110 FIRST STEPS IN GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. 



search out the wonders and difficulties of the vege- 

 table world. These papaws are, indeed, so unac- 

 countable in their properties, that I should have 

 hesitated to tell you about them, except on the 

 best authority. Eemind me to give you their 

 history at greater length from Hooker's account of 

 them in the Botanical Magazine" 



"Thank you, papa, I shall not forget it," said 

 Henry. 



His father now began to speak of that beautiful 

 tribe of climbing plants called the PASSION-FLOWEK 

 tribe. 



Mary said she knew why they were called pas- 

 sion-flowers, for her mamma had shown her all the 

 parts of the flower, which were supposed to repre- 

 sent the instruments of our Lord's passion or 

 sufferings. 



" There were the three nails in the centre," she 

 said, " and round them the five wounds, and out- 

 side them the crown of thorns, with the upright 

 column in the middle, for the pillar of scourging." 



Eobert said he did not understand how three 

 nails could make five wounds ; but his sister 

 reminded him that one wound was from the sol- 

 dier's spear, and also that, in crucifixion, the feet 



