Q: Chapter XI

Now that Grandfather had fought through the Old French War, in which our chair made no very distinguished figure, he thought it high time to tell the children some of the more private history of that praiseworthy old piece of furniture.

"In 1757," said Grandfather, "after Shirley had been summoned to England, Thomas Pownall was appointed governor of Massachusetts. He was a gay and fashionable English gentleman, who had spent much of his life in London, but had a considerable acquaintance with America. The new governor appears to have taken no active part in the war that was going on; although, at one period, he talked of marching against the enemy, at the head of his company of cadets. But, on the whole, he probably concluded that it was more befitting a governor to remain quietly in our chair, reading the newspapers and official documents."

"Did the people like Pownall?" asked Charley.

"They found no fault with him," replied Grandfather. "It was no time to quarrel with the governor, when the utmost harmony was required, in order to defend the country against the French. But Pownall did not remain long in Massachusetts. In 1759, he was sent to be governor of South Carolina. In thus exchanging one government for another, I suppose he felt no regret, except at the necessity of leaving Grandfather's chair behind him."

"He might have taken it to South Carolina," observed Clara.

"It appears to me," said Laurence, giving the rein to his fancy, "that the fate of this ancient chair was, somehow or other, mysteriously connected with the fortunes of old Massachusetts. If Governor Pownall had put it aboard the vessel in which he sailed for South Carolina, she would probably have lain wind-bound in Boston harbor. It was ordained that the chair should not be taken away. Don't you think so, Grandfather?"

1. In 1757
2. England
3. yes
4. he was sent to be governor of South Carolina
5. Grandfather's chair
6. the Old French War
7. some of the more private history of the old piece of furniture
8. London
9. no
10. marching against them
11. it was more befitting a governor to remain quietly in our chair

Numbered questions:
1. when did Pownall become governor?
2. where was Shirley then?
3. did people like Pownall?
4. what happened in 1759?
5. what did he leave behind?
6. what war did grandfather fight in?
7. what did he decide to tell the kids?
8. where did Pownall grow up?
9. did he take part in the war?
10. what did he think about doing against the enenemy?
11. why didnt he?

Q: CHAPTER II.

When Brant returned to his hotel there was an augmented respect in the voice of the clerk as he handed him a note with the remark that it had been left by Senator Boompointer's coachman. He had no difficulty in recognizing Susy's peculiarly Brobdingnagian school-girl hand.

"Kla'uns, I call it real mean! I believe you just HOPED I wouldn't know you. If you're a bit like your old self you'll come right off here--this very night! I've got a big party on--but we can talk somewhere between the acts! Haven't I growed? Tell me! And my! what a gloomy swell the young brigadier is! The carriage will come for you--so you have no excuse."

The effect of this childish note upon Brant was strangely out of proportion to its triviality. But then it was Susy's very triviality--so expressive of her characteristic irresponsibility--which had always affected him at such moments. Again, as at Robles, he felt it react against his own ethics. Was she not right in her delightful materialism? Was she not happier than if she had been consistently true to Mrs. Peyton, to the convent, to the episode of her theatrical career, to Jim Hooker--even to himself? And did he conscientiously believe that Hooker or himself had suffered from her inconsistency? No! From all that he had heard, she was a suitable helpmate to the senator, in her social attractiveness, her charming ostentations, her engaging vanity that disarmed suspicion, and her lack of responsibility even in her partisanship. Nobody ever dared to hold the senator responsible for her promises, even while enjoying the fellowship of both, and it is said that the worthy man singularly profited by it. Looking upon the invitation as a possible distraction to his gloomy thoughts, Brant resolved to go.

1. hotel clerk
2. Senator Boompointer's coachman
3. Susy
4. he had more respect
5. recognized her handwriting
6. childish and trivial
7. to go and see her
8. unknown
9. Shell sent a carriage
10. Yes
11. a theatrical career,
12. the senator
13. vanity
14. yes

Numbered questions:
1. Who handed Brant the message?
2. Who gave it to him?
3. Who wrote it?
4. What was different about the clerk when he gave it to him?
5. How did he know it was Susy that sent it?
6. How did did it embody her?
7. What did she want from him?
8. Where would they meet?
9. How would he get there?
10. Did he plan to go?
11. What was her occupation?
12. Whom did she assist?
13. What aspect of her personality deflected criticism?
14. Was she effective?

Q: Five Al-Shabaab militants are dead after they attacked an African Union military base in Somalia on Thursday, AU officials said.

The militants attacked the Halane military base in Mogadishu, Somalia's largest base for African Union troops, according to the African Union Mission in Somalia.

Two militants detonated themselves inside the Halane base and three were shot dead by AU troops during the raid, AMISOM spokesman Ali Aden Houmed said.

Three AU soldiers and a civilian died in the attack, AMISOM said on its website.

The AMISOM statement said other personnel at Halane are "safe and secure." Some of the attackers wore Somali military uniforms during the lunchtime raid on the facility located close to Mogadishu International Airport, the AU said.

A spokesman for the al Qaeda-linked terror group described the attack on the heavily fortified base -- which also houses several U.N. and international agencies -- on Radio Andalus, a pro-Al-Shabaab broadcaster.

"Our Mujahedeen forces detonated a car bomb at the entrance of the Halane compound ... then managed to enter the facility," Sheikh Abdiaziz Abu Musab said. A firefight then broke out with troops, he said.

Maman S. Sidikou, special representative of the AU Commission chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia and head of AMISOM, offered his condolences to the families of the victims and "applauded the quick response and bravery of the ... troops in quelling this reprehensible attack," according to AMISOM.

Al-Shabaab has been waging war in Somalia in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law, or sharia.

1. Five Al-Shabaab militants
2. Three AU soldiers and a civilian
3. Somalia
4. detonated a car bomb at the entrance
5. Somali military uniforms
6. unknown
7. yes
8. Al-Shabaab militants
9. to implement a stricter form of Islamic law
10. Somalia
11. Mogadishu
12. the Halane military base
13. yes

Numbered questions:
1. Who died?
2. Anyone else?
3. Where?
4. How?
5. What did they wear?
6. What about the other people?
7. Did a fight breakout?
8. Who is starting the fight?
9. Why?
10. At what place?
11. Where there?
12. What is there?
13. Is it the biggest?