This is a story about a man whose life and adventures were as interesting as any story book. His name was Captain John Smith, and he was born in England over three hundred years ago. You will like to know something about him, 5 because he was one of the first Englishmen who came to live in this country.

After many adventures on sea and land, Captain John Smith set out with some men who were going to make their homes in Virginia. They 10 crossed the ocean and settled at a place which they called Jamestown, after the king of England.

At first these settlers had a hard time. They were not used to working in the fields; and Smith, who was one of their chief men, found it hard to 15 make them cut down trees and plant corn. They were often in need of food and always in danger of attacks from Indians.

One day Captain Smith started with an Indian guide to see the country and to look for food. He 20 was going along the forest path, when suddenly

an arrow whizzed through the air and the Indian war-cry rang in his ears.

The woods seemed to be filled with savages. Captain Smith saw that it would be useless to resist them. So he let them drag him off to their chief, the Powhatan.

Captain Smith was kept prisoner for some time. Then it was decided that he should be killed. The war clubs of the savages were already raised 10 over his head, when a little girl ran forward, threw

her arms about his neck, and begged them not to kill him. This was Pocahontas, the daughter of the Powhatan.

They tried to drag her away, but she begged 15 so hard for the white man's life that at last her prayer was granted and Smith's life was spared.

The Powhatan became so fond of his white prisoner that he wished to adopt him as his son. Soon the Indians allowed Captain Smith to go back to 20 his friends in Jamestown.

Once, when the Indians were again at war with the settlers, Pocahontas came at night and warned the white men that there was to be an attack.

When the savages came, they found the settlers ready to defend themselves.

Captain John Smith stayed in Virginia for a number of years, leading the settlers in the Indian fights and guiding them in their work. Then he 5 returned to England, and wrote books telling about his adventures.

Some years later he sailed again for America. This time he visited the northern coast, and gave the name of New England to that part of our coun-10 try. He died in England at the age of fifty-two.

Pocahontas married John Rolfe, a young Englishman. With him she visited England, where she was treated as a young princess. And to-day there are boys and girls in Virginia who can 15 say that they are descended from Pocahontas, the Indian princess, who lived more than three hundred years ago.

Pocahontas (Pō'ka hon'tas)

Powhatan (pow'hă tan): an Indian

word meaning great chief prayer (prâr): petition, entreaty savage (săv'āj): an uncivilized man

settlers (set'lerz): colonists

Virginia (Ver jin'i a): named in

honor of Elizabeth, the virgin queen whizzed (whizd): flew swiftly

This story is so famous that every boy and girl in the land is expected to know it. And yet, the students of history are not certain that it happened. Captain Smith was a brave and interesting man; but his accounts of his adventures do not always seem to be exact truth.

1. Does it tell about Jamestown and Captain John Smith in your history textbook? 2. What does it say? 3. Do you know what we mean by saying that Jamestown is the first permanent English settlement in America? 4. Did John Smith visit New England? 5. Where was the first permanent settlement made in New England? Who made it? 6. How does the story of Captain Smith. differ from the stories of Imaginary Travels (pp. 11-61)?

THE JACK-O'-LANTERN

The children had been working busily all day helping their father and mother with the harvesting. It would soon be Thanksgiving Day, and the nuts had to be gathered and stored away, the pumpkins and corn put into the barn, and the s apples cut, strung, and hung up to dry.

In the olden time, you see, the children had