Our friends, especially the young girls, were greatly interested and amused.

“Suppose we visit some of the State buildings now,” said Mrs. Dinsmore, as they left the cabin.

“Pennsylvania’s in particular, my dear?” returned her husband.  “Well, it is a grand old State; we could hardly do better than to show to these little great-grandchildren the famous old bell that proclaimed liberty to this land and all its inhabitants.”

“So I think,” she said.  “Do not you agree with us, captain?”

“I do, indeed,” he replied; “my older ones have seen the bell, but I want to show it to Elsie and Ned.”

“It won’t hurt any of us to look again at that old relic of the Revolution,” remarked Walter, “and of course we want to see the building.”

So the whole party at once turned their steps in that direction.

Arrived in front of the building they paused there and scanned the outside.  All pronounced it very handsome.

“Its front seems to be a reproduction of Independence Hall,” remarked Mr. Dinsmore; “it has its entrances and tower.”

“Yes,” said his wife, “I like that and the quarter-circling in of those front corners; those balconies, too.”

“Is that the State coat-of-arms above the pediment over the front doors, papa?” asked Grace.

“Yes,” was the reply; “and the statues on the sides are those of Penn and Franklin.”

Just at that moment two women, evidently from the country, came sauntering along and halted near our party.

“What building ‘s that?” asked one of the other.  “It’s right nice-lookin’, isn’t it?”

“Yes; and don’t you see the name there up over the door?”

“Oh, yes, to be sure!  Pennsylvany!  Goin’ in, Elmiry?”

“Of course; that’s the thing to do.  Do you see?  There’s the old bell, at the door there, that they talk so much about.  What they make such a fuss over it fur I don’t know; it’s ugly as can be and has a great crack in it; but it’s quite the thing to talk about it and say you’ve seen it; so we must do like the rest.”

“Yes, I suppose we must, though I don’t see why anybody should, any more than you do,” returned her companion.  “It’s ugly enough and certainly wouldn’t bring first price if ’twas put up for sale.  But just see what handsome fellows those policemen are that’s got charge of it!  Enough sight better-lookin’ than it is.”

With that the two went nearer, looked the old bell carefully over, then walked on into the building.  While they talked merry, mischievous glances had been exchanged among the young people of our party.

“I wonder where they have lived all their days,” laughed Walter, looking after them as they disappeared through the doorway.

“I hope they are not Americans!  I’m ashamed of them if they are!” exclaimed Lulu.  “The very idea of such ignorance!”

“Descendants of Tories, perhaps,” said Rosie, laughing.  “Do you know its story, Elsie? that of the old bell, I mean.”