5

GRANDFATHER'S CHAIR

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

How NEW ENGLAND WAS GOVERNED

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 or 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 10 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 imagination summoning up its ancient occupants to appear in it again.

Little Alice evidently employed herself in a similar way, for 15 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 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 Grand5 father took pride in anything, 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 10 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 15 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 20 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 25 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 30 me much pleasure to imagine that several successive governors of Massachusetts sat in it at the council board."

35

"But, Grandfather," interposed Charley, who was a matterof-fact little person, "what reason have you to imagine so?"

"Pray do imagine it, Grandfather," said Laurence.

"With Charley's permission I will," replied Grandfather, smiling. "Let us consider it settled, therefore, that Winthrop, Bellingham, Dudley, and Endicott, each of them, when chosen

governor, took his seat in our great chair on Election day. In this chair, likewise, did those excellent governors preside while holding consultation with the chief councilors of the province, who were styled assistants. The governor sat in this chair, too, 5 whenever messages were brought to him from the chamber of Representatives."

And here Grandfather took occasion to talk rather tediously about the nature and forms of government that established themselves almost spontaneously in Massachusetts and the other New 10 England colonies. Democracies were the natural growth of the new world. As to Massachusetts, it was at first intended that the colony should be governed by a council in London. But in a little while the people had the whole power in their own hands, and chose annually the governor, the councilors, and the repre15 sentatives. The people of Old England had never enjoyed anything like the liberties and privileges which the settlers of New England now possessed. And they did not adopt these modes of government after long study, but in simplicity, as if there were no other way for people to be ruled.

20

"But, Laurence," continued Grandfather, "when you want instruction on these points you must seek it in Mr. Bancroft's History. I am merely telling the history of a chair. To proceed. The period during which the governors sat in our chair was not very full of striking incidents. The province was now 25 established on a secure foundation, but it did not increase so rapidly as at first, because the Puritans were no longer driven from England by persecution. However, there was still a quiet and natural growth. The legislature incorporated towns and made new purchases of lands from the Indians. A very mem30 orable event took place in 1643. The colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven formed a union for the purpose of assisting each other in difficulties, for mutual defense against their enemies. They called themselves the United Colonies of New England."

35 "Were they under a government like that of the United States?" inquired Laurence.

"No," replied Grandfather; "the different colonies did not

compose one nation together; it was merely a confederacy among the governments. It somewhat resembled the league of the Amphictyons, which you remember in Grecian history. But to return to our chair. In 1644 it was highly honored, for Governor Endiscott sat in it when he gave audience to an ambassador from the French governor of Acadia, or Nova Scotia. A treaty of peace between Massachusetts and the French colony was then signed." "Did England allow Massachusetts to make war and peace with foreign countries?" asked Laurence.

10

"Massachusetts and the whole of New England were then almost independent of the mother country," said Grandfather. "There was now a civil war in England, and the King, as you may well suppose, had his hands full at home, and could pay but little attention to these remote colonies. When the Parliament got 15 the power into their hands they likewise had enough to do in keeping down the Cavaliers. Thus New England, like a young and hardy lad whose father and mother neglect it, was left to take care of itself. In 1646, King Charles was beheaded. Oliver Cromwell then became Protector of England, and, as he was a 20 Puritan himself and had risen by the valor of the English Puritans, he showed himself a loving and indulgent father to the Puritan colonies in America."

Grandfather might have continued to talk in this dull manner nobody knows how long, but, suspecting that Charley would find 25 the subject rather dry, he looked sidewise at that vivacious little fellow and saw him give an involuntary yawn. Whereupon Grandfather proceeded with the history of the chair, and related a very entertaining incident which will be found in the next chapter.

NOTES AND QUESTIONS

Biography. Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was a master of the short story as a means for interpreting character. His ancestors were men of action-soldiers, seamen, and public officials. But he was unlike them; all his life he was a dreamer who loved solitude better than society. The subject of his dreaming was human character, particularly the character of the Puritan founders of New England. He told many legends of colonial times, some of them portraying the stern methods of Governor Endicott,

or telling a humorous story of the Pine-Tree Shillings, or recounting the weird story of the old gray champion who defied Governor Andros. But besides these legends he wrote stories, visions of life in which one can scarcely draw the line between reality and illusion; stories of lovers who sought vainly for happiness; stories of a great stone face on the mountain side, and what it signified. Somewhat longer than these tales-Twice Told Tales he called them-are his romances, such as The Scarlet Letter, and The House of the Seven Gables. Besides his longer romances he popularized New England history in the form of stories for children. From one such book, Grandfather's Chair, these stories have been taken.

Discussion. 1. What can you tell of the character of each of the children, Charley, Clara, Laurence, and Alice, from their treatment of the chair? 2. What interesting facts did you learn about Harvard College and President Dunster? 3. Mention some of the famous governors that sat in Grandfather's chair. 4. What does Grandfather mean by saying that "democracies were the natural growth of the new world"? 5. Tell about the union known as the United Colonies of New England. 6. What famous governor sat in the chair in 1644? 7. What was the occasion? 8. Why was Oliver Cromwell friendly to the colonies? 9. State three interesting facts which you have learned regarding the government of New England. 10. Pronounce the following: grotesque; importuned; tediously; spontaneously; memorable; vivacious.

a conscious being, 345, 2 venerable chair, 345, 6 grotesque figures, 345, 10 ancient occupants, 345, 13 took my degree, 346, 18

Phrases

council board, 346, 31

striking incidents, 347, 24

gave audience, 348, 5

league of the Amphictyons, 348, 2 indulgent father, 348, 21

THE PINE-TREE SHILLINGS

"According to the most authentic records, my dear children," said Grandfather, "the chair about this time had the misfortune to break its leg. It was probably on account of this accident that it ceased to be the seat of the governors of Massachusetts, for, 5 assuredly, it would have been ominous of evil to the commonwealth if the chair of state had tottered upon three legs. Being therefore sold at auction-alas! what a vicissitude for a chair that had figured in such high company!-our venerable friend was knocked down to a certain Captain John Hull. This old