The field here is very wide. All the history of the country is appropriate,
but can only be glanced at, though a good speech might be made by dwelling
at length on some romantic incident in its history. The size and richness
of the country from the green pine forests of Maine to the golden orange
groves of California; or the prophecy of the manifest greatness of coming
destiny. Here the old but laughable story can be brought in easily about
the raw Irishman who saw a pumpkin for the first time, and was told that it
was a mare's egg, and generously given one. He had the misfortune, however,
to drop it out of his cart, when it rolled down-hill, struck a stump, burst
and frightened a rabbit, which bounded away followed by Pat, shouting:
"Shtop my colt; sure and if he is so big and can run so fast now, when just
born, what a rousing horse he will be when grown up!"
But our country has more than merely a vast area. She has made advances in
science, art, literature, and culture of all kinds, and is destined to play
a chief part in the drama of the world's progress.
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