With these friends, and these only, I grew up. As my years advanced,

my intimacy with the former increased, and with the latter diminished.

But this diminution of intimacy did not lessen the kindness of her

feelings, or the ordinary devotedness of mine. She was still--when

the perversity of heart made me not blind--the sweet creature to

whom the task of ministering was a pleasure infinitely beyond any

other which I knew. But, as she grew up to girlhood, other prospects

opened upon her eyes, and other purposes upon those of her parents.

At twelve she was carried by maternal vanity into company--sent to

the dancing school--provided with teachers in music and painting,

and made to understand--so far as the actions, looks, and words of

all around could teach--that she was the cynosure of all eyes, to

whom the whole world was bound in deference.

Fortunately, in the case of Julia, the usual effects of maternal

folly and indiscretion did not ensue. Nature interposed to protect

her, and saved her in spite of them all. She was still the meek, modest

child, solicitous of the happiness of all around her--unobtrusive,

unassuming--kind to her inferiors, respectful to superiors, and

courteous to, and considerate of all other persons. Her advancing

years, which rendered these new acquisitions and accomplishments

desirable, if not necessary, at the same time prompted her foolish

mother to another step which betrayed the humiliating regard which

she entertained for me. When I was seventeen, Julia was twelve,

and when neither she nor myself had a solitary thought of love,

the over considerate mother began to think, on this subject, for

us both. The result of her cogitations determined her that it was

no longer fitting that Julia should be my companion. Our rambles in

the woods together were forbidden; and Julia was gravely informed

that I was a poor youth, though her cousin--an orphan whom her

father's charity supported, and whom the public charity schooled.

The poor child artlessly told me all this, in a vain effort to

procure from me an explanation of the mystery (which her mother had

either failed or neglected to explain) by which such circumstances

were made to account for the new commands which had been given her.

Well might she, in her simplicity of heart, wonder why it was, that

because I was poor, she should be familiar with me no longer.

The circumstance opened my eyes to the fact that Julia was a tall

girl, growing fast, already in her teens, and likely, under the

rapidly-maturing influence of our summer sun, to be soon a woman.

But just then--just when she first tasked me to solve the mystery

of her mother's strange requisitions, I did not think of this.

I was too much filled with indignation--the mortified self-esteem

was too actively working in my bosom to suffer me to think of anything

but the indignity with which I was treated. A brief portion of the

dialogue between the child and my self, will give some glimpses of

the blind heart by which I was afflicted.




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