ey were!

A great many stories have been told about the pets they kept in their
house. Rosa's brother Isidore carried a little lamb on his shoulders
down six flights of stairs every morning and evening, that it might
nibble the green grass and be out in the fresh air. It became a great
pet, and all the children drew its picture in ever so many different
positions. Besides, they had a parrot, a monkey, two dogs, and some
rabbits and birds for pets. Their father let them keep these pets in a
room fitted especially for them.

The father taught in a private school at that time, and was away from
home all day, but when he came home at night Rosa would show him what
she had been doing while he was gone. Once she had been painting
cherries, and her father came home while she was at work on them. He
praised her very much and helped her finish painting them.

In the evening Rosa, her two brothers, and her father used to put
their easels in different parts of the big room and draw and paint
until it was quite late. They would all much rather do this than
anything else in the world, and it was the only time their father
could help them.

The father belonged to a religious order called the "Saint Simonians."
The members wore queer gowns and bonnets with long tassels. Such a
bonnet with a big tassel Rosa wore on the street, and sometimes boys
shouted and laughed at her, but she paid no attention to that.

The father secured a teaching position in another private school and
earned enough money to send his three children there and give them all
they needed at home.

Rosa did not behave very well in school. Often she was punished,
sometimes by being given nothing to eat but bread and water. Every one
liked her, however, for she was good-hearted, kind, and full of fun.
But finally she did something that could not be overlooked. This is
what she did. The lady who kept the school was very fond of flowers,
and above all she loved the stately hollyhocks. She had a beautiful
bed of them in the front yard of the school that was very much admired
by all who passed. One day Rosa had been reading in the history about
war, and she thought it would be fine fun to arrange a battle between
the school girls. They used wooden sticks for swords. Very soon the
girls on Rosa's side drove their enemies toward the hollyhock bed,
where they turned and fled. Seeing the hollyhocks standing guard like
soldiers, Rosa thought it would be fun to charge upo