k and Heart_. This at once took rank as one of the
classics of school-room literature. It had a wide popularity in this
country, and was translated into French and German. One of the pleasant
tributes paid to the book was a review in a Pittsburgh newspaper which
took the form of a letter to Emmy Lou. It ran in part as follows:

Dear Little Emmy Lou:

I have read your book, Emmy Lou, and am writing this letter to tell
you how much I love you. In my world of books I know a great
assembly of lovely ladies, Emmy Lou, crowned with beauty and
garlanded with grace, that have inspired poets to song and the
hearts of warriors to battle, but, Emmy Lou, I love you better than
them all, because you are the dearest little girl I ever met.

I felt very sorry for you when the little boy in the Primer World,
who could so glibly tell the teacher all about the mat and the bat
and the black rat and the fat hen, hurt your chubby fist by
snapping an india-rubber band. I do not think he atoned quite
enough when he gave you that fine new long slate pencil, nor when
he sent you your first valentine. No, he has not atoned quite
enough, Emmy Lou, but now that you are Miss McLaurin, you will
doubtless even the score by snapping the india-rubber band of your
disdain at his heart. But only to show him how it stings, and then,
of course, you'll make up for the hurt and be his valentine--won't
you, Emmy Lou?...

And when, at twelve years, you find yourself dreaming, Emmy Lou,
and watching the clouds through the schoolroom window, still I love
you, Emmy Lou, for your conscience, which William told about in his
essay. You remember, the two girls who met a cow.

"Look her right in the face and pretend we aren't afraid," said the
biggest girl. But the littlest girl--that was you--had a
conscience. "Won't it be deceiving the cow?" she wanted to know.
Brave, honest Emmy Lou!

Yes, I love you, Emmy Lou, better than all the proud and beauteous
heroines in the big grown-up books, because you are so sunshiny and
trustful, so sweet and brave--because you have a heart of gold,
Emmy Lou. And I want you to tell George Madden Martin how glad I am
that she has told us all about you, the dearest little girl since
Alice dropped down into Wonderland.