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down　her　cheeks　from　meeting　the　eyes　of　her
companions。

〃We　ought　to　ask　Katherine　to　make　one　of　our
family；　in　the　absence　of　her　mother　and　sister；〃
said　Miss　Emmerson；　as　soon　as　the　door　was
closed。

〃Ah！　yes；〃　cried　Julia；　fervently；　〃by　all　means：　poor
Katherine；　how　solitary　she　would　be　any　where
elseI　will　go　this　instant　and　ask　her。〃

〃Butstop　a　moment；　my　love；　you　will　remember
that　we　have　not　room　for　more　than　one　guest。　If
Katherine　is　asked；　Miss　Miller　cannot　be　invited。
Let　us　look　at　what　we　are　about；　and　leave
nothing　to　repent　of　hereafter。〃

〃Ah！　it　is　true；〃　said　Julia；　re…seating　herself　in
great　disappointment；　〃where　will　poor　Katherine
stay　then？〃

〃I　know　my　brother　expects　that　I　will　take　her
under　my　charge；　and；　indeed；　I　think　he　has　right
to　ask　it　of　me。〃

〃But　she　has　no　such　right　as　my　Anna；　who　is　my
bosom　friend；　you　know。　Katherine　has　a　right　here；
it　is　true；　but　it　is　only　such　a　right〃

〃As　your　own；〃　interrupted　the　aunt　gravely；　〃you
are　the　daughter　of　my　sister；　and　Katherine　is　the
daughter　of　my　brother。〃

〃Truetrueif　it　be　right；　lawful　right；　that　is　to
decide　it；　then　Katherine　must　come；　I　suppose；〃
said　Julia；　a　little　piqued。

〃Let　us　proceed　with　caution；　my　love；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson；　kissing　her　niece〃Do　you　postpone
your　invitation　until　September；　when；　if　you
continue　of　the　same　mind；　we　will　give　Anna　the
desired　invitation：　in　the　mean　while　prepare
yourself　for　what　I　know　will　be　a　most　agreeable
surprise。〃



CHAPTER　IV。

ALTHOUGH　Julia　spent　most　of　her　time　with　her
aunt　and　cousin；　opportunities　for　meditation　were
not　wanting：　in　the　retirement　of　her　closet　she
perused　and　re…perused　the　frequent　letters　of　her
friend。　The　modesty　of　Julia；　or　rather　shame；
would　have　prevented　her　from　making　Anna
acquainted　with　all　her　feelings；　but　it　would　have
been　treason　to　her　friendship　not　to　have　poured
out　a　little　of　her　soul　at　the　feet　of　Miss　Miller。
Accordingly；　in　her　letters；　Julia　did　not　avoid　the
name　of　Antonio。　She　mentioned　it　often；　but　with
womanly　delicacy；　if　not　with　discretion。　The　seeds
of　constant　association　had；　unknown　to　herself；
taken　deep　root；　and　it　was　not　in　the　power　of
Anna　Miller　to　eradicate　impressions　which　had
been　fastened　by　the　example　of　the　aunt；　and
cherished　by　the　society　of　her　cousin。　Although
deluded；　weak；　and　even　indiscreet；　Julia　was　not
indelicate。　Yet　enough　escaped　her　to　have　given
any　experienced　eye　an　insight　into　the　condition　of
her　mind；　had　Anna　chosen　to　have　exposed　her
letters　to　any　one。　The　danger　of　such　a
correspondence　should　alone　deter　any　prudent
female　from　its　indulgence。　Society　has　branded　the
man　with　scorn　who　dares　abuse　the　confidence　of
a　woman　in　this　manner；　and　the　dread　of　the
indignation　of　his　associates　makes　it　an　offence
which　is　rarely　committed　by　the　other　sex：　but
there　is　no　such　obligation　imposed　on　women；　and
that　frequently　passes　for　a　joke　which　harrows
every　feeling　that　is　dear　to　the　female　breast；　and
violates　all　that　is　delicate　and　sensitive　in　our
nature。　Surely；　where　it　is　necessary　from　any
adventitious　circumstances　to　lay　the　heart　open　in
this　manner；　it　should　only　be　done　to　those　whose
characters　are　connected　with　our　own；　and　who
feel　ridicule　inflicted　on　us；　as　disgrace　heaped　on
themselves。　A　peculiar　evil　of　these　confidential
friendships　is；　that　they　are　most　liable　to　occur；
when；　from　their　youth；　their　victims　are　the　least
guarded；　and；　at　the　same　time；　from　inconstancy；
the　most　liable　to　change。　Happily；　however；　for
Julia's　peace　of　mind；　she　foresaw　no　such　dangers
from　her　intimacy　with　Anna；　and　letter　and　answer
passed　between　them；　at　short　intervals；　during　the
remainder　of　the　summer。　We　shall　give　but　one
more　specimen　of　each；　as　they　have　strong
resemblance　to　one　anotherwe　select　two　that
were　written　late　in　August。

〃My　own　and　beloved　Julia；

〃Your　letters　are　the　only　consolation　that　my
anxious　heart　can　know　in　the　dreary　solitude　of
this　place。　Oh！　my　friend；　how　would　your　tender
heart　bleed　did　you　but　know　the　least　of　my
sufferings；　but　they　are　all　requited　by　the
delightful　anticipations　of　Park…Place。　I　hope　your
dear　aunt　has　not　found　it　necessary　to　lay　down
her　carriage　in　the　change　of　the　times：　write　me　in
your　next　about　it。　Antonio　has　been　here　again；
and　he　solicited　an　audience　with　me　in　privateof
course　I　granted　it；　for　friendship　hallows　all　that　is
done　under　its　mantle。　It　was　a　moonlight　night
mild　Luna　shedding　a　balmy　light　on　surrounding
objects；　and；　if　possible；　rendering　my　heart　more
sensitive　than　ever。　One　solitary　glimmering　star
showed　by　its　paly　quiverings　the　impress　of
evening；　while　not　a　cloud　obscured　the　vast
firmament　of　heaven。　On　such　an　evening　Antonio
could　do　nothing　but　converse　of　my　absent　friend；
he　dwelt　on　the　indescribable　grace　of　your　person；
the　lustre　of　your　eye；　and　the　vermilion　of　your
lips；　until　exhausted　language　could　furnish　no
more　epithets　of　rapture：　then　the　transition　to
your　mind　was　natural　and　easy；　and　it　was　while
listening　to　his　honied　accents　that　I　thought　my
Julia　herself　was　talking。

〃Soft　as　the　dews　from　heaven　descend；　his　gentle
accents　fell。〃

Ah；　Julia！　nothing　but　a　strong　pre…possession；　and
my　friendship　for　you；　could　remove　the　danger　of
such　a　scene。　Yes！　friend　of　my　heart；　I　must
acknowledge　my　weakness。　There　is　a　youth　in
New…York；　who　has　long　been　master　of　my　too
sensitive　heart；　and　without　him　life　will　be　a
burthen。　Cruel　fate　divides　us　now；　but　when
invited　by　your　aunt　to　Park…Place；　Oh；　rapture
unutterable！　I　shall　be　near　my　Regulus。　This；
surely；　is　all　that　can　be　wanting　to　stimulate　my
Julia　to　get　the　invitation　from　her　aunt。　Antonio
says　that　if　I　go　to　the　city　this　fall；　he　will　hover
near　me　on　the　road　to　guard　the　friend　of　Julia；
and　that　he　will　eagerly　avail　himself　of　my
presence　to　seek　her　society。　I　am　called　from　my
delightful　occupation　by　one　of　my　troublesome
sisters；　who　wishes　me　to　assist　her　in　some　trifle
or　other。　Make　my　most　profound　respects　to　your
dear；　good　aunt；　and　believe　me　your　own　true
friend；

ANNA。〃

｛Regulus　=　prince｝

At　length　Julia　thought　she　had　made　the　discovery
of　Anna's　reason　for　her　evident　desire　to　spend　the
winter　in　townlike　herself；　her　friend　had　become
the　victim　of　the　soft　passion；　and　from　that
moment　Julia　determined　that　Katherine　Emmerson
must　seek　another　residence；　in　order　that　Anna
might　breathe　love's　atmosphere。　How　much　a
desire　to　see　Antonio　governed　this　decision；　we
cannot　say；　but　we　are　certain　that；　if　in　the　least；
Julia　was　herself　ignorant　of　the　power。　With　her；　it
seemed　to　be　the　result　of　pure；　disinterested；　and
confiding　friendship。　In　answer；　our　heroine　wrote
as　follows：

〃My　beloved　Anna；

〃Your　kind；　consolatory　letters　are　certainly　the
solace　of　my　life。　Ah！　Anna；　I　have　long　thought
that　some　important　secret　lay　heavy　at　your　heart。
The　incoherency　of　your　letters；　and　certain　things
too　trifling　to　mention；　had　made　me　suspect　that
some　unusual　calamity　had　befallen　you。　You　do
not　mention　who　Regulus　is。　I　am　burning　with
curiosity　to　know；　although　I　doubt　not　but　he　is
every　way　worthy　of　your　choice。

〃I　have　in　vain　run　over　in　my　mind　every　young
man　that　we　know；　but　not　one　of　them　that　I　can
find　has　any　of　the　qualities　of　a　hero。　Do　relieve
my　curiosity　in　your　next；　and　I　may　have　it　in　my
power　to　write　you　something　of　his　movements。
Oh！　Anna；　why　will　you　dwell　on　the　name　of
AntonioI　am　sure　I　ought　not　to　listen　as　I　do　to
what　he　saysand　when　we　meet；　I　am　afraid　that
he　will　not　find　all　the　attractions　which　your　too
partial　friendship　has　portrayed。　If　he　should　be
thus　disappointed；　Oh！　AnnaAnnawhat　would
become　of　your　friendBut　I　will　not　dwell　an　the
horrid　idea。　Charles　Weston　is　yet　here；　and
Katherine　Emmerson　too；　so　that　but　for　the
thoughts　of　my　absent　Anna；　and　perhaps　a　little
uneasiness　on　the　subject　of　Antonio；　I　might　be
perfectly　happy。　You　know　how　good　and　friendly
Katherine　is；　and　really　Charles　does　all　in　his
power　to　please。　If　he　were　only　a　little　more
heroical；　he　would　be　a　charming　young　man：　for
although　he　is　not　very　handsome；　I　don't　think　you
notice　it　in　the　least　when　you　are　intimate　with
him。　Poor　Charles；　he　was　terribly　mortified　about
the　flash　of　lightningbut　then　all　are　not　brave
alike。　Adieu；　my　Annaand　if　you　do　converse　more
with　a　certain　person　about；　you　know　whom；　let　it
be　with　discretion；　or　you　may　raise　expectations
she　will　not　equal。　Your　own　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JULIA。〃

〃P。　S。　I　had　almost　forgotten　to　say　that　aunt　has
promised　me　that　I　can　ask　you　to　stay　with　us；　if；
after　the　20th　September；　I　wish　it；　as　you　may　be
sure　that　I　will。　Aunt　keeps　her　carriage　yet；　and　I
hope　will　never　want　it　in　her　old　age。〃

About　the　time　this　letter　was　written；　Miss
Emmerson　made　both　of　her　nieces　acquainted　with
the　promised　project　that　was　to　give　them　the
agreeable　surprise：she　had　long　contemplated
going　to　s