"Princess Ida" Summary

"Princess Ida" focuses on Del's recollections of her mother. She has taken a job as a travelling encyclopedia salesperson, a practice that, of course, Del's aunts think is a waste of time. She drives all over the county, peddling her encyclopedias.

Del begins to absorb information from the books that her mother is selling, which gives Ada an idea. Soon, Del finds herself travelling around with her mother. She is a kind of live-action prop, evidence that the encyclopedias are something every child should have. She is asked to recall, on cue, such information as the names of all the American presidents or the capitals of South American countries. It is Ada's belief that no one could possibly turn down the possibility to afford his or her own children that kind of knowledge.

One day, Del decides she no...