ll the officers in the army
writing poetry about me and making toasts for me, just as she did. And
I'll always wear pink silk," she concluded, with a glance at her rosy
ruffles.

"I should think you'd get awfully tired of balls every night,"
observed Matilda. "I'd much rather be like my governess. She isn't
pretty at all but she knows just everything and she writes verses,
too. When I grow up, I'm going to write a whole book and everybody
will say how smart I am." She spoke very seriously and the others
looked at their ambitious little friend respectfully. Happy children
as they were, they could not read the future and see that Matilda
Hoffman, although one of the most accomplished young women of her
time, would never write the wonderful book of which she dreamed. Nor
could they guess that instead her lovely life would be an inspiration
to a writer whose books every American would come to know and cherish.

"And I'm going 'way west to the lands father's just bought," declared
Jacob, "and live with the Indians and wear a blanket and go hunting
all the time."

"And I'm going with you," piped Benjamin, not understanding what the
game was about, but determined not to lose any of the fun. Though
something of that afternoon's pretending came to pass for him, for
when a man he actually sought what was then the far western territory
of Kentucky and became one of the leading citizens of Lexington.

"Well, I'm going to be a merchant like father," Joseph spoke with his
usual grave determination, never dreaming of the day when he would
become a senator. "And what are you going to do, Becky?"

Rebecca considered for a moment. Although older than the others, this
child's play was very fascinating to her. "The other day," she said
slowly, "I had the legend of St. Elizabeth for my French lesson. I
think I'd like to be just like her when I grow up."

"Was she beautiful and everything like that?" asked Rachel.

"I suppose so." Rebecca's voice had grown rather dreamy. "The ladies
in stories always are beautiful, aren't they? But I liked her because
she went about doing good among the poor peasants, even if her mean
husband wanted her to stay at home."

"Did he ever find out?" asked Jacob.

"Once he thought he did." Rebecca smiled at the recollection. "She was
going through the castle courtyard with a basket on her arm and some
one told him she was taking bread to the poor people. He was very
angry and ran after her and asked he