PETER OF NEW AMSTERDAM
A STORY OF OLD NEW YORK

BY

JAMES OTIS

NEW YORK-:-CINCINNATI-:-CHICAGO
AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1910
BY
JAMES OTIS KALER
ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL, LONDON
W. P. 4.

FOREWORD

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The purpose of this series of stories is to show the children, and eventhose who have already taken up the study of history, the home life ofthe colonists with whom they meet in their books. To this end everyeffort has been made to avoid anything savoring of romance, and to dealonly with facts, so far as that is possible, while describing the dailylife of those people who conquered the wilderness whether for consciencesake or for gain.

That the stories may appeal more directly to the children, they are toldfrom the viewpoint of a child, and purport to have been related by achild. Should any criticism be made regarding the seeming neglect tomention important historical facts, the answer would be that these booksare not sent out as histories,—although it is believed that they willawaken a desire to learn more of the building of the nation,—and onlysuch incidents as would be particularly noted by a child are used.

Surely it is entertaining as well as instructive for young people to[Pg 4]read of the toil and privations in the homes of those who came into anew world to build up a country for themselves, and such homely factsare not to be found in the real histories of our land.

JAMES OTIS.

CONTENTS.

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