Julia (Chapter_5)

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Chapter fifth

In the evening there was a great deal of company. Julia's frank, friendly manners, won universal good will; she was a general favorite with young & old, & tho' the young ladies sometimes felt a little vexed that she should attract these admirers they claimed as their own; & the married ladies were not better pleased at the attention paid her by their husbands, & tho' both felt the superiority of her talents, yet, such was the charm of good nature, that Julia's superiority was as freely forgiven by her own sex as it was warmly acknowledged by the other.- She had genius, but she had none of the egotism, none of the overweening pretentions of genius; & tho' few men had read more extensively, she fortunately escaped the character of a literary lady.

Her house, like her heart was open to her friends, & the cordial welcome they always felt assured of, would have always surrounded her with visitants, had she ever been deficient in other attractions. But to these were added the allurements of fashion & fortune, which left her without a rival in the gay circles of the metropolis.

She had the art of making everyone feel at home, - every one pleased with them-selves; the same way of making everyone pleased with her. The foreigners in particular, were delighted with the freedom & care she diffused through her society & no longer complained of the stiffness & dullness of Americans.

The evening was "delicious, the windows & doors were all thrown open, to admit the bright light of the moon", & the cool breeze: which was embalmed with the perfume of the honey-suckle & jessamine through which it stole its way into the saloon. Some of the company were walking on the lawn before the house, others had wandered into the garden, while others gathered round Julia, who accompanied her hym with her sweet voice; after singing for each the song that was required, asked for & satisfying every claimant, she mingled successively with the various groups, diffusing gaiety & good humour, which ever way she turned. How amiable, did she appear to d'Aubigne, & he sighed to think that, that smiling countenance covered an aching heart. But in this he was mistaken, for whatever were Julia's cares, they troubled her only when she was alone, & were forgotten in society. Prone to happiness, & facile as a child she would pass from tears to smiles, & as eagerly sought to escape from sorrow as childhood from punishment. Towards the latter part of the evening, when the company collected in the hall to partake of the refreshments that they were distributed, a group collected gathered round Julia, who seemed

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"Mama," said Henry, "I have a favour to ask of you, tho' I am almost afraid, as I know how precious your flowers are to you & that you do not like many gathered-but Mama, if you knew all"- & he stopped"Go on my dear," said his mother, I know of nothing I can refuse you just now."

"Well then Mama," the girls at our school bade me ask you, if some of them might come tomorrow & gather flowers here, & Mama Maria, is to be the queen of May, & you know how good anna Maria is-She is the sweetest & best girl {in,at?} the school," continued he, turning to d'Abgine, "Once when I had fallen down & hurt myself very much, all the boys laughed at me because I cried; & that made me cry more, & they made game of me; then Maria, came & took me with her, & washed the blood from off my face, & tore a piece off her apron to bind round my fore-head & wiped it with her handkerchief.- So, should I not give her some flowers Uncle?" "Certainly my boy", said d'Aubgne, "& with your Mama's permission, I will help to gather them."

"Take all you want Henry," said his mother, & as no garden roses are yet blown, you may gather some from the green-house plants, to make Maria's crown."

"Thank you, thank you dear Mother," said the delighted boy, clasping her round the neck. "Maria, will be the only one with roses!"-

"And Mama, I want you to do something for me," said Mora.

"Well, my dear? "I want you to get up early & go a Maying, & gather may-dew to wash my face & hands, for Betty says it will make them white as snow."

"A powerful inducement indeed, " said her mother smiling, "but I wish the dew tonight would do as well, for to get up at sunrise, will be almost impossible."-

"But Mama, night-dew will do no good, it must be May-morning-dew- & perhaps Mama it will make me as fair as you!"-

"So children, even, know how to flutter?", asked Julia looking at d'Aubigne.

He smiled, & replied, "Listen to such flattery my friend-it will never injure you."

It was then settled that they should all rise at dawn of day & that Henry who was to accompany a party of girls into the country in search of wild flowers, should bring them home with him, to gather those of the garden.

The next morning Mora, when they awakened her at sun rise, was so overpowered with sleep, that she forgot the importance she attached to the dew of may-morning, & begged to sleep a little longer; a request with which her mother gladly complied & it was not until past six o'clock, that they arose. They found Henry had been more alert & that d'Aubigne had been long waiting for them.- The morning was delightful. The June, elastic air, the bright & cloudless sky, inspired life & gaiety, & awakened a lively sympathy, with the glad creation. The dew was dried from off the plains, & the scattered shubbery & then Mora, lamented she had not risen earlier; but her mother bade her hope, & led her along the banks of Rock-creek & in the little valleys between the hills, where the sun had not yet exhaled the shiny moisture.

"But Mama I can find no gosamers, " said Mora, "if I could then I should gather plenty of dew, for you know with what large dew-drops our pretty gosamers are spangled." "But that is in the autumn Mora, when we have such heavy dews, then it hangs like rain drops on every leaf & every blade of grass. "Well I wish it was autumn now then," said the little girl. "that I might gather a plenty of dew.""But then you would have no flowers my dear," replies her mother. "That is true," answered Mora, with sigh, "one cannot have everything; so mama, we will go, & get May flowers, & think no more about the dew-" "A practical lesson in philosophy", said d'Aubigne, looking at Julia-"in the phylosopy of life. not to allow the absence of what we desire, to

to lessen the enjoyment of what we possess-Human life, like creation, refuses to blend the pleasures of different seasons; youth & spring age & autumn have their allotted portion, & their peculiar kind." "Our youth has gone! said Julia with a sigh. "Henry was it not gay with many flowers? But now they are all withered-all dead"-suc "But", said d'Aubigne, "they are succeeded by fruit, - why then regret the blossom?"

And as he spoke, he caught Mora who was tripping before them & drawing her towards her mother-"Look said he", as the happy child turned up her rosy face & sparkling eyes, look--what may-flower is so lovely? Oh my friend what makes yours!"

This was an appeal, to which Julia's heart was not insensible & she blushed to think, that her children did not entirely fill it, & that a sigh which belonged not to them, had escaped her bosom.-

They crossed the stream, & winding their way among the sequestened glades of Kalarama, they at last reached the road, which led from the hills to the city. Rosa, was so loaded with flowers she could scarcely carry what she had gathered, but still eager for more; imagining all she met, more beautiful than these she had, & would throw them down, to run after new ones.- "Thus we all do," said d'Aubigne as he collected the flowers Mora had flung down-"we despise the joys we possess, & eagerly run after others, more new, but seldom more valuable- Or oftener like our little Mora, who has thrown away these blue-bells for these more gaudy flowers, we cast away the simple pleasures of the heart to reach after the more brilliant ones of society."-

When they emerged from the woods, they sat down on a bank by the roadside, to give Mora time to arrange her flowers & to rest herselfand to await Henry who they supposed would return by this way. The wide plain which extends from the bottom of the hills to the city, spread before them-groups of happy children were dis{persed?} over it, seeking for flowers-While others climbed the hills, & penetrated the woods, returning laden with boughs of Hawthorn dog-wood & the rose-coloured honey-suckle- Exclamations of

of delight, & bursts of laughter, mingled with the gay songs they warbled while engaged in their charming task.-Several partners passd Julia & d'Aubigne light of heart, the heavy laden with "How happy & how greens & flowers. "How happy & how rich they are," said Julia"We might all be happy," answered d'Aubigne, " if we sought only these riches which nature yields". "There," replied Julia, pointing to Henry, who ran forward when he saw them, "is proof of what you say-I scarcely believe that Pizzaro when he returned loaded with peruvian gold, was half as happy as that dear boy with his verdant treasures""One might almost fancy" said d'Aubigne, "the word of { ?} was approaching; the children are literally hidden beneath boughs & blossoms."

By this time the whole party had come up & speaking kindly to all, Julia particularly distinguished anna maria & invited her & her companions to return to breakfast. A shorter path , { ?} conducted them home, where a table was spread for them under the trees. Julia, with all the interest & eagerness felt by the children, busied herself in { } -ing the flowers, tying up nose-gays, & twining wreaths-as she sat on the grass half buried in these blooming treasures, & surrounded by the happy children, d'Aubigne thought her the embodied spirit of happiness;At last, she dismissed her little guests, laden with her liberality & as happy as mortals could be; somewhat weaned with her morning exercise, she then left her children at play under the trees, & her friend in the library, & retired to her own room to recruit herself, as she said for the afternoon.

When the carriage drove to the door, Henry ran to hasten his mother, telling her he feared they would be too late to see the queen crowned. She obeyed the summons, & came down leading Mora, who was profusely adorned with the wildflowers she had gathered in the morning. D'Aubigne handed them into the carriage