Our first century: being a popular descriptive portraiture of the one hundred great and memorable events of perpetual interest in the history of our country, political, military, mechanical, social, scientific and commercial: embracing also delineations of all the great historic characters celebrated in the annals of the republic; men of heroism, statesmanship, genius, oratory, adventure and philanthropy . nthe forenoon, all business was suspendedthroughout the city, and the old bellmansteadily remained at his post in the steeple,prepared to sound forth to the waitingmultitudes the expected gl
Our first century: being a popular descriptive portraiture of the one hundred great and memorable events of perpetual interest in the history of our country, political, military, mechanical, social, scientific and commercial: embracing also delineations of all the great historic characters celebrated in the annals of the republic; men of heroism, statesmanship, genius, oratory, adventure and philanthropy . nthe forenoon, all business was suspendedthroughout the city, and the old bellmansteadily remained at his post in the steeple,prepared to sound forth to the waitingmultitudes the expected glad tidings. Hehad even stationed a boy at the door of thehall below, to give immediate signal of theturn of events. This bell, manufactured felt such a professional pride, the electri-fied old patriot rung forth such a joyouspeal as was never heard before, nor ceasedto hurl it backward and forward, till everyvoice joined in its notes of gladness andtriumph. The roar of cannon, and illu-minations from every house and hill-top,added to these demonstrations of uni-versal rejoicing. And this was the type of that exultationwhich ever^where manifested itself, as thenews spread with lightning rapidity fromcity to city and from State to State. EveryAmerican patriot regarded the declarationby congress as the noble performance ofan act which had become inevitable; andthe paper itself as the complete vindica-. H.\LL OF ISDEPENDEXCE, PHILADELPHIA, 1776. in England, bore upon its ample curve thenow prophetic inscription, Proclaim lib-erty throughout all the land unto all theinhabitants thereof. Hours passed on,and fear began to take the place of hopein many a heart; even the venerable andalways cheerful bellman was overheard inhis despondent solilotpv, They will neverdo it! they will never do it! Finally,at about two oclock in the afternoon,the door of the mysterious hall swungopen, and-a voice exclaimed, Passed!—it has passed ! The word was caught upby ten thousand glad mouths, and thewa
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookpublishersprin, bookyear1876
