The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

292 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
profitable and less dignified; she likewise taught a few children to read, and
in summer she whiles reared a few chickens.
"I said I could ventur6 to guess from her face she had never been married.
She laughed heartily at this, and said,'I maun hae the queerest face that
ever was seen, that ye could guess that. Now, do tell me, madam, how ye
cam to think sae?' I told her it was from her cheerful disengaged countenance. She said,'Mem, have ye na far mair reason to be happy than me,
wi' a gude husband and a fine family o' bairns, and plenty o' every thing?
for me, I'm the puirest o' a' puir bodies, and can hardly contrive to keep
mysell alive in a' the wee bits o' ways I hae tell't ye.' After some more
conversation, during which I was more and more pleased with the old woman's sensible conversation, and the Iniivete of her remarks, she rose to go
away, when I asked her name. Her countenance suddenly clouded, and
she said gravely, rather colouring,'My name is Helen Walker; but your
husband kens weel about me.'
" In the evening I related how much I had been pleased, and inquired
what was extraordinary in the history of the poor woman. Mr. - said,
there were perhaps few more remarkable people than Helen Walker. She
had been left an orphan, with the charge of a sister considerably younger
than herself, and who was educated and maintained by her exertions. Attached to her by so many ties, therefore, it will not be easy to conceive her
feelings, when she found that this only sister must be tried by the laws of
her country for child-murder, and upon being called as principal witness
against her. The counsel for the prisoner told Helen, that if she could
declare that her sister had made any preparations, however slight, or had
given her any intimation on the subject, that such a statement would save
her sister's life, as she was the principal-witness against her. Helen said,'It is impossible for me to swear to a falsehood; and, whatever may be the
consequence, I will give my oath according to my conscience.'
" The trial came on, and the sister was found guilty and condemned; but,
in Scotland, six weeks must elapse between the sentence and the execution,
and Helen Walker availed herself of it. The very day -of her sister's condemnation, she got a petition drawn, stating the peculir.circumstances of
the case, and that very night set out on foot to London.''
"Without introduction or recommendation, with her simple (perhaps illexpressed) petition, drawn up by some inferior clerk of the court, she presented herself, in her tartan plaid and- country attire, to the late Duke of
Argyle, who immediately procured the pardon she petitioned for, and Helen
returned with it on foot, just in time to save her sister.
"-I was so strongly interested by this narrative, that I determined immediately to-prosecute my acquaintance with Helen Walker; but as I was to
leave the country next day, I was obliged to defer it till my return in spring
when the first w'alk I took was to Helen Walker's cottage.
"She had died a short time before. My regret was extreme, and I endeavoured to obtain some account of Helen from an old woman who inhabited the other end of her cottage. I inquired if Helen ever spoke of her
past history, her journey to London, &c.'Na,' the old woman said,'Helen
was a wily body, and whene'er ony o' the neebors asked ony thing about it,
she aye turned the conversation.'
"In short, every answer I received only tended to increase my regret, and
raise my opinion of Helen Walker, who could unite so much prudence with
so much heroic virtue."
This narrative was enclosed in the following letter to the author, without
date or signature: —' SIR, - The occurrence just related happened to me twenty-six years ago,
Helen Walker lies buried- in the churchyard of Irongray, about six miles
from Dumfries. I once proposed that a small monument should have been