Language Through Nature 



but the stories his grandfather had told were never 

 forgotten, and one day he gave them to the world 

 in that most wonderful story of Indian life, the 

 legend of Hiawatha. 



For many years Mr. Longfellow's home was in 

 Cambridge, Mass. While living there he wrote 

 many poems and made many friends. He always 

 loved children, and they in return admired and 

 loved him. As Mr. Longfellow's seventy-second 

 birthday drew near, the school children of Cam- 

 bridge wished to give him some present that would 

 show their love for him. 



The ''spreading chestnut tree," of which Mr. 

 Longfellow speaks in one of his poems, grew near 

 the poet's boyhood home. This tree had been cut 

 down, but the wood had been carefully laid away. 

 Of this wood a handsome armchair was made, a 

 loving message was carved, upon it, and the chair 

 was presented to Mr. Longfellow on his birthday, 

 February 27, 1879. Mr. Longfellow was greatly 

 pleased with the children's gift, and thanked them 

 for it in a charming poem called "From My Arm- 

 chair." When the children came to see him each 

 child was given a copy of the poem and was 

 allowed to sit in the beautiful chair. 



