Clara Barton was a Christmas baby.
The Barton family lived in a farmhouse on a hill near Oxford, Massachusetts.
There were four other children, two boys and two girls.
On Christmas morning of 1821, the four children woke to find a lovely Christmas present—a baby sister whom they loved from the minute they saw her. This was Clara Barton.
Little Clara grew up very happily. In winter she loved to coast on the snowy hills and to skate on the ice-ponds, and to take the long walk to and from the country school house.
In summer she played in the green fields and waded in the cool brooks.
She and her brother David used to do many daring, dangerous things.
They would ride upon the bare backs of unbroken colts. They would climb high places.
II. The Little Nurse
One day David climbed high into the peak of the roof of the barn. Suddenly a board gave way and David fell.