PREFACE.

It is not the intention of these stories of Historic Americans to go into the details of the lives and public services of each. It has, rather, been the desire of the author to touch briefly upon their careers, but to indicate, by the story or pen-picture of some pivotal event, the chief characteristic or impulse that led each man along the way of patriotism.

66

snap

There are published lives, in plenty, of these Historic Americans. Cyclopædias and biographical dictionaries give all needed dates, statistics, and summaries; but if these brief glimpses shots," as it were, at our grandest Americans— shall arouse anew an interest in our greatest fellow-countrymen, or shall lead the boys and girls of the Republic to familiarize themselves with the more extended life-stories of the noblest figures in the gallery of America's worthies, the purpose of this book will have been fully answered. It might better be called Scenes from the Lives of the Builders and Makers of the Republic.

BOSTON, February, 1899.

ELBRIDGE S. BROOKS.