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Page 9
Thus, at various points along the coast of New England, there were
communities of Englishmen. Though these communities were independent of
one another, yet they had a common dependence upon England; and, at so
vast a distance from their native home, the inhabitants must all have
felt like brethren. They were fitted to become one united people, at a
future period. Perhaps their feelings of brotherhood were the stronger,
because different nations had formed settlements to the north and to the
south. In Canada and Nova Scotia were colonies of French. On the banks
of the Hudson River was a colony of Dutch, who had taken possession of
that region many years before, and called it New Netherlands.
Grandfather, for aught I know, might have gone on to speak of Maryland
and Virginia; for the good old gentleman really seemed to suppose, that
the whole surface of the United States was not too broad a foundation to
place the four legs of his chair upon. But, happening to glance at
Charley, he perceived that this naughty boy was growing impatient, and
meditating another ride upon a stick. So here, for the present,
Grandfather suspended the history of his chair.
CHAPTER V.
The Children had now learned to look upon the chair with an interest,
which was almost the same as if it were a conscious being, and could
remember the many famous people whom it had held within its arms.
Even Charley, lawless as he was, seemed to feel that this venerable
chair must not be clambered upon nor overturned, although he had no
scruple in taking such liberties with every other chair in the house.
Clara treated it with still greater reverence, often taking occasion to
smooth its cushion, and to brush the dust from the carved flowers and
grotesque figures of its oaken back and arms. Laurence would sometimes
sit a whole hour, especially at twilight, gazing at the chair, and, by
the spell of his imaginations, summoning up its ancient occupants to
appear in it again.
Little Alice evidently employed herself in a similar way; for once, when
Grandfather had gone abroad, the child was heard talking with the gentle
Lady Arbella, as if she were still sitting in the chair. So sweet a
child as little Alice may fitly talk with angels, such as the Lady
Arbella had long since become.
Grandfather was soon importuned for more stories about the chair. He
had no difficulty in relating them; for it really seemed as if every
person, noted in our early history, had, on some occasion or other,
found repose within its comfortable arms. If Grandfather took pride in
any thing, it was in being the possessor of such an honorable and
historic elbow chair.
"I know not precisely who next got possession of the chair, after
Governor Vane went back to England," said Grandfather. "But there is
reason to believe that President Dunster sat in it, when he held the
first commencement at Harvard College. You have often heard, children,
how careful our forefathers were, to give their young people a good
education. They had scarcely cut down trees enough to make room for
their own dwellings, before they began to think of establishing a
college. Their principal object was, to rear up pious and learned
ministers; and hence old writers call Harvard College a school of the
prophets."
"Is the college a school of the prophets now?" asked Charley.
"It is a long while since I took my degree, Charley. You must ask some
of the recent graduates," answered Grandfather. "As I was telling you,
President Dunster sat in Grandfather's chair in 1642, when he conferred
the degree of bachelor of arts on nine young men. They were the first in
America, who had received that honor. And now, my dear auditors, I must
confess that there are contradictory statements and some uncertainty
about the adventures of the chair, for a period of almost ten years.
Some say that it was occupied by your own ancestor, William Hawthorne,
first Speaker of the House of Representatives. I have nearly satisfied
myself, however, that, during most of this questionable period, it was
literally the Chair of State. It gives me much pleasure to imagine, that
several successive governors of Massachusetts sat in it at the council
board."
"But, Grandfather," interposed Charley, who was a matter-of-fact little
person, "what reason have you to imagine so?"
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