ure of the rest of the family. "How strange it seems,
sitting here in this green peace and quiet, to read of all those
terrible happenings. How can it be the same world?"

"He was a man, that La Salle!" exclaimed Peggy. "I never heard of such a
man. Think of that winter voyage! Think of that man, brought up in
luxury, with every kind of accomplishment, and that kind of thing,
wading in snow-water up to his knees, and sleeping on the frozen ground,
rolled in his blanket, while his clothes dried and froze stiff on the
trees! think of him standing alone against courts and savages, and
winning every time--till he was killed by those wretches. It is the
greatest story I ever read. Now, if all history were like this,
Margaret, I never should complain."

"Don't you like history, Peggy?" asked Bell, looking up in wonder.

"I used to detest it," said Peggy, laughing. "Julius Caesar, and William
the Conqueror, and all those people used to bore me dreadfully, though
Margaret did her very best to make them interesting; didn't you, you
dear?"

"I tried, Peggy," said Margaret, with a smile; "but you never would
admit that they were real people, just as real as if they were alive
to-day."

"Oh, well, of course I know they were alive once, but so were mummies,
and you can't expect me to be interested in _them_. However, I think I
really am improving. 'Hereward' brought William alive for me, it truly
did; and this Parkman book delights me. Oh! I should like to have made
that voyage down the Mississippi, girls! I think, on the whole, I would
rather be Cavalier de La Salle than any one I ever heard of."

"In spite of all the suffering and tragedy?" said Gertrude. "I could not
say that, much as I admire him."

"Who would you be, if you could choose? Let us all say!" cried Bell. "A
new game! two minutes for reflection!" and she took out her watch with a
business-like air.

"Oh!" cried Gertrude. "But there are so many!"

"Silence!" said Bell; and there was an instant of absolute stillness.
Taking advantage of it, a chipmunk ran across the brown carpet, and
pausing midway, sat up on his haunches and surveyed the new and singular
mountain ranges that had risen on his horizon. One of the mountains
stirred--whisk! he was gone.

"Time's up!" said Bell. "Margaret, I will begin with you. With all
history to choose from, who will you be?"

"Oh! must I be first?" cried Margaret. "As Gertrude says, there are so
many; and yet when you com