'a short sketch of her Dictionary of National Biography" very little is known regarding the authoress of that imworral song, "The Flowers of the Jean Elliot was the daughter of Sir Gilbert Elliot, second Baronet of Minto; she way born at Minto House, Teviotdale, in 1727, ov earliest years gave evid 1 penetration, say city, and gre: strength of charac ter.
Her father (a man of literary was at that time Lord ork of Scotland, and to great pride in her criticisms law papers. They were evidently ly gifted family, for her} brother Gilbert had written a poem entitled "My Sheep I Neglect. It was this brother who is said to have suggested to Jean the subject of her exquisite ballad.
Flodden Imprinted on Mer Heart Driving home one night after a party ths conversation turned on "Flodden," a subject no doubt Miss Elliot would be fa with from hood, living us she did in district which had been devastated by that great tragedy and: which had left so deep a mark in the hearts of the people that even after "dark Flodden, owner of the land perished along with their King.
So that on the long drive home, their minds filled with thoughts of the past, it is not surpris-not straining every muscle to out-ling that Gilbert should have sug-run it. Our babies, growing up, leested to his sister that "Fied-soon catch the infection and plunge den" would be a wonderful sub all their young facil! ject for a ballad, little 1 ing how to make a living for them-ling what a response would be given selves a own, babies, with foreheads all wrinkled before their time and the dry dust of business in rheic, 'Shroats. They forget that how one makes a living ig more important'
the living: one. makes; that Jbusiness which is-only wage-corn. ing or -dollar-piling is apt -to' lay up no treasure in heart or mind to his words, For, curing the silence that. followed, the rear moment of Jean Elliot's life came to hex, one of these rare moments when ina flash of intense feeling all the jay and saducse of life Jsecived to. nicht and mingle, Gilling eer" heart with "such, inexplicable emotion that, flowed into the mal of one song.
"Oh, Mother, look! Who are those mon in this big book? Look how fierce they ave! And they're on boats and they've got swords in the hands and—"
"Those are pirates, dear, 'They were big. brave men, very daring. and reckless. All the kings and queens tried to catch them and ha them beheaded, but they could do it, You sce, the, pirates were such good sailors and' so very bold that they could whip almost every= body, and it was almost impossible to cutch them. The story of the pirates ix very romantic and thule Ting—buried treasure, and. walking the plank, and things like that, You ask Daddy to tell you mors about it when he comes home tonight!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.