Read My Brother's Keeper My America 1 for Free Online Page A
Authors: Mary Pope Osborne
once something wonderful had happened.
I quickly drew a little house on my map of Washington, D.C. I labeled it "Our House,"
90
then drew four tiny people: Me, Pa, Jed, and Jane Ellen.
November 15, 1863
Late afternoon. I am sitting on Cemetery Hill.
A cold wind is sweeping over the grass. Finally the odor of death has left our town.
In a few days, more than 15,000 people are expected to be here for the dedication ceremony.
Sadly, Jed will not be able to attend. He has a cold. The doctor does not want him to risk getting pneumonia.
I burst into tears at the news that Jed would not be able to see President Lincoln. He tried to cheer me up. He told me he needed me to be his eyes and ears again. He told me to
91
take my journal and write about the whole ceremony for him.
November 17, 1863
Today, we were dismissed from school so we could help clean and sweep the town for tomorrow's ceremony.
I pray I can get close enough to President Lincoln to write about him for Jed. I have learned that he will be staying at Judge Wills's house tomorrow night. Judge Wills's house is on the square, across from the Globe Hotel.
November 18, 1863
Pa and I are standing in the twilight, outside Judge Wills' house.
President Lincoln arrived a few minutes
92
ago. But the crowd was so thick we could not get close to him.
Pa held me up for a moment, so I could see the President step out of his carriage.
He is very tall with a black beard. His face has deep wrinkles.
He walked slowly, not looking at anyone. I watched him go into Judge Wills's house. Then the door was shut.
The crowd waited in the chilly dark and sang songs below his window.
An hour later
It is dark and cold now. People are still singing. Pa and I are still here, waiting. We are hoping the President will come out again.
93
Later still
The President is still inside the house. Pa thinks we should go home. He says that President Lincoln has likely retired for the night. He says the President must be giving deep thought to the words he will say tomorrow.
November 19, 1863
It is 10:30 in the morning. A heavy fog clouds the sky.
President Abraham Lincoln left Judge Wills's house a half hour ago. He is now riding a dark mare down Baltimore Street.
Following the President are Governor Curtin, two military bands, and many soldiers on foot and horseback.
The President is dressed in black and wears a high, silk hat.
94
I am standing now with the McCullys, Jane Ellen, and Pa in the grass near the speaker's stand at the National Soldiers' Cemetery.
The sun is starting to shine through the clouds.
President Lincoln is seated. He looks very serious. He must feel the weight of the world upon him.
The Honorable Edward Everett is starting to speak. The crowd has grown perfectly silent.
Later
Mr. Everett is still speaking.
Later
Mr. Everett is still speaking.
95
My goodness, Mr. Everett has been speaking for almost two hours!
Later
Hurrah! Finally Mr. Everett is sitting down. The band plays music. Now it is President Lincoln's turn to speak. He puts on his glasses. He takes a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.
He stands up. He looks at us. He speaks.
Later
President Lincoln's speech was very short.
When he finished, the crowd was a bit slow to applaud. I am not sure everyone understood that the President's speech was over.
96
But slowly the applause began to grow, until it was like a mighty wave.
I know you would have loved President Lincoln's speech, Jed. It was short. But it was honest and powerful. Just the way you told me to write.
November 20, 1863
The newspaper printed all of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. These are the lines I love the best:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now
I quickly drew a little house on my map of Washington, D.C. I labeled it "Our House,"
90
then drew four tiny people: Me, Pa, Jed, and Jane Ellen.
November 15, 1863
Late afternoon. I am sitting on Cemetery Hill.
A cold wind is sweeping over the grass. Finally the odor of death has left our town.
In a few days, more than 15,000 people are expected to be here for the dedication ceremony.
Sadly, Jed will not be able to attend. He has a cold. The doctor does not want him to risk getting pneumonia.
I burst into tears at the news that Jed would not be able to see President Lincoln. He tried to cheer me up. He told me he needed me to be his eyes and ears again. He told me to
91
take my journal and write about the whole ceremony for him.
November 17, 1863
Today, we were dismissed from school so we could help clean and sweep the town for tomorrow's ceremony.
I pray I can get close enough to President Lincoln to write about him for Jed. I have learned that he will be staying at Judge Wills's house tomorrow night. Judge Wills's house is on the square, across from the Globe Hotel.
November 18, 1863
Pa and I are standing in the twilight, outside Judge Wills' house.
President Lincoln arrived a few minutes
92
ago. But the crowd was so thick we could not get close to him.
Pa held me up for a moment, so I could see the President step out of his carriage.
He is very tall with a black beard. His face has deep wrinkles.
He walked slowly, not looking at anyone. I watched him go into Judge Wills's house. Then the door was shut.
The crowd waited in the chilly dark and sang songs below his window.
An hour later
It is dark and cold now. People are still singing. Pa and I are still here, waiting. We are hoping the President will come out again.
93
Later still
The President is still inside the house. Pa thinks we should go home. He says that President Lincoln has likely retired for the night. He says the President must be giving deep thought to the words he will say tomorrow.
November 19, 1863
It is 10:30 in the morning. A heavy fog clouds the sky.
President Abraham Lincoln left Judge Wills's house a half hour ago. He is now riding a dark mare down Baltimore Street.
Following the President are Governor Curtin, two military bands, and many soldiers on foot and horseback.
The President is dressed in black and wears a high, silk hat.
94
I am standing now with the McCullys, Jane Ellen, and Pa in the grass near the speaker's stand at the National Soldiers' Cemetery.
The sun is starting to shine through the clouds.
President Lincoln is seated. He looks very serious. He must feel the weight of the world upon him.
The Honorable Edward Everett is starting to speak. The crowd has grown perfectly silent.
Later
Mr. Everett is still speaking.
Later
Mr. Everett is still speaking.
95
My goodness, Mr. Everett has been speaking for almost two hours!
Later
Hurrah! Finally Mr. Everett is sitting down. The band plays music. Now it is President Lincoln's turn to speak. He puts on his glasses. He takes a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket.
He stands up. He looks at us. He speaks.
Later
President Lincoln's speech was very short.
When he finished, the crowd was a bit slow to applaud. I am not sure everyone understood that the President's speech was over.
96
But slowly the applause began to grow, until it was like a mighty wave.
I know you would have loved President Lincoln's speech, Jed. It was short. But it was honest and powerful. Just the way you told me to write.
November 20, 1863
The newspaper printed all of President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. These are the lines I love the best:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now
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