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CHAPTER I. THE FAR WEST.
CHAPTER I. THE FAR WEST.
The United States Sixty Years ago—The "Queen City" of the West—The Rush for New Lands—Marvellous Growth of American Cities. Go to Liverpool or Glasgow, and embark on one of the great ocean steamers, which are constantly crossing the Atlantic. Sail westwards for about a week, and you will reach the eastern shores of the New World. If you land at New York, you will find yourself in one of the largest cities on the face of the globe. You will also find the country largely peopled by the same race a
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CHAPTER II. THE PIONEERS.
CHAPTER II. THE PIONEERS.
A New England Village—Hardships of Emigrants—The Widow Ballou and her Daughter Eliza—The Humble Dwelling of Abram Garfield—The Garfields and the Boyntons—The Removal to a New Home—The Wonderful Baby-Boy. The early settlers from the Old World first peopled the eastern shores of the Atlantic, and founded the New England States, New York State, and the whole seaboard from Maine to Florida. A New England village was a collection of log houses on the edge of a deep forest. Snow drifted into the room
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The trees fell before his axe.
The trees fell before his axe.
In January 1830 he removed to his new home, and in November 1831 his fourth child was born. This baby boy received the name of James Abram Garfield. Little did the humble backwoodsman dream that the name he lovingly gave his child would one day be on the lips of millions of his fellow-countrymen; that it would rank with those of princes, kings, and emperors; and that it would be linked for ever with the history of the United States of America....
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CHAPTER III. A FIRE IN THE FOREST.
CHAPTER III. A FIRE IN THE FOREST.
The Effects of Prairie Fires—How Abram Garfield saved his Crops—The sudden Illness and Death of Abram Garfield—The Grave to the corner of the Wheatfield. One of General Sherman's veteran soldiers was once describing a prairie fire. When he had finished his story, he raised himself to his full six feet height, and with flashing eyes said, "If I should ever catch a man firing a prairie or a forest, as God helps me, I would shoot him down in his deed." No wonder that the old soldier was fired with
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CHAPTER IV. THE FOUR SAPLINGS.
CHAPTER IV. THE FOUR SAPLINGS.
The Father's Dying Charge—Advised to give up the Farm—A Noble Resolve—Brave little Thomas—A Hard Time of Trial—The Harvest that saved the Family. Mrs. Garfield had no time to nurse her sorrow. She knew that she must be up and doing, for she had to be both father and mother to her children. "The four saplings" which the dying father had committed to her care were so young that she could scarcely expect much assistance from them. Winter was fast approaching, and the strong arm of the husband and f
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Tom borrowed a horse.
Tom borrowed a horse.
The waiting time is often the hardest to bear. Slowly but surely their little store of corn grew less and less. Fearing to run short before the harvest gave them a fresh supply, Mrs. Garfield carefully measured their slender stock, and as carefully doled out the daily allowance which alone would enable them to pull through. She had no money to buy more, and therefore she gave up one meal a day for herself, that her children might not suffer from hunger. Still she found that there was barely suff
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CHAPTER V. A RESTLESS SCHOLAR.
CHAPTER V. A RESTLESS SCHOLAR.
An Intelligent Child—The First School—James questions the Teacher—Mrs. Garfield's Offer—Winning a Prize. "Eliza, this boy will be a scholar some day!" said Abram Garfield when speaking of James to his wife a short time before his death. Even at that early age, for the little fellow was not two years old, his father saw an unusual intelligence manifested, which gave him a high estimate of his baby boy's intellect. His mother took great delight in telling him Bible stories, and his inquiring mind
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CHAPTER VI. MAN-MAKING.
CHAPTER VI. MAN-MAKING.
At Work on the Farm—A Good Mother's Teaching—A School Incident—The Building of a New School—Bible Lessons—The Garfields' Motto. The Garfield farm provided for many of the wants of the family, but money was needed to provide clothing and books, and to pay the teachers who came from time to time. Thomas, therefore, earned all he could by engaging himself for short periods to any of the neighbours who required help. James attended school before he was four years old, and began to work on the farm w
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CHAPTER VII. THE TWO BROTHERS.
CHAPTER VII. THE TWO BROTHERS.
A New House—Thomas leaves Home—Sorrow at Parting—James left to Manage the Farm—The Value of Experience. At length Thomas was twenty-one, and the time had come for him to go out into the world and make a way for himself. One thing he at that time desired above all others, and that was to build a better house for his mother. To do this properly it was necessary to engage a carpenter, who would make the necessary framework. Then Thomas and James would help him to put up the building. But money was
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She dried her tears and asked God to support her.
She dried her tears and asked God to support her.
To James the parting was no less painful. He had confidence in himself, and manfully made up his mind to fill his brother's place. Yet he could not see the big brother, who was so dear to him, and who had done so much for him, go away without feeling an aching void in his heart. And Thomas—what about him? Did he lightly step out into the world, and, glad to enjoy a sense of freedom, go on his new path without a thought of those he was leaving behind? Not so. The man who as a boy often had so nob
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An American Farmstead.
An American Farmstead.
Brave, noble-hearted, hard-working Thomas Garfield! though only known to the world through his more gifted brother, he belongs to that grand army of self-sacrificing spirits who leave a bright and shining track behind them, and who everywhere make the wilderness and the desert place to blossom like the rose. While Thomas was cutting down trees in Michigan, James was playing the part of "boy farmer" to the satisfaction of all who knew him. He was but twelve years of age, and yet he went about his
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CHAPTER VIII. HOUSE-BUILDING.
CHAPTER VIII. HOUSE-BUILDING.
"James must be a Scholar"—Thomas returns Home and builds a New House—A Lesson in Carpentering—The Volume of Robinson Crusoe—James eager to Travel. Mrs. Garfield was glad to see James so contented with his work on the farm, but she was not satisfied to think that his life should be spent in cultivating the soil. One day she spoke to him about this, and said that she wished him to become a scholar. He replied that he also had the same desire—in fact, that he should like nothing better—but he did n
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The carpenter set about his task.
The carpenter set about his task.
He not only watched every operation, but eagerly lent a hand where he could. Hammer, chisel, and plane were in turn used as deftly as if he had served an apprenticeship to the trade. He especially distinguished himself in planing the boards ready for the carpenter, who declared that James was equal to a trained workman. He did the work well and quickly, and was so delighted with his success that he called it "fun." When the frame was ready, the neighbours came on an appointed day to help to rais
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CHAPTER IX. FAITHFUL WORK.
CHAPTER IX. FAITHFUL WORK.
A New Employment—At the Potash Works—Desire for a Seafaring Life—On a Farm again. One day Farmer Smith called at Mrs. Garfield's house, to ask James to help him in weeding the peppermint, adding at the same time, that he had engaged twenty boys for this especial purpose. Mrs. Garfield said that her son was at that time very busy, and she thought that the farmer would have enough boys without him. The farmer replied that without James he should have altogether too many. He had engaged them with t
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He never tired of reading.
He never tired of reading.
James was not willing to give up his idea of going to sea, but he remained for some months with his employer. One day, however, Mr. Barton's daughter spoke of him as a hired servant, and this made James so angry, that, in spite of the persuasions of his master, he left the factory, and returned home on the following day. His mother was glad to see him back again, though she did not agree with his hasty action in leaving without notice. James explained to his mother that he had not taken offence
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CHAPTER X THE ROPE THAT SAVED HIM.
CHAPTER X THE ROPE THAT SAVED HIM.
The Driver of a Canal-boat Mule-team—Defence of the Eight—James speaks out plainly—A Narrow Escape—A Severe Illness—The Turning-point in James's Life. When Mrs. Garfield found that James had become unsettled and restless, she decided to give way, and allow him to obtain some experience of a seafaring life. Finding that he had no definite plan in his mind, she proposed that he should try a voyage on Lake Erie. This suggestion fell in with his wishes, and, once more taking his bundle in his hand,
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On board the canal boat.
On board the canal boat.
One day the boat came to a lock the same time as another boat, and the crews of the two vessels were about to fight for the first turn, when James spoke out boldly, and declared that the right belonged to the other boat, and that it should precede them. The captain was so struck with his cousin's manly defence of the right, that he ordered his men to give way. A fight was prevented, and fair play was given to the first comers. Some of the men in his own crew called him a coward, but that had no
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CHAPTER XI. STRIKING OUT A NEW LINE.
CHAPTER XI. STRIKING OUT A NEW LINE.
James decides to attend a College—He obtains Employment whereby to pay his Fees—Looking Upward. In the life of every strong youth there comes a time when the manhood within him awakens to a consciousness of its proper powers. Such a moment had come in the life of young Garfield. His best friends had striven hard to awaken his slumbering ambition; even the companions of the towpath and of the woodyard had spoken with regret of the apparent waste of such abilities as he had shown; while his mother
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CHAPTER XII. TEACHING AND LEARNING.
CHAPTER XII. TEACHING AND LEARNING.
First Term at College—The Pleasure of real Success—James Garfield meets his Wife—He applies for a Schoolmastership—A Generous Offer. It is sometimes said that education spoils lads for hard work. As a teacher in after years, Garfield had often to argue this point with the fathers of his pupils, who feared lest the college should unfit their boys for the farm and the forest. But better than any argument was his own example. His first duty on returning home from school was to build his mother a ne
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CHAPTER XIII. FINDING FRIENDS.
CHAPTER XIII. FINDING FRIENDS.
The Young Janitor at Hiram Institute—Personal Appearance at this time—Teaching and Preaching—The Tailor of Troy—The Beginning of the Civil War. James Garfield attended the Geauga Seminary three years in succession. During his second and third vacations he acted as master in some of the log-schools in his native county. Then, at the age of twenty, he went from teaching school to sweeping the college floor at Hiram Institute. Here, besides gaining a considerable step in his education, Garfield beg
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CHAPTER XIV. THE FIRST BLOW.
CHAPTER XIV. THE FIRST BLOW.
Garfield's Power as a Platform Speaker—A Candidate for the Senate—His Election—Is Slavery right or wrong?—War inevitable—The Attack on Fort Sumter—The Civil War begun. Garfield was twenty-six when he left Williams' University. He entered this college a raw student from a Western seminary; he left it a distinguished scholar, a graduate with honours, and a popular lay preacher and platform speaker. In spite of many flattering offers, he had remained true to the Western Institute at Hiram. Before h
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Negroes stolen from the west coast of Africa were sold into slavery.
Negroes stolen from the west coast of Africa were sold into slavery.
This open and insolent growth of the spirit of slavery in the South was slowly rousing the rest of the great nation from its slumber. Statesmen had been silent too long, politicians and preachers had apologised for the evil, and the people as a whole had given no sign, until provoked by those flagrant attempts to carry the vile system into those newer parts of the country called Territories, vast districts of only partly occupied land which had not yet been erected into States. Then the controve
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The defense of Fort Sumter.
The defense of Fort Sumter.
The Confederates demanded possession of the fort. Anderson held out for a day or two, until the walls were beaten down about his ears, and then surrendered the fortress to the rebels. This was the beginning of war. The news of the victory was flashed through the land, and the nation stood aghast, to find that the Great Rebellion had begun....
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CHAPTER XV. DARK DAYS FOE THE UNION.
CHAPTER XV. DARK DAYS FOE THE UNION.
President Lincoln's Appeal to the Country—Dark Days for the Northern States—A Decisive Battle—Glorious News. The question of slavery was the real cause of the American Civil War, though in the first instance the object of the North was solely to save the Union. Six of the slave States had withdrawn from the Union. They had appointed as their President Jefferson Davis, and had attempted to seize all the arms and forts within the border of the States. The ease with which Fort Sumter had fallen int
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BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC.
BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC.
"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword: His Truth is marching on. "I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps; I have read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps: His day is marching on. "I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel, 'As
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CHAPTER XVI. FOR FLAG AND COUNTRY.
CHAPTER XVI. FOR FLAG AND COUNTRY.
Ulysses S. Grant—Recruits from all Classes—Senator Garfield appointed Colonel Of a Regiment—Asking for Guidance. The Union was saved, but the struggle was not over. During the earlier years of the war the strong men of the North had been slowly coming to the front. One of these was a stubborn, silent soldier named Grant, who, after an early training as a military cadet, and some experience in the Mexican war, had settled down to a clerkship in a leather shop in Illinois. When war broke out, Ulys
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CHAPTER XVII. WINNING HIS SPURS.
CHAPTER XVII. WINNING HIS SPURS.
The Hiram Boys in Action—Terrible Odds—A Daring Deed—A Ride for Life—Major-General Garfield. The period of Garfield's active service in the army was a little over two years; yet in that short time he rose from lieutenant-colonel to major-general, and performed some deeds of valour that will never be forgotten. Within three months of raising his regiment, he was prepared to take the field, and the sphere of his operations was the State of Kentucky. This large and important State, which lay on the
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Garfield and his regiment going into action.
Garfield and his regiment going into action.
While the young men held their position in the timber, a support of 500 men came up, and the little brigade faced nearly 4000 muskets. Then Colonel Moore and his loyal Kentuckians volunteered to carry the hill. Standing on a rock in full sight of his men, and a conspicuous mark for the Confederates' rifles, Garfield directed the fight. For a while it seemed doubtful on which side victory should fall, until through the trees the commander caught sight of a glancing banner, and with a shout he ann
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CHAPTER XVIII. FILLING THE GAP.
CHAPTER XVIII. FILLING THE GAP.
Called to Washington—Elected to the Congress—His Plan for increasing the Army—The Slaves' Friend—Abraham Lincoln shot—Stilling the Tumult. After the battle of Chickamauga, General Garfield retired from the army. His help was greatly needed in a sphere where the same courage would find scope, but where other gifts besides decision and dash were required. He had been a State Senator for Ohio for several years. Now he was to become a Member of Congress, the national Parliament of the United States.
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CHAPTER XIX. THE HOUR AND THE MAN.
CHAPTER XIX. THE HOUR AND THE MAN.
Statesman and Citizen—Leader of the House of Representatives—Elected President—The Secret of Success—Struck down by an Assassin—Hovering between Life and Death—Death and Burial. Garfield's life, above that of most men, was given to the world as a splendid example of perfect integrity and manly independence. All through that romantic career this had been its most remarkable feature. His talents were great, his powers of endurance were great, his energy and courage were great; but his love of righ
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Mrs. James Garfield.
Mrs. James Garfield.
Thirty-five times a ballot had been taken, and they seemed no nearer than before. But at the thirty-fifth it was found that one name had received about fifty votes. When that name was read, it was greeted with a mighty cheer, which grew louder and louder, until the whole of the vast building resounded with the name of James A. Garfield. Another ballot was taken, and Garfield was found to be the chosen of his party. He was nominated as the Republican candidate; and on November 2, 1880, the "littl
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CHAPTER XX. LOOKING BACK.
CHAPTER XX. LOOKING BACK.
One of the pleasantest things in the story of Garfield is the devotion of friends and companions, which followed and helped him all his life. To an orphan lad, the son of a poor widow in the backwoods of the State of Ohio, there seemed little chance of greatness; and yet out of that poor cabin in the woods, in which sat the weeping mother and her four fatherless children, came one who was destined to stand among princes. It was the self-denial of his mother, elder brother, and sister which made
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The White House.
The White House.
This was the elder lad's answer to his mother's question, "Should they sell the farm now that her husband was dead?" and it decided her. And so the boy-farmer commenced his labours, and mother and children toiled together in humble and happy love. But though Thomas was compelled to work, he was determined that his baby brother should have an education. And when a school was opened some distance off, he resolved that "Jimmy" must be one of the scholars. But how was a lad of four to get to school
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