that had no wiues to ioyne with some Families, so that we might build fewer houses."

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Each house was

Solid, substantial, of timber rough-hewn from the firs of the forest.

Wooden-barred was the door, and the roof was covered with rushes;

Latticed the windows were, and the window-panes were

of paper,

Oiled to admit the light, while wind and rain were excluded."

Each house and a considerable piece of ground for a garden they enclosed with a strong fence. As soon as the house was finished, the church, or meeting-house, was built. Finally a high, stout

against the Indians, and to keep the cattle from straying.

A company of soldiers was organized to protect

them from the Indians; Miles Standish, a brave soldier, was made captain. On the roof of the meeting-house they placed a cannon to help guard the town, but the Indians were so thoroughly terrified by the firearms of the English, that the people of Plymouth were not disturbed by them for many years.

During the first four months after their landing, nearly one half of the people died because of the severity of the climate, and because of a lack of food. But even this did not discourage the rest.

The Pilgrims levelled the graves, and in the spring planted the ground above to hide them from the Indians. They did not want the savages to see how weak they were, and how easily they might be destroyed.

"Green above them is growing the field of wheat we have sown there;

Better to hide from the Indian scouts the graves of our people,

Lest they should count them and see how many already have perished."

As soon as the spring came, they began to till the ground. They worked so hard that abundant crops were raised, so that they had no fear of famine for the coming winter.

"Month after month passed away, and in autumn came the ships of the merchants,

Came with kindred and friends, with cattle and corn for the Pilgrims.

All in the village was peace; the men were intent on their labors,

Busy with hewing and building, with garden-plot and with merestead,

Busy with breaking the glebe, and mowing the grass in the meadows,

Searching the sea for its fish, and hunting the deer in the forest."

But some seasons the crops were not so successful. About three years after their settlement, one of the Pilgrims wrote the description of their trials:

"Not knowing at night when to have a bit in the morning, and having neither bread nor corn for three or four months together, yet bear our wants with cheerfulness.

"Having but one boat left, we divide the men into several companies, six or seven in each, who take their turn and go out with a net and fish, and return not till they get some, though they may be five or six days out, knowing there is nothing at home, and to return would simply be a great discouragement.

"When they stay long, or get but little, the rest go a-digging shell-fish; and thus we live the summer, only sending one or two to range the woods for deer; they now and then get one, which we divide among the company, and in winter are helped with fowl and ground-nuts."

Soon after this, however, they learned how to cultivate the Indian corn, and after that they not only had enough corn for themselves, but had some to trade with the Indians for furs.

But when you remember that, at this time, a voyage to England took two or three months each way, you will see that the settlers had to depend upon their new country for nearly every comfort and necessity. As you have read, they built their houses of the logs which they cut down in the forests. They depended for food upon their own crops and cattle. Even much of the cloth they wore was spun and woven from the wool clipped from their own sheep.

I am sure, now, you would like to know something about the appearance and manners of these heroic Englishmen, who gave up their comfortable homes in England, and endured all these terrible hardships I have told you of, just that they might govern themselves and worship God in the way they thought right. If you could see them, as they

really looked, you would probably think "How grave and stern they are!" And so they were.

When not at work, they spent much time in reading the Bible or other religious books, or in talking about what they had read. They did not think that they could be good, and gay and joyous too. The little children were grave, too, because they were not allowed to play lively and delightful games as you are. I am sure you would have been pleased if you could have seen inside one of their houses. They were so very clean and neat, and everything was in such beautiful order.

"Our Puritan fathers, stern and good,

Had never a holiday;

Sober and earnest seemed life to them,

They only stopped to pray.

"And the little Puritan maidens learned,
Their catechism through;

And spun their stints, and wove themselves,
Their garments of homely blue.

"At Christmas eve in the chimney place,
There was never a stocking hung;

There never was woven a Christmas wreath;
There was never a carol sung.