ere not far from the truth, though
he was not in possession of all the facts. It will be remembered by
those who have been in the way of hearing Rebecca's experiences in
Riverboro, that the Rev. and Mrs. Burch, returned missionaries from the
Far East, together with some of their children, "all born under Syrian
skies," as they always explained to interested inquirers, spent a day or
two at the brick house, and gave parlor meetings in native costume.

These visitors, coming straight from foreign lands to the little Maine
village, brought with them a nameless enchantment to the children, and
especially to Rebecca, whose imagination always kindled easily. The
romance of that visit had never died in her heart, and among the many
careers that dazzled her youthful vision was that of converting such
Syrian heathen as might continue in idol worship after the Burches'
efforts in their behalf had ceased. She thought at the age of eighteen
she might be suitably equipped for storming some minor citadel of
Mohammedanism; and Mrs. Burch had encouraged her in the idea, not, it is
to be feared, because Rebecca showed any surplus of virtue or Christian
grace, but because her gift of language, her tact and sympathy, and her
musical talent seemed to fit her for the work.

It chanced that the quarterly meeting of the Maine Missionary Society
had been appointed just at the time when a letter from Mrs. Burch to
Miss Jane Sawyer suggested that Rebecca should form a children's branch
in Riverboro. Mrs. Burch's real idea was that the young people should
save their pennies and divert a gentle stream of financial aid into
the parent fund, thus learning early in life to be useful in such work,
either at home or abroad.

The girls themselves, however, read into her letter no such modest
participation in the conversion of the world, and wishing to effect an
organization without delay, they chose an afternoon when every house in
the village was vacant, and seized upon the Robinsons' barn chamber as
the place of meeting.

Rebecca, Alice Robinson, Emma Jane Perkins, Candace Milliken, and Persis
Watson, each with her hymn book, had climbed the ladder leading to
the haymow a half hour before Abijah Flagg had heard the strains
of "Daughters of Zion" floating out to the road. Rebecca, being an
executive person, had carried, besides her hymn book, a silver call-bell
and pencil and paper. An animated discussion regarding one of two
names for the society,