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38. . /

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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