u like it? Is it boring?"

"I like figures better. David is great on languages. Well, Pink, you
shan't have 'em all at once. Now I want to ask you another question.
What do you think was the greatest battle that was ever fought in the
world?"

"Battle? O I don't know any thing about battles, Norton."

"Well, who was the greatest hero, then; the greatest man?"

Matilda pondered, and Norton watched her slyly in the intervals of
attending to his ponies.

"I think, Norton, the greatest man I ever heard about, was Moses."

Norton's face quivered with amusement, but he kept it a little turned
away from Matilda and asked why she thought so?

"I never heard of anybody who did such great things; nor who had such
great things?"

"Had? What did he have?" said Norton. "I never knew he had any thing
particular."

"Don't you remember? the Lord spoke with him face to face, as we speak
to each other; and once he had a sight of that wonderful glory. It must
have been something so wonderful, Norton, for it made Moses' face
itself shine with light."

"That's a figure of speech, Pink."

"What is a figure of speech?"

"I mean, that isn't to be taken for real and earnest, you know."

"Yes it is, Norton, for the people were frightened when they saw him,
and ran away."

"Pink, Pink, Pink!" exclaimed Norton, and stopped.

"What?" said Matilda.

"Nothing. And so Moses is your greatest man! That is all you know!"

"Why, who do you know that is greater?" said Matilda.

"You never read any history but the Bible?"

"Not much. Who do you know that is greater, Norton?"

"_Whom_ do I know. Well, Pink, if I were to tell you, you wouldn't
understand, till you have read about them. Why you have got all to read
about. I guess you'll have to begin back with Romulus and Remus."

"How far back were they?"

"How far back? Ages; almost before history."

"Before Moses?"

"Before Moses! No, I suppose not. I declare I don't know when that old
fellow was about."

"But there is history before Moses, Norton?"

"Not Roman history," said Norton; "and that is what we are talking
about."

"Were they great, Norton?"

"Who?"

"Those two men you spoke of."

"Romulus and Remus? O!--Well, Romulus founded Rome."

"And when was that?"

"Well, I don't know, that's a fact. I believe, somewhere about eight or
nine centuries before our era."

"I would like to read about it," said Matilda meekly.

"And you shall," said Norton, firing up