PRIZE BOOK. 15 



ing day, so Mary only accompanied her mother to bring Hen 

 rietta and Frederick home. 



Henrietta returned in high spirits, having gained the prize 

 of her class, and impatiently awaited the arrival of the carrier 

 with her trunk, that she might display her honors to her 

 cousin. The trunk was brought in soon after the party had 

 retired to rest, but was speedily unpacked, and its treasure 

 triumphantly exhibited. The prize book was a copy of 

 Thomson's Seasons, -splendidly bound in red morocco. Mary 

 examined it attentively, and having expressed her admiration 

 of the beauty of its exterior, proceeded to examine the inside 

 of the volume. 



"Why, what is this, Henrietta?" said she; "this is called 

 the Aldine* edition of the English poets, and here is a dol- 

 phin twisted round an anchor in the title page." 



" I'm sure I can't tell you," replied Henrietta; " I should 

 never have thought of asking such a question; what is the use 

 of it? it can't be of much consequence." 



" That I don't know," said Mary, but mamma has always 

 desired me to ask the meaning of every thing which I don't 

 understand." 



" Oh, that would be very troublesome," returned Henrietta, 

 "and, after all, what is the use of knowing? I have had the 

 book a week, and have never thought it worth while to in- 

 quire." 



"Well, but had you not better ask mamma?" 



" No, indeed," said Henrietta, " for, perhaps, it may be 

 something which I ought to know, and then she will find out 

 my ignorance." 



Here the conversation dropped, but Mary, though silent, 

 was not satisfied, and the next morning she took the first op- 

 portunity of asking her mamma what was meant by the 

 Aldine edition. 



MRS. FORTESCUE. 



I shall be most happy to tell you; but surely, as the book 

 is your cousin's, you might have asked her. 



* Pickering has published a neat edition of the British poets 

 under this title. 



