rl of Stair: "She lived to a great age, and at
her death desired that she might not be put under ground, but that her
coffin should stand upright on one end of it, promising that while she
remained in that situation the Dalrymples should continue to flourish.
What was the old lady's motive for the request, or whether she really
made such a promise, I shall not take upon me to determine; but
it's certain her coffin stands upright in the isle of the church of
Kirklistown, the burial-place belonging to the family." The talents
of this accomplished race were sufficient to have accounted for
the dignities which many members of the family attained, without any
supernatural assistance. But their extraordinary prosperity was attended
by some equally singular family misfortunes, of which that which befell
their eldest daughter was at once unaccountable and melancholy.

Miss Janet Dalrymple, daughter of the first Lord Stair and Dame Margaret
Ross, had engaged herself without the knowledge of her parents to the
Lord Rutherford, who was not acceptable to them either on account of his
political principles or his want of fortune. The young couple broke
a piece of gold together, and pledged their troth in the most solemn
manner; and it is said the young lady imprecated dreadful evils on
herself should she break her plighted faith. Shortly after, a suitor
who was favoured by Lord Stair, and still more so by his lady, paid his
addresses to Miss Dalrymple. The young lady refused the proposal, and
being pressed on the subject, confessed her secret engagement. Lady
Stair, a woman accustomed to universal submission, for even her husband
did not dare to contradict her, treated this objection as a trifle, and
insisted upon her daughter yielding her consent to marry the new suitor,
David Dunbar, son and heir to David Dunbar of Baldoon, in Wigtonshire.
The first lover, a man of very high spirit, then interfered by letter,
and insisted on the right he had acquired by his troth plighted with the
young lady. Lady Stair sent him for answer, that her daughter, sensible
of her undutiful behaviour in entering into a contract unsanctioned by
her parents, had retracted her unlawful vow, and now refused to fulfil
her engagement with him.

The lover, in return, declined positively to receive such an answer from
any one but his mistress in person; and as she had to deal with a man
who was both of a most determined character and of too high condition
to be