she was the object
of the attention of every one at the table.

"We will consider you so, my dear," laughed Mr. Allison. "Come, give us
the benefit of your ideas."

Still Elsie hesitated till her father said pleasantly, "Yes, daughter,
let us have them. We can reject or adopt them as we see fit."

"Yes, papa," she returned. "I was just thinking that Valley Forge and
Paoli are both in this State, and I should like very much to see them
both."

"I call that a very good idea," said Mr. Edward Allison. "I have always
intended to visit those historical places, but have never done so yet."

"Then let us go," said Rose, "for I, too, should like very much to see
them; if the plan suits you, Mr. Dinsmore," she added, giving him a
smiling glance.

"Perfectly," he said; "it will be a new and interesting experience to me,
as I have never visited either spot, though quite familiar with their
history, as doubtless you all are."

"Then we may consider that matter as settled," remarked Edward with
satisfaction.

Elsie hardly knew whether to be more glad or sorry when the time came for
the final leave-taking; but the joyful thought that Miss Rose was to
accompany them fairly turned the scale in favor of the former feeling;
and though she brushed away a tear or two at parting from Sophy, she set
off with a bright and happy face.

They spent several weeks most delightfully in travelling about from place
to place, going first to Valley Forge--a little valley so called because
a man named Isaac Potts had a forge there on a creek which empties into
the Schuylkill River. He was an extensive iron manufacturer. The valley
is a deep, short hollow, seemingly scooped out from a low, rugged
mountain.

The Americans had their camp on a range of hills back of the village,
Washington his quarters at the house of Isaac Potts. It was a stone
building standing near the mouth of the creek. Our friends were invited
in by a cheerful old lady living there, and shown Washington's room. It
was very small, but they found it interesting. The old lady took them
into it, and, leading-the way to an east window, said: "From here
Washington could look to those slopes yonder and see a large part of his
camp." Then, lifting a blue sill, she showed a little trap-door and
beneath it a cavity, which she said had been arranged by Washington as
a hiding place for his papers.

On leaving that house, our little party went to view the ruins of an old
flour-mill