rebecca rowena randall

"I don't think anything takes the place of the farm where one lived when one was a child," observed Rebecca, nearly bursting with pride at having at last successfully used the indefinite pronoun in general conversation.

The man darted a look at her and put down his ear of corn. "So you consider your childhood a thing of the past, do you, young lady?"

"I can still remember it," answered Rebecca gravely, "though it seems a long time ago."

[......]

"Oh, Rebecca!" said Emma Jane in an awestruck whisper. "He raised his hat to us, and we not thirteen! [rebecca is more likely about eleven, at this time] It'll be five years before we're ladies."

"Never mind," answered Rebecca; "we are the BEGINNINGS of ladies, even now."

[......]

By dint of superhuman effort, and putting such a seal upon their lips as never mortals put before, the two girls succeeded in keeping their wonderful news to themselves; although it was obvious to all beholders that they were in an extraordinary and abnormal state of mind.

[......]

[rebecca's maiden aunts are discussing mr ladd, the man in the above...]

"It is strange he hasn't married, with all his money, and him so fond of children that he always has a pack of them at his heels."

"There's hope for him still, though," said Miss Jane smilingly; "for I don't s'pose he's more than thirty."

kate douglas wiggin smith is the author, and jack london is said to have pronounced himself utterly captivated by rebecca, and to have written to kate expressing his distress that alan ladd had married her in his stead.