Littleboy，dramatically：“Andbangthemonitorsank！”
Littlegirl。“Itdidn’tdoanysuchthing。Mymonitoralwaysgoestobedatseven，andit’snowquarterpast。Mymonitorwasinbedandcouldn’tsink！”
WhenIwasAssistantSecretaryoftheNavy，LeonardWoodandIusedoftentocombineforcesandtakebothfamiliesofchildrenouttowalk，andoccasionallysomeoftheirplaymates。LeonardWood’sson，I
found，attributedthepaternityofallofthosenotofhisownfamilytome。OnceweweretakingthechildrenacrossRockCreekonafallentree。Iwasstandingonthemiddleofthelogtryingtopreventanyofthechildrenfromfallingoff，andwhilemakingaclutchatonepeculiarlyactiveandheedlesschildIfelloffmyself。AsIemergedfromthewaterIheardthelittleWoodboycallingfranticallytotheGeneral：“Oh！oh！Thefatherofallthechildrenfellintothecreek！”——
whichmademefeellikeanuncommonlymoistpatriarch。OfcoursethechildrentookmuchinterestinthetrophiesIoccasionallybroughtbackfrommyhunts。WhenIstartedformyregiment，in’98，thestressofleavinghome，whichwasnaturallynotpleasant，wassomewhatlightenedbythenexttotheyoungestboy，whoseideasofwhatwasabouttohappenwerehazy，claspingmeroundthelegswithabeamingsmileandsaying，“Andismyfathergoingtothewar？Andwillhebringmebackabear？”When，somefivemonthslater，Ireturned，ofcourseinmyuniform，thislittleboywasmuchpuzzledastomyidentity，althoughhegreetedmeaffablywith“Goodafternoon，Colonel。”Halfanhourlatersomebodyaskedhim，“Where’sfather？”towhichheresponded，“Idon’tknow；buttheColonelistakingabath。”
Ofcoursethechildrenanthropomorphized——ifthatistheproperterm——
theirfriendsoftheanimalworld。Amongthesefriendsatoneperiodwasthebaker’shorse，andonaveryrainydayIheardthelittlegirl，whowaslookingoutofthewindow，say，withamelancholyshakeofherhead，“Oh！there’spoorKraft’shorse，allsoppin’wet！”
WhileIwasintheWhiteHousetheyoungestboybecamean/habitue/ofasmallandrathernoisomeanimalshop，andthegood-naturedownerwouldoccasionallylethimtakepetshometoplaywith。OnoneoccasionIwasholdingaconversationwithoneoftheleadersinCongress，UnclePeteHepburn，abouttheRailroadRateBill。Thechildrenwerestrictlytrainednottointerruptbusiness，butonthisparticularoccasionthelittleboy’sfeelingsovercamehim。Hehadbeenloanedaking-snake，which，asallnature-loversknow，isnotonlyausefulbutabeautifulsnake，veryfriendlytohumanbeings；
andhecamerushinghometoshowthetreasure。Hewasholdingitinsidehiscoat，anditcontrivedtowigglepartlydownthesleeve。
UnclePeteHepburnnaturallydidnotunderstandthefullimportofwhatthelittleboywassayingtomeasheendeavoredtowriggleoutofhisjacket，andkindlystartedtohelphim——andthenjumpedbackwithalacrityasthesmallboyandthesnakebothpoppedoutofthejacket。
Therecouldbenohealthierandpleasanterplaceinwhichtobringupchildrenthaninthatnookofold-timeAmericaaroundSagamoreHill。
CertainlyIneverknewsmallpeopletohaveabettertimeorabettertrainingfortheirworkinafterlifethanthethreefamiliesofcousinsatSagamoreHill。Itwasrealcountry，and——speakingfromthesomewhatdetachedpointofviewofthemasculineparent——Ishouldsaytherewasjustthepropermixtureoffreedomandcontrolinthemanagementofthechildren。Theywereneverallowedtobedisobedientortoshirklessonsorwork；andtheywereencouragedtohaveallthefunpossible。Theyoftenwentbarefoot，especiallyduringthemanyhourspassedinvariousenthrallingpursuitsalongandinthewatersofthebay。Theyswam，theytramped，theyboated，theycoastedandskatedinwinter，theywereintimatefriendswiththecows，chickens，pigs，andotherlivestock。Theyhadinsuccessiontwoponies，GeneralGrantand，whentheGeneral’slegsbecamesuchthathelaydowntoooftenandtoounexpectedlyintheroad，acalicoponynamedAlgonquin，whoisstilllivingalifeofhonorableleisureinthestableandinthepasture——wherehehastobepicketed，becauseotherwisehechasesthecows。SedateponyGrantusedtodrawthecartinwhichthechildrenwentdrivingwhentheywereverysmall，thedriverbeingtheiroldnurseMame，whohadheldtheirmotherinherarmswhenshewasborn，andwhowasknittothembyatieascloseasanytieofblood。IdoubtwhetherIeversawMamereallyoffendedwiththemexceptoncewhen，outofpurebutmisunderstoodaffection，theynamedapigafterher。TheylovedponyGrant。OnceIsawthethenlittleboyofthreehuggingponyGrant’sforelegs。Asheleanedover，hisbroadstrawhattiltedonend，andponyGrantmeditativelymunchedthebrim；
whereuponthesmallboylookedupwithawailofanguish，evidentlythinkingtheponyhaddecidedtotreathimlikearadish。
Thechildrenhadpetsoftheirown，too，ofcourse。Amongthemguineapigswerethestand-bys——theirhighlyunemotionalnaturefitsthemforcompanionshipwithadoringbutover-enthusiasticyoungmastersandmistresses。Thentherewereflyingsquirrels，andkangaroorats，gentleandtrustful，andabadgerwhosetemperwasshortbutwhosenaturewasfundamentallyfriendly。Thebadger’snamewasJosiah；theparticularlittleboywhosepropertyhewasusedtocarryhimabout，claspedfirmlyaroundwhatwouldhavebeenhiswaistifhehadhadany。Inasmuchaswhenonthegroundthebadgerwouldplayenergeticgamesoftagwiththelittleboyandniphisbarelegs，Isuggestedthatitwouldbeuncommonlydisagreeableifhetookadvantageofbeingheldinthelittleboy’sarmstobitehisface；butthissuggestionwasrepelledwithscornasanunworthyassaultonthecharacterofJosiah。“Hebiteslegssometimes，butheneverbitesfaces。”saidthelittleboy。WealsohadayoungblackbearwhomthechildrenchristenedJonathanEdwards，partlyoutofcomplimenttotheirmother，whowasdescendedfromthatgreatPuritandivine，andpartlybecausethebearpossessedatemperinwhichgloomandstrengthwerecombinedinwhatthechildrenregardedasCalvinisticproportions。Asforthedogs，ofcoursethereweremany，andduringtheirlivestheywereintimateandvaluedfamilyfriends，andtheirdeathswerehouseholdtragedies。Oneofthem，alargeyellowanimalofseveralgoodbreedsandvaluableratherbecauseofpsychicalthanphysicaltraits，wasnamed“Susan“byhissmallowners，incommemorationofanotherretainer，awhitecow；thefactthatthecowandthedogwerenotofthesamesexbeingtreatedwithindifference。MuchthemostindividualofthedogsandtheonewiththestrongestcharacterwasSailorBoy，aChesapeakeBaydog。Hehadamasterfultemperandastrongsenseofbothdignityandduty。Hewouldneverlettheotherdogsfight，andhehimselfneverfoughtunlesscircumstancesimperativelydemandedit；
buthewasamurderousanimalwhenhedidfight。Hewasnotonlyexceedinglyfondofthewater，aswastobeexpected，butpassionatelydevotedtogunpowderineveryform，forhelovedfirearmsandfairlyreveledintheFourthofJulycelebrations——thelatterbeingratherhazardousoccasions，asthechildrenstronglyobjectedtoany“safeandsane“elementbeinginjectedintothem，andhadthenormalnumberofcloseshaveswithrockets，Romancandles，andfirecrackers。
Oneofthestand-bysforenjoyment，especiallyinrainyweather，wastheoldbarn。Thishadbeenbuiltnearlyacenturypreviously，andwasasdelightfulasonlythepleasantestkindofoldbarncanbe。Itstoodatthemeeting-spotofthreefences。Afavoriteamusementusedtobeanobstacleracewhenthebarnwasfullofhay。Thecontestantsweretimedandwerestartedsuccessivelyfromoutsidethedoor。Theyrushedinside，clamberedoverorburrowedthroughthehay，assuitedthembest，droppedoutofaplacewherealooseboardhadcomeoff，gotover，through，orunderthethreefences，andracedbacktothestarting-point。Whentheywerelittle，theirrespectivefatherswereexpectedalsototakepartintheobstaclerace，andwhenwiththeadvanceofyearsthefathersfinallyrefusedtobecontestants，therewasageneralfeelingofpainedregretamongthechildrenatsuchadeclineinthesportingspirit。
AnotherfamousplaceforhandicapraceswasCooper’sBluff，agiganticsand-bankrisingfromtheedgeofthebay，amilefromthehouse。Ifthetidewashightherewasanaddedthrill，forsomeofthecontestantsweresuretorunintothewater。
AssoonasthelittleboyslearnedtoswimtheywereallowedtogooffbythemselvesinrowboatsandcampoutforthenightalongtheSound。
SometimesIwouldgoalongsoastotakethesmallerchildren。Onceaschoonerwaswreckedonapointhalfadozenmilesaway。Sheheldtogetherwellforaseasonortwoafterhavingbeenclearedofeverythingdowntothetimbers，andthisgaveusthechancetomakecamping-outtripsinwhichthegirlscouldalsobeincluded，forweputthemtosleepinthewreck，whiletheboyssleptontheshore；
squawpicnics，thechildrencalledthem。
Mychildren，whenyoung，wenttothepublicschoolnearus，thelittleCoveSchool，asitiscalled。FornearlythirtyyearswehavegiventheChristmastreetotheschool。BeforethegiftsaredistributedI
amexpectedtomakeanaddress，whichisalwaysmercifullyshort，myownchildrenhavingimpresseduponmewithfranksinceritytheattitudeofotherchildrentoaddressesofthiskindonsuchoccasions。Thereareofcourseperformancesbythechildrenthemselves，whileallofusparentslookadmiringlyon，eachsympathizingwithhisorherparticularoffspringinthesomewhatwoodenrecitalof“DariusGreenandhisFlyingMachine“or“TheMountainandtheSquirrelhadaQuarrel。”Butthetreeandthegiftsmakeupforallshortcomings。
Wehadasleighforwinter；butif，whentherewasmuchsnow，thewholefamilydesiredtogosomewhere，wewouldputthebodyofthefarmwagononrunnersandallbundleintogether。WealwayslikedsnowatChristmastime，andthesleigh-ridedowntothechurchonChristmaseve。OneofthehymnsalwayssungatthisChristmasevefestivalbegins，“It’sChristmaseveontheriver，it’sChristmaseveonthebay。”Allgoodnativesofthevillagefirmlybelievethatthishymnwaswrittenhere，andwithdirectreferencetoOysterBay；althoughifsuchwerethecasetheword“river“wouldhavetobetakeninahyperbolicsense，asthenearestapproachtoariveristhevillagepond。Iusedtosharethisbeliefmyself，untilmyfaithwasshakenbyaDenverladywhowrotethatshehadsungthathymnwhenachildinMichigan，andthatatthepresenttimeherlittleDenverbabiesalsolovedit，althoughintheircasetheriverwasnotrepresentedbyevenavillagepond。
WhenwewereinWashington，thechildrenusuallywentwiththeirmothertotheEpiscopalchurch，whileIwenttotheDutchReformed。
Butifanychildmisbehaveditself，itwassometimessentnextSundaytochurchwithme，onthetheorythatmycompanionshipwouldhaveasedativeeffect——whichitdid，asIandthechildwalkedalongwithratherconstrainedpoliteness，eacheyingtheotherwithwatchfulreadinessfortheunexpected。Ononeoccasion，whenthechild’sconductfelljustshortofwarrantingsuchextrememeasures，hismother，astheywereonthepointofenteringchurch，concludedahomilybyaquotationwhichshowedacertainhazinessofmemoryconcerningthemarriageandbaptismalservices：“No，littleboy，ifthisconductcontinues，Ishallthinkthatyouneitherlove，honor，norobeyme！”However，theculpritwasmuchimpressedwithasenseofshortcomingastotheobligationshehadundertaken；sotheresultwasassatisfactoryasifthequotationhadbeenfromtherightservice。
Asfortheeducationofthechildren，therewasofcoursemuchofitthatrepresenteddownrighthardworkanddrudgery。Therewasalsomuchtrainingthatcameasaby-productandwasperhapsalmostasvaluable——notasasubstitutebutasanaddition。Aftertheirsupper，thechildren，whenlittle，wouldcometrottinguptotheirmother’sroomtobereadto，anditwasalwaysasurprisetometonoticetheextremelyvariedreadingwhichinterestedthem，fromHowardPyle’s“RobinHood。”MaryAliciaOwen’s“VoodooTales。”andJoelChandlerHarris’s“AaronintheWildWoods。”to“Lycides“and“KingJohn。”Iftheirmotherwasabsent，Iwouldtrytoactasvice-mother——apoorsubstitute，Ifear——superintendingthesupperandreadingaloudafterwards。Thechildrendidnotwishmetoreadthebookstheydesiredtheirmothertoread，andIusuallytooksomesuchbookas“HerewardtheWake。”or“GuyMannering。”or“TheLastoftheMohicans“
orelsesomestoryaboutaman-eatingtiger，oraman-eatinglion，fromoneofthehuntingbooksinmylibrary。Theselatterstorieswerealwaysfavorites，andastheauthorstoldtheminthefirstperson，myinterestedauditorsgrewtoknowthembythenameofthe“I“stories，andregardedthemasadventuresallofwhichhappenedtothesameindividual。WhenSelous，theAfricanhunter，visitedus，Ihadtogethimtotelltotheyoungerchildrentwoorthreeofthestorieswithwhichtheywerealreadyfamiliarfrommyreading；andasSelousisamostgraphicnarrator，andalwaysentersthoroughlyintothefeelingnotonlyofhimselfbutoftheopposinglionorbuffalo，myownrenderingoftheincidentswascastentirelyintotheshade。
Besidesprofitingbythemorecanonicalbooksoneducation，weprofitedbycertainessaysandarticlesofalessorthodoxtype。I
wishtoexpressmywarmestgratitudeforsuchbooks——notofavowedlydidacticpurpose——asLauraRichards’sbooks，JosephineDodgeDaskam’s“MadnessofPhilip。”PalmerCox’s“QueerPeople。”themelodiesofFatherGooseandMotherWildGoose，Flandreau’s“Mrs。White’s。”MyraKelly’sstoriesofherlittleEastSidepupils，andMichelson’s“Madigans。”Itiswelltotakeduties，andlifegenerally，seriously。