tle troubled air now and then, as if there were something she ought
to do and did not know how to set about it.

They drove all over the city; saw its ancient ruins--the Colosseum, the
Forums, the Palatine Hill, the Baths of Agrippa, Caracalla, Titus, and
Diocletian; visited the Pantheon, Castle of St. Angelo, and many of the
most important churches. They drove outside the walls on the Via Appia,
and saw all the many interesting things by the way. They sought all the
best points of view from which they could look out over the great city.

One afternoon they were all together on the wide piazza in front of San
Pietro in Montorio, which commands a very wide outlook. Here, after
having studied the location of chief points of interest, they gave
themselves up to the delight of a superb sunset view. As they lingered
before again taking their carriages, Malcom told some of his morning
experiences, and Barbara wistfully said:--

"I wonder if we ought not to begin some definite study of Roman history
and the old ruins. Betty and I have taken some books from the library in
Piazza di Spagna, and are reading hard an hour or two every day, but it
gives me a restless feeling to know that there is so much all about me
that I do not understand," and she looked inquiringly at Mr. Sumner.

"Robert and I have talked over this very thing," replied Mrs. Douglas.

"Shall I tell them what we think?" she asked her brother, as he rather
abruptly turned away. On his assent she continued:--

"It is a familiar question, since I very plainly remember hearing my
father and mother talk of it when I was your age, and Robert was but a
lad. My father said it would take a lifetime of patient study to learn
thoroughly all that can to-day be learned of what we call ancient
Rome--the Rome of the Caesars; and how many Romes existed before that, of
which we can know nothing, save through legend and tradition! 'Now,
will it not be best,' he asked, 'that we read all we can of legend and
the chief points of Roman history up to the present time, so that the
subject of Rome get into our minds and hearts; and then try to absorb
all we can of the spirit of both past and present, so that we shall know
Rome even though we have not tried to find out all about her? We cannot
accomplish the latter, and if we try I fear we shall miss everything.'
My mother agreed fully with him. And so, many evenings at home; father
would read to us pathetic legends and stirring tale