THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

BY H. A. GUERBER

From The Story of the Thirteen Colonies. Copyright, 1898, by H. A. Guerber. American Book Company, publishers.

John Hancock, President of Congress, was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence, writing his name in large, plain letters, and saying:--

``There! John Bull can read my name without spectacles. Now let him double the price on my head, for this is my defiance.''

Then he turned to the other members, and solemnly declared:--

``We must be unanimous. There must be no pulling different ways. We must all hang together.''

``Yes,'' said Franklin, quaintly: ``we must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.''

We are told that Charles Carroll, thinking that his writing looked shaky, added the words, ``of Carrollton,'' so that the king should not be able to make any mistake as to whose name stood there.



GOOD STORIES FOR GREAT HOLIDAYS

Arranged by FRANCES JENKINS OLCOTT

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This story, to the best knowledge of Hot-H Kids Pages, is public domain.