s without fighting; which is,
to go around them. This is what General Scott did. He marched to the
south, and soon he was within ten miles of the capital without a battle.

August 20th was a great day for the American army. That day our brave
troops fought like heroes, and before night they had won five
victories. One of these was on a steep hill called Churubusco, which
they charged up in the face of the Mexican guns. Then on they went, and
in a short time the old city, the most ancient in America, was in their
hands. That ended the war. When peace was made the United States claimed
the provinces of New Mexico and California, which had been captured by
our soldiers, but for which Mexico was paid a large sum. No one then
dreamed how rich the provinces were in silver and gold. Not long after
the gold of California was discovered, and that country, which had been
feebly held by a few Mexicans, was quickly filled by an army of
gold-seekers. Since then it has proved one of the richest parts of the
earth.

CHAPTER XX

HOW SLAVERY LED TO WAR

ALL of my young readers must know what a wonderful age this is that we
live in, and what marvelous things have been done. Some of you, no
doubt, have read the stories of magic in the "Arabian Nights
Entertainments," and thought them very odd, if not absurd. But if any
one, a hundred years ago, had been told about the railroad, the
telegraph, the photograph, the phonograph, vessels that run beneath the
surface of the water, and ships that sail in the air, I fancy they would
have called all this nonsense and "Arabian Nights" magic. Why, think of
it, a trolley car is as magical, in its way, as Aladdin's wonderful
lamp.

But while you know much about these things, there has been one great
step of progress which, I fancy, you know or think very little about. I
do not mean material but moral progress, for you must bear in mind that
while the world has been growing richer it has also been growing better.

A hundred years ago many millions of men were held as slaves in America
and Europe. Some of these were black and some were white, but they
could be bought and sold like so many cattle, could be whipped by their
masters, and had no more rights than so many brute beasts.

To-day there is not a slave in Europe or America. All these millions of
slaves have been set free. Do you not think I am right in saying that
the world has grown better as well as richer? Why, fifty years ago th