lace and rank. So with the political world; the
President, Cabinet, and leading officers of the government were
learned by heart, and nothing gratified the keen humor of my father
more than the parrot-like readiness with which I lisped these
difficult names." That they did not mean much even to such a
precocious child as Clara Barton is shown by an incident of those
early days, when her sister Dorothy asked her how she supposed a
Vice-President looked.

"I suppose he is about as big as our barn, and green!" was the quick
reply.

But though the child did not understand all that was poured into her
greedy little mind by an eager father, yet it bore fruit in later
years, for she says: "When later I ... was suddenly thrust into the
mysteries of war, and had to take my place and part in it, I found
myself far less a stranger to the conditions than most women, or even
ordinary men, for that matter. I never addressed a colonel as captain,
got my cavalry on foot, or mounted my infantry!"

When she was not listening to her father's stories or helping her
mother with the housework, which, good housewife that Mrs. Barton was,
she took great pains to teach her youngest daughter how to do well,
Clara was as busy as possible in some other way. In that household
there were no drones, and the little girl was not even allowed to
waste time in playing with dolls, although she was given time to take
care of her pets, of which she had an ever-increasing collection,
including dogs, cats, geese, hens, turkeys, and even two heifers which
she learned to milk.

Dorothy, Sally and Stephen Barton were teachers, and as Clara early
showed her quick mentality, they all took great interest in educating
her according to their different ideas. As a result, when the little
girl was three years old she could read a story to herself, and knew a
little bit about geography, arithmetic and spelling. That decided the
family. Such a bright mind must be developed as early as possible. So
on a fine, clear winter morning Stephen lifted her to his shoulders
with a swing of his strong arms, and in that way she rode to the
school taught by Col. Richard C. Stone, a mile and a half from the
Barton farm. Although the new pupil was such a very little girl, and
so shy that often she was not able even to answer when she was spoken
to or to join the class in reciting Bible verses or in singing songs,
yet Colonel Stone was deeply interested in her, and his manner of
t