align="left">invincible purpose

251-259     CHAPTER XXV.   EULOGY BY JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.   Working on the mill-dam—news of the eulogy on Madison—how much he would sacrifice to hear him—general regard for personal appearance—goes in his workshop dress—a view of him in the crowd—talk in the machine-shop—Nat back again—his views of the eulogy—conversation—his leading traits of character seen here 260-265     CHAPTER XXVI.   THE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.   Beginning of the total abstinence movement—Nat espouses the cause—talk with his companions about forming a society—James Cole opposes—making a beast of one's self—the gutter theory—customary for youth to drink then—drinking usages—the decision to organize a society—preparations—evening of the organization—Nat's speech and presentation of constitution—the choice of officers—Frank Martin president, and Charlie Stone secretary—important event for that time—sensation in the village—scene in a grog-shop—signing away liberty—Nat invited to give a lecture before the society—the decision and firmness required then to advocate total abstinence 266-276     CHAPTER XXVII.   THE TEMPERANCE LECTURE.   News of the lecture flies—scene in Miles's grog-shop—the rumseller resolves to go—a crowd to hear the lecture—"The Fifteen Gallon Law" was his subject—portrayed the evils of intemperance—showed that the proposed law would remove the evil among the poor—showed that it introduced no new principle of legislation—discussed other topics—the lecture gained him much applause—the rumseller Miles was reached and resolved to quit selling liquor—Johnson his customer attacking him next morning—their battle of words—the result—delivered the lecture in neighboring towns—delivered others at home 277-286     CHAPTER XXVIII.   SPEECH-MAKING.   Nat's position—worked for it—bobbin boy father of the orator—so with other men—Sir James Mackintosh—Audubon—Benjamin West—Eli Whitney, and what his sister said—poem of Longfellow—interest in politics—urged to address political bodies—conversation with Charlie—decides to speak—does so at home and abroad—the adventure of a political committee, and a good joke—Nat's speech and their arrangement 287-297     CHAPTER XXIX.   THE EARLY VICTIM.   News that James Cole is frozen—Frank's version of the affair—made drunk at a grog-shop—lay senseless in the street all night—his previous character—his good abilities—all sorts of rumors abroad—he revives, but is still very sick—what the physician says—nearly three months pass—a funeral described—the last of James Cole—the sexton's view—the youthful drunkard's grave 298-304     CHAPTER XXX.   THE END.   A quarter of a century passed—what and where is Nat and his associates—the drunkard—Sam and Ben Drake in prison—power of early vicious habits—Frank Martin at the head of a public institution—Charlie Stone agent of one of the wealthiest and best known manufacturing companies of New England—Marcus Treat a highly distinguished lawyer in his adopted State—Nat governor of the best State in the Union—the change—appeal to youth 305-310

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CHAPTER I.

A GOOD BEGINNING.

A little patch of ground enclosed by a fence, a few adjacent trees, Nat with his hoe in hand, his father giving directions, on one of the brightest May mornings that was ever greeted by the carol of birds, are the scenes that open to our view.

"There, Nat, if you plant and hoe your squashes with care, you will raise a nice parcel of them on this piece of ground. It is good soil for squashes."

"How many seeds shall I put into a hill?" inquired Nat.

"Seven or eight. It is well to put in enough, as some of them may not come up, and when they get to growing well, pull up all but four in a hill. You must not have your hills too near together,—they should be five feet apart, and then the vines will cover the ground all over. I should think there would be room for fifty hills on this patch of ground."