sooner applied to, than he willingly undertook to deliver the message, and
taking Miss Helen's side-saddle off, and throwing one of Mrs. Scott's
horse-rugs over the pony's back, jumped upon it very alertly, and trotted
off with a grin of delight on his face, proud at heart in being trusted to
ride Miss Helen's pony. As soon as it was gone, Helen asked her father
what was the reason of calling the place where the great stone described
by Mrs. Scott stood, the Shaw rigg? Her father told her the tradition of
the country was, that it took its name from _Shaw_, a Pictish king, to
whom that part of the land belonged. "I am glad, my dear," added he, "that
you take care to ask about what you do not perfectly understand. Many
children are so foolish as to be ashamed to let those they converse with
discover that they do not comprehend every thing said to them, by which
means they often imbibe erroneous ideas, and perhaps remain in a state of
ignorance on many essential subjects, when, by questioning their relatives
or friends, they might easily have obtained correct information."

Mr. Scott now proposed a walk in the garden, which was planted in the
Dutch style of stiff walks with high hedges, and was, according to the
present taste, any thing but admirable. Its appearance, however, was
extremely curious, contrasted with the natural and luxuriant beauties of
the country by which it was surrounded. The house was small, considering
the rank and consequence of the family to whom it belonged. It is said
that they originally came from Clydesdale, and brought with them a thorn,
which still grows on a little mount before the door, though they have been
settled there several centuries. The gardener, after leading them through
the garden and grounds, took them into the greenhouse to notice some
curious plants, such as the aloe, that blossoms only once in a century;
the beautiful oleander, a native of Spain and Italy, which thrives in
British greenhouses; the prickly pear, which is without a stem, the leaves
growing out of each other; they are large, broad, and thick, and covered