o her elegant home in the city of H. It was
fortunate for her that she was not obliged, as was Emma, to teach as a
means of support; for, notwithstanding the unwearied pains of her
teachers, her education, when she left school, was very superficial.
Emma soon obtained a situation as teacher in a small village some twenty
miles from Rockford, where she remained for two years. During her
absence, her mother, to avoid being left alone, received as boarders two
or three young ladies who attended school in the village. Emma's
success as a teacher became so well known that she was at length offered
a high salary to accept of the position of assistant teacher in an
academy in the city of H., the same city where Miss Carlton resided. As
the salary offered was very liberal, she decided to accept of the
position, and as situation was likely to prove a permanent one she was
very anxious that her mother should accompany her; and after some
deliberation upon the subject, Mrs. Ashton consented, thinking they
would both much happier together than otherwise. Emma proved quite as
successful in this her second situation as in the first; and owing to
her position as teacher she soon formed acquaintance with several
families of cultivated tastes and high respectability. She often
received invitations to parties; but her tastes were quiet, and she
usually preferred spending her evenings with her mother in the quiet of
their own home, to mingling in scenes of mirth and gaiety; and it was
only upon a few occasions that she attended parties, that her friends
might not think her unsocial. At one of these parties she chanced to
meet her former schoolmate, Miss Carlton, whose only sign of recognition
was a very formal bow. This gave her no uneasiness; she cherished no
malice towards Miss Carlton; but her ideas and tastes so widely differed
from her own that she did not covet her friendship, even had she been
inclined to grant it her. Meanwhile, with the widow and her daughter,
time passed happily away. Emma's salary was more than sufficient for
their support, and they were happy in the society of each other. There
was one family, by the name of Milford, who had treated them with much
kindness since their residence in the city. Mrs. Milford at first placed
two little girls under Emma's instruction, and thus began an
acquaintance which soon ripened into intimate friendship; for, although
occupying a position of wealth and influence, Mrs. Milford was