The Junior Classics, vol 7 | Page 2

will aid the reader to
remember the times to which the stories relate.
Almost any encyclopedia can be consulted for general details of the life
stories of the interesting people whose names crowd the volume except
perhaps in the cases of Peter Williamson and John Tanner, "The True
Story of a Kidnapped Boy," and "A White Boy Among the Indians."
Peter Williamson was kidnapped in Glasgow, Scotland, when he was
eight years old, was captured by the Cherokee Indians in 1745, and
(though the story does not tell this) he returned to England and became
a prominent citizen. He first made the British Government pay
damages for his kidnapping, gave the first exhibition in England of
Indian war dances, and was the first Englishman to publish a street
directory. He was finally pensioned by the Government for his services
in establishing a penny post.
John Tanner, the son of a clergyman, was stolen by the Indians some

years later. His mother died when he was very young, his father treated
him harshly, and so when the Indians kidnapped him he made no effort
to escape. John remained among them until he was an old man, and the
story of his life, which he was obliged to dictate to others as he could
neither read nor write, was first published about 1830. The stories of
these boys are considered to be two of the most reliable early accounts
we possess of life among the Indians.
Acknowledgment for permission to include several stories included in
this volume is made in Volume X.
WILLIAM PATTEN.

HOW PHIDIAS HELPED THE IMAGE-MAKER
By Beatrice Harraden

During the time when Pericles was at the head of the state at Athens he
spared no pains and no money to make the city beautiful. He himself
was a lover and patron of the arts, and he was determined that Athens
should become the very centre of art and refinement, and that she
should have splendid public buildings and splendid sculptures and
paintings. So he gathered round him all the great sculptors and painters,
and set them to work to carry out his ambitious plans; and some of you
know that the "Age of Pericles" is still spoken of as an age in which art
advanced towards and attained to a marvellous perfection.
On the Acropolis, or Citadel of Athens, rose the magnificent Temple of
Athena, called the Parthenon, built under the direction of Phidias, the
most celebrated sculptor of that time, who adorned it with many of his
works, and especially with the huge statue of Athena in ivory,
forty-seven feet in height. The Acropolis was also enriched with
another figure of Athena in bronze--also the work of Phidias.
The statue was called the "Athena Promachus"; that is "The Defender."

If you turn to your Grecian History you will find a full description of
the Parthenon and the other temples of the gods and heroes and
guardian deities of the city. But I want to tell you something about
Phidias himself, and little Iris, an image-maker's daughter.
It was in the year 450 B.C., in the early summer, and Phidias, who had
been working all the day, strolled quietly along the streets of Athens.
As he passed by the Agora (or market-place), he chanced to look up,
and he saw a young girl of about thirteen years sitting near him. Her
face was of the purest beauty; her head was gracefully poised on her
shoulders; her expression was sadness itself. She looked poor and in
distress. She came forward and begged for help; and there was
something in her manner, as well as in her face, which made Phidias
pause and listen to her.
"My father lies ill," she said plaintively, "and he cannot do his work,
and so we can get no food: nothing to make him well and strong again.
If I could only do his work for him I should not mind; and then I should
not beg. He does not know I came out to beg--he would never forgive
me; but I could not bear to see him lying there without food."
"And who is your father?" asked Phidias kindly.
"His name is Aristæus," she said, "and he is a maker of images--little
clay figures of gods and goddesses and heroes. Indeed, he is clever; and
I am sure you would praise the 'Hercules' he finished before he was
taken ill."
"Take me to your home," Phidias said to the girl; as they passed on
together he asked her many questions about the image-maker. She was
proud of her father; and Phidias smiled to himself when he heard her
speak of this father as though he were the greatest sculptor in Athens.
He liked to hear her speak so enthusiastically.
"Is it not wonderful,"