“Yes, indeed, Aunt Rosie!  We’ve got a picture of it at home, and papa and mamma, and Lu and Gracie have all told me the story about it—­how when those brave men had signed their names to that paper, it proclaimed liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof; for it rang out to let the people know they had done it.  Oh, papa, please show me those words on it.”

“Yes,” the captain said, “come nearer and you can see and read them for yourself.”

The little girl obeyed with alacrity, and when she had read the inscription, “Wasn’t it very strange, papa,” she said, “that those words were put on it when nobody knew that it was going to proclaim liberty?”

“Yes, very strange indeed; and that proclamation has made it a very famous old bell.”

“Is that the reason why they brought it here, papa?”

“Yes, for many people will see it here who will never get to Philadelphia to look at it.”

“I’m glad for them that they can see it,” she said with satisfaction.  “Do they ring it when it’s at its home in Philadelphia, papa?”

“No, my child; that great crack you see there has spoiled it for ringing, but it is highly valued and cherished for what it did in those days when our fathers had to risk everything to secure freedom for themselves and their children.”

“They were good and brave men to do it; weren’t they, papa?”

“They were, indeed, and deserve to be kept in loving remembrance because of their brave deed.”

The rest of the party were standing near listening to the talk between the captain and his little girl; also regarding the old bell with interest, though nearly all of them had seen it before.  But it was time for them to move on, for others were coming to view the old relic of Revolutionary days, and Mr. Dinsmore led the way into the interior of the building, the rest closely following.

They went all over it, finding much to admire, and Mrs. Dinsmore expressed herself as entirely satisfied with the building of her native State.

From there they went to the Woman’s Building, hoping to find in it some, if not all the relatives who had come with Harold and Herbert to the Fair.  And they were not disappointed, for Zoe and Edward hastened to meet them immediately on their entrance and led them into the nursery, saying they had their little ones there with their nurse, and intended leaving them in that pleasant place for a time while they themselves should be going about from one building to another.

“Uncle Horace is here with his wife and children; the Lelands also with theirs,” added Zoe, as she led the way to where were gathered the group of little folks from Ion and its vicinity.

Pleasant greetings were quickly exchanged; the children were full of delight at sight of their relatives, whom they had not seen on the previous day—­Grandma Elsie in especial, for they all loved her dearly.