There were so many beautiful things to choose from it was difficult for
the little girls to make up their minds. At last Mrs. Gordon said a
brooch would make a pretty present, which pleased Marjorie, who was so
fond of pretty things to wear.
Janet was in favour of a gold pen. So at last it was agreed that
Marjorie should buy the brooch with an amethyst set in it, and Janet
should get a pretty pen with a cairngorm set in the handle. Don by this
time was as much interested in "shopping" as the girls, and bought a
pretty blotter, with the handle made of Scotch pebbles, for his aunt.
So everybody was highly pleased, and most of all was Mrs. Lindsay, when
she received her presents.
After this, Mrs. Gordon bought them all some "Edinburgh Rock," which
is a nice, creamy candy, that isn't a bit like a rock, but which just
melts in one's mouth.
Then they all climbed to the top of the Scott Monument, which stands in
the Princes Street Gardens, from which place they had a fine view of
the beautiful city of Edinburgh.
Don now led the way to the memorial which was put up to the faithful
little dog called "Grey Friars Bobby." "This is his story," said Don:
"When his master died, and was buried in Grey Friars churchyard, the
poor little dog was so broken-hearted that for twelve years he never
left his master's grave except at night, when the caretaker of the
cemetery took him into his house and fed him. As soon as the door was
opened each morning, he would run to his master's grave and stay there
until he was taken in again at night. One day the caretaker went for
him as usual, and found him lying dead, stretched across the grave. He
was buried in the same grave with his master, to whom he had been so
faithful."
The monument, in the street without, is in the form of a
drinking-fountain, with a statue of the little dog on the top. It was
put up so that the story might not be forgotten.
Don pointed out the grave to the little girls, through the railing of
the churchyard, and then Mrs. Gordon said they must hurry home, for it
was late, and the doctor would think they were lost.
Janet and Marjorie had received permission to remain away from home
another week for the visit to Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott's old home,
so one day soon after the young people boarded the train bound for
Abbotsford.
"We are now not far from the English boundary-line, or 'Border,' as the
Scotch call it," said Doctor Gordon, as they approached Melrose, the
station at which they were to alight.
This "Border" land was the scene of countless fights and feuds between
the Scotch and English in the old days when the two nations were
enemies. The English would dash across the Border, seize the sheep
and cattle belonging to the Scotch, burn their homes, and then quickly
escape to their own territory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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