Argueello in complete
editions of his works[10]. Why herald the ridiculous attempt of Rhode
Island to keep out of the Union, and not acclaim the splendid effort of
California to break into it?

The importance to any community of its local history being incorporated
in the national story in its proper proportion and perspective cannot be
overestimated. When in all the ten volumes of Thomas B. Reed's
magnificent